Does anyone ever keep Christmas cracker gifts? The reality is, 99% of people throw their gifts away by the end of the day! This is extremely unnecessary waste so – now more than ever- it’s of upmost importance to consider the impact of the holidays on our planet. As the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting colder, Christmas is nearly upon us. So here is a way to enjoy Christmas crackers this festive season, whilst caring for our environment.

 

Explosive crackers have been a part of our history since 1860. London baker: Tom Smith was inspired by French sweets that were wrapped in tissue paper (for the exterior design of the crackers). The pop sound was inspired by a crackling fire, which symbolises a cosy, Winter evening for lots of us. Many categories of crackers have been crafted over time, including ones for coronations and ‘Millionaires crackers’ (which contain silver or gold jewellery).

 

Nowadays, a shocking 40 million Christmas crackers are thrown away every Christmas, therefore reusable crackers are becoming more popular. Anyone that has used these sustainable crackers have declared them a success. The materials are usually cardboard and fabric so its sturdy enough to reuse. They can be purchased online or, if you would like a DIY project, you could make them yourself. But don’t worry, it’s still possible to have the exciting pop of the crackers! If you are constructing them, the snap just needs to be placed on the outside. In addition to this, you choose the gifts inside so they are more meaningful than a plastic toy (that will get thrown away and forgotten before the end of the day). These crackers are used each year so in the long term they will be cheaper than buying new crackers every Christmas. But most importantly there will be less waste, so this benefits our environment.

 

This simple and easy switch to reusable crackers is beneficial for you economically and for the world environmentally. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!