In which country were Christmas crackers invented?

Christmas crackers were invented in England, by London confectioner Tom Smith in 1847.

Smith originally sold French-inspired bonbons: sugared almonds wrapped in twisted paper. After visiting Paris in 1846, he adapted the idea for his London business. When interest in the sweets declined, he added romantic messages and later replaced the confection with small gifts and trinkets.

The defining snapping mechanism appeared around 1860. It used a chemically treated strip that made a small bang when the cracker was pulled apart. Smith’s son Walter later helped establish the familiar format by adding paper hats, jokes and novelty gifts.

Although crackers are now common in Britain, Ireland and several Commonwealth countries, their origin is specifically English rather than American, French or German. They are typically pulled by two people at Christmas dinner, with the winner often claiming the larger section or the prize inside.