Christmas and crackers go together like cold weather and our love for cosy blanket hoodies. In fact, crackers have graced tables loaded with festive feasts for more than 170 years and are guarantee to start the holiday season with a bang. While wearing a silly paper hat, telling terrible jokes and eye-rolling at the sight of a set of mini screwdrivers is all part of the fun, there’s something to be said about investing in the best luxury Christmas crackers.
Just as you painstakingly choose a showstopping tree, stylish decorations and gifts for your loved ones, the finer details, such as Christmas crackers, deserve a little more consideration. But what makes a cracker luxury? Besides the price (you’ll generally be spending more on these brands, of course), you can expect high-quality materials and craftmanship, sophisticated designs, and trinkets your guests will actually want to keep.
They’re largely a whole lot more sustainable, too. Many are made with recycled paper and have replaced plastic gifts (which typically end up in landfill) with those made of metal or paper. You can even get crackers that contain food, alcohol (for a merry twist) or candles.
When it comes to picking the right ones for you, there are a number of things to consider, from how many people you’ll have around the table to whether your guests would prefer to find cocktails, chocolate or an iron-on patch in the shape of a disco ball (yes, really). It’s also important to think about your overall tablescape and how the crackers will tie in with your festive decorations. With a range of themes and designs, plus goodies to suit every member of the family, keep reading for our pick of the best luxury Christmas crackers for 2024.
How we tested
As any keen cracker-puller will know, not all surprise-filled snappers are made equal. So, to save you the guesswork of what constitutes a great luxury Christmas cracker, we’ve pulled apart the most impressive ones on the market. The criteria to make our list was tough – we wanted trendy yet polished designs, first-rate materials and crowd-pleasing trinkets that wouldn’t be tossed in the bin after a matter of minutes. We also took price into consideration and have included styles to suit all budgets, maxing out at £65.
The best luxury Christmas crackers for 2024 are:
Chase and Wonder Christmas baubles luxury candle Christmas crackers
As soon as we opened our delivery of these crackers, we were struck with a seductive whiff. Utterly unique in both design and concept, the crackers look absolutely beautiful – with a kitschy Christmas decoration motif and brightly coloured ribbons – and the quality is exceptional. You can really tell they’re made with care.
The crackers are hand-rolled and filled, while the packaging exudes quality – and it’s all plastic-free (apart from the ribbon, but this can be reused or recycled). Opening with a satisfying snap, these crackers are a far cry from the ones you’d find in your local supermarket, as each cracker contains a miniature hand-poured scented candle (worth £10) with different scents. Does it get more luxury than that? We think not.
Sure to be treasured by festive dinner guests, the candles are covetable treats, and we loved passing each one round and seeing which aroma each person got – honestly, we were quite sad we couldn’t just keep them all for ourselves. While these gifts are certainly on the more luxurious end, compared with your usual cracker fare, traditionalists will be pleased to learn you also get a festive paper crown and a joke.
Although we’re big fans of the Christmas baubles cracker, it’s worth noting there are six other designs to choose from – our other favourites being the Christmas lady and golden ivy place name motifs. Whichever style you opt for, these crackers will bring a touch of opulence to your festive feast.
Buy now £65.00, Chaseandwonder.com
M&S luxury Christmas crackers, white and gold design
While some luxury crackers have the potential to cost more than the presents underneath the tree, these ones from good old M&S prove that doesn’t have to be the case. Relatively affordable and super stylish, the crackers feature a gold festive rooftop scene, complete with Santa’s sleigh, and have some really thoughtful design touches, such as metallic foil and gold ribbon. They feel sturdy and the smartly understated motif means they’ll sit pretty on your table, whatever your colour scheme.
The only slight downside is the gifts inside aren’t the most imaginative of the bunch – hello, mini screwdrivers – but we were pleased to see the inclusion of some more unique offerings, such as a mini loose tea strainer and keyring bottle opener. Each cracker also contains a hat, joke and a conversation starter, which is particularly useful if you’re hosting for extended family and struggling for something to talk about over your roasties.
