"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..." - what Michael Bublé's dreamy voice is here to tell you is that the festive season is upon us, which can only mean you are on the search for the best Christmas crackers to liven up your dinner table decorations. After all, what is a Christmas dinner without some cracking crackers to pull with friends and family?
Are you on the lookout for some traditional crackers, with paper crowns and bad Dad jokes inside? Or perhaps something more unique, like a beauty Christmas cracker? They even have escape room puzzle crackers now, and they're such an exciting surprise for Christmas Day. Whatever you're in need of, we've got it here, with our ultimate Christmas cracker guide.
Closer's best Christmas crackers, at a glance:
Editor's Choice: 8 Luxury Christmas Crackers Traditional Foliage Designs, £20 on Marks & Spencer
Best traditional Christmas crackers: 10 Deluxe Christmas Crackers, £15.99 on Amazon
Best unique Christmas crackers: 6 Nutcracker Escape Room Crackers, £20 on Talking Tables
While we're here - have you started to get your presents sorted to gift to your loved ones? It's never too early to prepare in our books. Why not snap up a Black Friday Christmas gift deal while you're at it, eh? Some retailers have already started their Black Friday early.
Right, let's get started with our shopping guide to the best Christmas crackers. You'd be crackers not to get these... (Get it? Sorry...) Merry shopping!
SHOP: Best Christmas crackers for 2024
Editor's choice
Marks & Spencerwww.marksandspencer.com
Go for these classic luxury crackers from Marks & Spencer, complete with a traditional design that will add a subtle pop of festive colour to your Christmas table. This design is selling fast, and reviewers have commented that they're beautiful-looking crackers with really good quality gifts. What more could you want? As a firm favourite, they're our editor's choice.
Pros
- Contains a hat, a joke, a charade and a gift: a trolley token, mini grater, mini screwdriver set, bottle opener keyring, nail file, tape measure, loose tea strainer or nail clippers
- Reviewers say the crackers are aesthetically pleasing as well as being high quality
- The box and the used crackers are recyclable
Cons
- Slightly higher value than competitors with the same amount of crackers, but also has higher quality gifts included
Best traditional Christmas crackers
AmazonSometimes you want something simple and traditional - and you can't get more traditional than the Nutcracker design. These Deluxe Christmas Crackers from Amazon are filled with classic cracker contents, including mini pens, mini cards, bottle openers and more. Reviewers loved that they made a delightful centrepiece on their dining room table.
Pros
- Contains a paper hat, a joke and a gift inside each: cards, bottle opener, nail clippers, notebook or keyring
- Reviews say the crackers received compliments from their guests
- Completely recyclable and are made with reduced plastics and packaging
Cons
- Some reviews say the contents were budget-quality gifts
Best unique Christmas cracker
talking tableswww.talkingtables.co.uk
What a fantastic idea for a Christmas dinner activity - a mystery escape room puzzle game! Each cracker contains a different escape room puzzle to solve, complete all six puzzles to crack the code and escape. All puzzles, crackers, and packaging are plastic-free and recyclable, a fun and eco-friendly version of a great Christmas dinner tradition.
Pros
- Each cracker contains a paper hat and an escape room puzzle to solve, and the box contains a story sheet and solution envelope
- We love how unique and engaging the contents of this cracker are
- All puzzles, crackers, and packaging are plastic-free and recyclable
Cons
- Might not be suitable for younger children due to the complexity of the game
Best popular Christmas crackers
Cath Kidsonwww.johnlewis.com
A popular choice for last year, Cath Kidston's Christmas Crackers have returned to the high street once again. This time, they're available to shop at John Lewis, and they're already receiving loads of attention. On the more traditional side of things, each one contains a reusable wooden gift, as well as a vintage-inspired design on the front of the cracker.
