Looking to up your hosting game this Christmas? Try these luxury crackers

Holly Luxury Christmas Crackers, Pack of 6, Red/Gold

India Price,-Writer

Everything you need to know about these six little parcels of joy – guaranteed to make your Christmas go off with a bang

What are they?

OK, you know what crackers are (hopefully), so I don’t need to explain that. And is a Christmas table complete without crackers? No, no, it isn’t. Why? Because these small but mighty parcels of joy have the ability to do so much more than look pretty on a table (although let’s be honest, that’s an incredibly important function).

Crackers can break awkward family silences, acting as a brilliant conversation starter with an aunt you only see once a year (thanks, hilarious cracker joke) at Christmas lunch. And in the case of these luxury crackers from John Lewis, provide gifts you want.

John Lewis Holly Luxury Christmas Crackers, Pack of 6, Red/Gold

What makes these crackers special?

First of all, every gift inside these crackers is made of wood. That, my friends, is unusual. We live in a time of far too much waste and far too much plastic, so it’s refreshing to get hold of a pack of crackers that features neither. Important side note: the cracker barrels, hats and paper with jokes on them are all recyclable.

There are six crackers in box, each delivering a joke, a charade, a piece of trivia, a hat (thank goodness) and a gift. And these gifts are actually good, particularly if you have kids around your table. The set I received had a reindeer decoration, a Christmas tree decoration, a honey drizzler (I was pleased to get this one), a dice, a fidget spinner and a mini set of bowling pins (perfect for passing time with said awkward aunt).

The story of our hand-painted Christmas wrapping paper

The metrics that matter

Value for money At £35 for a box of six, these aren’t cheap. But you do get witty jokes, ice-breaking charades and a set of pretty decent gifts so I’d definitely say that makes them good value for money.

Conversation-starting abilityWhether you’re sitting next to your five-year-old niece or 85-year-old grandma, crackers are a great conversation starter. Don’t they look lovely, isn’t that joke hilarious, oh! Do you want to trade gifts?

Aesthetically raising the barThe red and gold means these truly add the perfect festive touch to your table and look good with everything, whether you’re into modern neutrals or go the whole traditional hog. Trust me, they’ll look great.

Are these crackers worth it?

I believe they are. But it depends how much value you place on crackers. For me, I’d rather be frugal elsewhere when it comes to the tablescape – it’s amazing what you can artfully DIY with seasonal flowers, twigs, twine, napkins and tealights. If you’ve got family or friends coming over who you know would love these crackers, they’re worth the cost. Plus, as I said, is a Christmas table really complete without a festive sprinkling of crackers?

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