Everything listed here is sold on Amazon UK. Prices checked on 3 October 2026.

The Christmas DreamTrees · lights · decorations · gifts

Christmas crackers for the dinner table

Boxed Christmas crackers, mostly packs of six, from standard hat-and-joke crackers to longer luxury ones with socks, wooden decorations or games inside, plus kits you fill yourself. Compare the price per cracker, not the box: a typical six-pack costs about £15, which is £2.50 a cracker. Length and contents matter more than the word luxury on the box.

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Prices checked on Amazon UK on 3 October 2026; they may have changed since. The price ranges and medians quoted in the text of this page come from the check of 29 September 2026. Ratings and review counts are those of Amazon shoppers. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Christmas crackers: what is in the box

A typical box of six crackers costs about £15, which works out at £2.50 a cracker. Prices run from £10 to £26 for most boxes, and the dearest is about £30. Six is the usual box size, with a few larger packs and fill-your-own kits as the exceptions.

A standard cracker holds a snap, a paper hat, a joke or motto and a small gift, and goes with one guest. The word luxury appears in the titles of most boxed packs, whatever the price, so it is a label rather than a standard. Compare length, contents and finish instead. Listings mix inches and centimetres: 12 inches is 30 cm, 13.5 inches is 34 cm and 14 inches is 36 cm.

Standard, luxury and novelty crackers

TypeLengthInside
Standardabout 30 cmSnap, paper hat, joke, small gift
Luxury32 to 36 cmThe same, with a better gift such as socks, wooden or plush tree decorations, or a game
Kids and novelty30 to 33 cmWind-up toys, mini games or building-block figures
Fill-your-own kitvariesYou add the gifts; check what the kit includes

Plastic-free and recyclable packs

Some listings say the contents are plastic free, and some say the card, hats and mottos can be recycled. Read what is inside as well as what the cracker is wrapped in, because foil, glitter and plastic gifts do not go in with the card.

Crackers for children

Packs for children hold wind-up toys, mini games or building-block figures instead of the usual gift. The gifts are small parts, so check the age guidance on the box before you give them to toddlers.

Fill-your-own crackers

The kit itself costs far less per cracker than a boxed pack, but the gifts, hats and jokes are on top. Check which parts are included, since snaps are the part that is hard to improvise. What to put in homemade Christmas crackers has ideas for what goes inside.

Choosing Christmas crackers for your table

  • Count: one per guest, plus a spare box if visitors may drop in.
  • Length: a 30 cm cracker fits across a 26 cm plate with a little overhang. A 36 cm one needs more room, so pick the shorter size for a small table.
  • Contents: read the listing for the hat, joke and gift, because luxury on the box does not say what is inside.
  • Price: divide the box price by the number of crackers. A £10 box of six is £1.67 a cracker, a £25 box of six is £4.17, and a £20 box of ten is £2.00.

For budget and luxury picks, read best Christmas crackers. The crackers sit on Christmas plates and tableware, and the full range of table items is under Christmas table decorations.

Frequently asked questions: Christmas Crackers

What is the tradition of Christmas crackers?

Two people each hold one end of a cracker and pull it apart. The snap goes off, and whoever ends up with the bigger half keeps the gift. Everyone then puts on the paper hat and reads out the joke, usually at Christmas dinner.

How much do Christmas crackers cost?

Most boxes in this collection cost between £10 and £26, with a median near £15. A box of six at £15 is £2.50 a cracker. Fill-your-own kits cost less per cracker, but the gifts are extra.

What is the difference between standard and luxury crackers?

Luxury crackers are usually longer, at 32 to 36 cm against about 30 cm, and hold a better gift such as socks, wooden decorations or a game. The label is not a standard, though, since most boxed packs use the word. Read the contents list in each listing.

Are there Christmas crackers for children?

Yes. Look for packs that list wind-up toys, mini games or building-block figures. The gifts are small, so check the age guidance on the box for toddlers.

Can I make my own Christmas crackers?

Yes. A kit gives you the card tubes and wrap, and you add your own gifts, hats and jokes. Check which parts the kit includes, since snaps are the part that is hard to improvise.

Can you recycle Christmas crackers?

Plain card tubes, paper hats and mottos can go in paper recycling. Foil, glitter and plastic gifts cannot, so check the listing for a plastic-free or recyclable claim.

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