Pros
- Contains a party hat, motto and reusable wooden gift
- We love the vintage-inspired design with an unmistakeable Cath Kidston print
- Packaging is recyclable and now contains a plastic-free gift inside each cracker
Cons
- Slightly higher value than competitors with the same amount of crackers, but also has higher quality gifts included
Best value Christmas crackers
Dunelmwww.dunelm.com
Now, if we're really talking value for money, then Dunelm is where it's at. You can snap up a box of eight of these crackers for under £10, what's better than that? Each beautifully illustrated cracker comes in a more traditional design, featuring a robin or Christmas wreath, and reviewers said they're absolutely splendid. They contain a good amount of gifts, so they're by far the best value on our list.
Pros
- Contains  a bingo game card, a sticker sheet, a joke sheet, a red tissue hat, and a snap
- Reviewers loved these 'splendid' crackers and how much the family will love them
- The crackers are fully recyclable after use
Cons
- May not be as sturdy as other higher quality crackers on the list
Best reusable Christmas crackers
not on the high streetwww.notonthehighstreet.com
If you want some reusable crackers that you can refill every year with your own personalised gifts, shop the handmade Scandi Reusable Christmas Crackers. Purchase individually, selecting from an array of festive-themed designs, or purchase a complete set of six in a gift box. These beautiful keepsake crackers are loved by customers, who have called them the perfect crackers.
Pros
- Can be filled with your own personal and customised gifts for an extra special touch
- We love that they're beautifully handmade and come in so many designs
- Can be used year after year, a sustainable solution to buying new crackers
Cons
- These crackers do not contain a snap and must be sponge-cleaned only
Best chocolate-themed Christmas crackers
hotel chocolatwww.hotelchocolat.com
If your family likes to save your cracker pulling till after dinner, you'll love these delicious Chocolate Christmas Table Crackers from Hotel Chocolat. We won't give the surprise away, but you can be sure that, whether you get milk, caramel milk or white chocolate, it'll be a delight for the senses. Fans of the product have said they're well-made, delicious and beautifully packaged.
Pros
- Contains a paper hat, a joke and three delicious Hotel Chocolat festive-themed chocolates inside
- Reviews say the crackers are well-made, delicious and beautifully presented
- Can add a gift card with your own personalised message at checkout at no added cost
Cons
- Value for money could come into question, as it's £5.95 for one single cracker
Best activity-themed Christmas crackers
AmazonHave fans of PlayDoh at the table? They'll love these Kuckoo Modelling Dough Game Christmas Crackers, available on Amazon. Each cracker contains coloured modelling dough, game instructions, a party tissue crown and a joke. The box also includes a list of words to be modelled for some fun suggestions. Fans of the product said they had a brilliant laugh with this game last Christmas.
Pros
- Contains coloured modelling dough, game instructions, a party tissue crown and a joke. The box also includes a list of words to be modelled.
- Highly rated on Amazon with hundreds of glowing reviews
- Reviews say guests had a brilliant laugh with these after their Christmas meal
Cons
- No physical gift included, the gift is in the fun of the game!
Best bulk-buy Christmas crackers
etsywww.etsy.com
If you're preparing to host a large group of people for Christmas Day, you'll want to bulk buy a bunch of crackers. With the DIY Christmas Crackers from Etsy, you can order up to 20 for around £24. Each set comes with a selection of dried fruit, lavender and cinnamon sticks which come with jute twine to tie onto the outside of the cracker. Reviews say that they were easy to assemble and they had fun doing it.
Pros
- Pack contains Kraft crown or traditional coloured paper crown, cracker jokes and instructions, cracker snapper,a selection of dried fruit and cinnamon sticks, jute twine
- An eco-friendly solution, made and packaged in Kraft paper that can be either recycled or added to compost
- Reviews say they were a real hit at their Christmas table
Cons
- You have to assemble and fill them with your own gifts yourself
Best alcohol-themed Christmas crackers
not on the high streetwww.notonthehighstreet.com
Any adult at the table will highly appreciate these Luxury Personalised Christmas Crackers, each filled with a premium spirit bottle of your choice inside. Each cracker is individually personalised at their London studio with the name of your loved one, where you can choose the colour and the contents of your Christmas cracker. Reviews loved this one, saying they look lovely.
