So there I was, out in the mad world of Christmas shopping, elbows sharpened, stout boots on feet and a steely look in my eyes, when I found myself in front of the splendour and colour of rows and rows of Christmas Crackers.  Laden with bags and not a hand free, I could only look with the objective of selecting and remembering my choice for later collection when I had put this particular batch of goodies in the car boot.  Then it happened!  Loss of focus!  Mission Christmas shopping was in jeopardy!  My mind had done its usual meander off down History Lane!  I tried in vane to resist but to no avail, the surrounding throng of determined shoppers became nothing more than a blur.  I was detached from the moment and only half noticed their irritation at my apparent lack of urgency to get out of the way.

With ever-increasing curiosity, my mind turned from the burning question of cracker choice to "how on earth did we come to have this rather marvellous bit of frivolity in the first place?" I mean we all take them for granted, but they must have had a start, someone who said, 'I know what the world needs at Christmas!'.  Like most Family Historians I am very curious and will investigate anyone or anything in History that takes my interest, irrespective of it having any connection with a family tree.

So, with that came the end of that particular hard fought slog of a round of Christmas shopping as I headed for home, intent on pounding the keyboard in pursuit of the story behind the humble Christmas Cracker.  With a hastily made brew in hand I was soon gazing at my Google search results, as always attempting to select the best offering regardless of ranking.  My eyes soon alighted on a promising link about fifth in the list.  The page sprang into view and immediately informed me that the cracker had been making Christmas dinners go with a pop for over 150 years.  Several bouts of clicking and various websites later and my curiosity was satisfied.  I had my culprit and the story behind it.

It turns out that on a trip to Paris in 1840 a chap by the name of Tom Smith discovered the 'bon bon'; a sugared almond wrapped in a twist of tissue paper.  This proved something of a catalyst for Tom, as over the next seven years he evolved this French fancy into the Christmas Cracker.  Initially he placed a small love motto in the tissue paper with almond and this simple addition generated enormous interest in the product, particularly, he noted, at Christmas time.  Buoyed up by this success, he decided to concentrate his efforts on creating a festive season fancy of his own.  Whilst relaxing one evening by the fire, nursing his muse in search of further inspiration for his idea, he threw another log onto the dying flames and as the log caught, the crackle sound it made attracted his attention, giving him the thought that would lead him to the Christmas Cracker we know and love today.

In order to reproduce this sound, Tom expended a great deal of hard work and experimentation before he found the 'pop' he was looking for.  He initially incorporated this into the tissue paper of the 'bon bon'; this earlier innovation would later become the snap that the cracker is know for today.  The business grew and expanded and a move to bigger premises was required.  Shutting their original premises in Clerkenwell, they moved to a new home in fashionable Finsbury Park, a sure sign of the success Tom was enjoying.  When Tom eventually passed away, his sons Tom (junior), Walter and Henry took over.  It was Walter we have to thank for the paper hats and improving and increasing the range of novelty gifts the cracker includes.

Some cracker ranges were introduced on a topical basis, with styles made for the Suffragette movement, Charlie Chaplin and coronations, amongst others by this entrepreneurial family.  Even the Royal family would have its own exclusive cracker, a tradition continued to this day.

So my journey that began with a quest for crackers has now ended, but with a rather ironic twist I realised that I had not in fact purchased any in my haste to return home and begin my festive investigation.  Oh well.....'Once more into the breach' and all that!  Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a joyous and peaceful New Year.