Go Crackers!

Go crackers as celebrations start. Hold on, we are not there yet! The big ‘C’ is shimmering in the distance. Retailers have embraced it early this year. All things Xmas are upon us. From baubles on Christmas trees to Santa at the North Pole puddings and crackers they begin to take centre stage. They are steeped in tradition. As some change with the times others remain.

Crackers have been around forever. ‘Bangs of Expectation’ began in 1861. The stories all centred on Tom Smith who imported French ‘bon bon’ sweets. He could not sell these culinary delights. His idea was to offer a cracker with a selection of toys and sweets, the crinkle sounds linked to the sound of the fire.

The flimsy paper crown gives the wearer a party look of sorts. No styling is involved. Within the cracker are enclosed a trinket, a cracker joke and the all important hat. The hat was added by one of Tom Smith’s Cracker Company, which still runs to this day.

The flimsy paper crown...

Tissue paper is cut with a rough diamond formation to offer a coloured hat. These concertina hats are based on a ‘one size fits all’. In faded colours, people have pulled crackers from the first cracker until now.

These concertina hats have not changed since they were first pushed into the original crackers. With no innovative design elements and nothing to make them more appealing on the head, these hats have remained the same. As a consequence, our expectations to expect a lack lustre hat are met!

There is certainly room for improvement. This cracker hat is worn for a short time and discarded with the cracker wrappers at the end of the celebrations. Each hat has one single wear. There is no fitting.

My dream is to create Christmas hats that can be kept, added to and recycled each year. Watch this space.