Pros
- Contains a paper hat, a joke and a choice of alcohol: Grey Goose Vodka, Hendricks Gin, Kraken Spiced Rum, Chambord Raspberry Liqueur, Hennessy Cognac and non-alcoholic Seedlip Spice
- These crackers are lovingly handmade to the highest quality
- Reviewers loved how they could be personalised for a special touch
Cons
- A fairly small (but great!) selection of alcohol included
Best luxury Christmas crackers
Fortnum & Masonwww.fortnumandmason.com
Something extra luxurious if you want to treat yourself and your dinner table this Christmas. Fortnum's The Crackerdile Crackers each contain a crocodile mask in the base, a game of ‘Who Am I?’, a festive joke, and a paper crown. There are endless crackers to browse at Fortnum & Mason, but we thought that these luxury crackers were by far the most unique.
Pros
- Contains a crocodile mask, a paper crown, a festive joke and a game of 'Who Am I?'
- Fortnum & Mason are known for their high-quality, luxury products
- We love the unique design, print and colour choice of these brand new crackers
Cons
- Higher value than competitors with the same amount of crackers, but also higher quality
Best cocktail-themed Christmas crackers
moth mothdrinks.com
Get some serious cool points at Christmas with this sleek set from MOTH. Not only do they look good, they have the best taste of any canned cocktails we've tried. All are made with award-winning spirits, and reviewers loved the unique idea. A total festive hit. No jokes or hats though, sadly.
Pros
- Each cracker contains an award-winning spirit: Margarita, Espresso Martini, Cosmopolitan, Pink Gin Fizz, Negroni, Old Fashioned
- Packaging and presentation looks sleek and more expensive than they are
- Reviewers loved the unique idea and great choice of classic cocktails
Cons
- No jokes or hats are included in these crackers
Best couples Christmas crackers
ann summerswww.annsummers.com
If you're having an intimate Christmas dinner for two, why not go extra cheeky with the Naughty or Nice Cracker Set from Ann Summers? One reviewer said it went down a treat. Cosy up together and pick either naughty or nice - either way, you'll have a merry ol' time.
Pros
- The naughty cracker contains an eye mask and 100ml massage oil and the nice cracker includes faux rose petals and 50ml water-based lubricant
- The packaging looks luxurious and more expensive than what it is
- Reviewers loved enjoying some 'quality time' with their partners for Christmas
Cons
- Contents are 50ml in one cracker and 100ml in the other cracker
What is the origin of Christmas crackers?
Invented in the Victorian era, the Christmas cracker as we know it was invented by London-based baker, Tom Smith. On a trip to Paris, he was inspired by the French 'bonbon' sweet, wrapped up in a twist of tissue paper. With bonbons a hit around Christmas time, Tom began to add a small motto inside the wrapper to encourage sales all year round.
The inspiration to add the explosive 'pop' was supposedly sparked by the crackling sound of a log fire. Tom patented his design in 1847, and the mechanism was perfected by the 1860s. His son, Walter, was the one to add elaborate paper hats and sourced novelties from around the world to hide inside, much like the ones we know and love today.
Where to buy the best Christmas crackers?
Depending on what you're looking for, there are Christmas crackers available to shop from almost every retailer online. If you're looking for budget buys, we recommend taking to Amazon, Dunelm as well as Argos, Asda and Robert Dyas among others.
Not wanting to break the bank but still wanting a good-looking, quality cracker? Take to mid-range brands such as Marks & Spencer, John Lewis or Lakeland. There are also lots of independent brands that produce their own crackers around the £20 - £40 range. Check out Not On The High Street, too.
But, if you want to go all out, then brands like Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols have you covered. These retailers often stock luxury crackers with a big emphasis on aesthetics, as well as much higher quality content included inside. You get what you pay for, I guess.
Ruby Barry was a product writer for Closer Online, specialising in fashion and beauty. The team has nicknamed her "dupe queen", as there's not a product in the world she can't find a cheaper alternative for.