The Victorian Age gave birth to many charming and romantic notions. One of these, the tradition of pulling a cracker at Christmas time, began just as Charles Dickens was publishing "A Christmas Carol". A London confectioner, on holiday in France, was impressed by candy-makers' custom of wrapping bon-bons in fancy papers with twisted ends. Upon his return home, he reproduced the idea, adding a few twists of his own. Of course, the cracker was named because of the "cracking" sound it makes when pulled, inspired, some say by the pop of a burning log. An 1841 article in a magazine called Delightful People mentioned "...people who explode their cracker bon-bons". A few years later, in 1844, the same magazine reported "...they paid compliments, said clever things and pulled their crackers!" When a cracker is pulled from both ends, POP! The tube breaks open and a party hat, joke, and surprise gift are revealed. They may be offered to guests or brought as a gift for the hosts. The also make a festive decoration to a proper holiday table.
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