Buy now £20.00, Marksandspencer.com
Rockett St George you’ve got to have faith Christmas crackers
If you’re less (read: the total opposite) of a traditionalist, look no further than Rockett St George’s range of Christmas crackers. While there are three designs to choose from – including disco-themed and sweary iterations – it’s the “you’ve got to have faith” crackers that caught our attention. Perfect for adding a stylish twist to your tablescape, these enchanting crackers from the luxury homeware label feature a sleek black background with bold, gilded designs that symbolise Christmas, including a red heart, inspired by Mexican milagros, and an iconic depiction of Jesus standing within a celestial arch. They’re different, that’s for sure, but a kitschy addition we absolutely adore.
The quality of the crackers is divine and the gifts inside are hard to beat. While, in essence, they sound pretty standard – bottle-opener keyrings and trolley discs are common discoveries – these ones have bags of style, with fun star-shaped motifs and a tongue-in-cheek “bottom’s up” slogan. There are some more unique additions, too, including a handy “hello darling” pocket mirror, lip balm in a shiny gold case and two iron-on patches in the shape of a disco ball and the iconic Ziggy Stardust lightning bolt. A total party starter, these crackers will certainly make a statement.
Buy now £45.00, Rockettstgeorge.co.uk
Mrs Alice gold glitter crackers with white velvet bows
If there’s one way to elevate your festive tablescape, it’s with glitter, and these crackers come absolutely loaded with the stuff. Available in packs of six, each one is a twinkling delight that’s adorned with a neatly tied velvet bow and is sure to earn a few “oohs” and “aahs” from your guests. The crackers come in a choice of colours – silver with green bows, red with white bows, gold with red bows and gold with white bows. While they’re all beautiful, our top pick was the gold and white combination, which is guaranteed to slot into almost any table setting.
Ideal for adding a truly special touch to your day, the crackers are filled with the usual festive trinkets, including a paper hat, motto and an assortment of small gifts, including cookie cutters, pencils and even marbles.
Buy now £50.00, Mrsalice.com
Moth cocktail crackers
If the people you’re hosting for this Christmas love nothing more than to eat, drink and be merry, these crackers are sure to be a hit. Ideal for those looking to toast to the most wonderful time of the year, six of Moth’s most-loved cocktails have been included in this bumper pack, from a zesty margarita, to a sweet pink gin fizz and invigorating espresso martini. A great way to sample the brand’s offerings, there’s something for everyone, and the tempting cocktails are ready to serve, meaning all you need to do is have some ice on standby.
The tipple-filled crackers look the part, too – each is labelled with the delectable cocktail your recipient can expect to find inside. We had plenty of fun trading for people’s favourite drinks and taste-testing each one. Plus, we liked that you also get trivia and charade cards, providing plenty of fun for everyone around the table. We think these would also make stellar stocking stuffers or Secret Santa picks, if you’re short on ideas.
Buy now £29.00, Mothdrinks.com
Nancy & Betty North Pole friends luxury Christmas crackers
Crackers aren’t always the most child-friendly of things, so, if you have little ones around your dinner table this Christmas, spread some festive cheer with this set designed especially for kids. We roped in a mini tester to try these Nancy & Betty’s crackers, and to say they went down a total storm would be an understatement.
Firstly, the designs are adorable and feature a cast of friends from the North Pole, including a jolly elf, Santa and his trusty sidekick Rudolph. The packaging feels premium, with the brand using vegetable-based inks and recyclable materials (apart from the satin bows, but these can be reused for Christmas crafts). Alongside a brilliant snap, our little tester was overjoyed to find a silver paper crown, a joke and a wooden spinner inside. However, there are a range of gifts on offer – the bouncy ball and bracelet also being firm favourites. Whimsical, fun and handmade, there’s so much to love about these crackers, which are sure to appeal to children of all ages.
Buy now £28.00, Nancyandbetty.com
Hotel Chocolat mini chocolate Christmas crackers
Hosting for a tribe of chocoholics? These Hotel Chocolat crackers will go down a storm. Ideal for adding a small (but mighty) spark of festive fun to your table setting, the miniature designs each contain an individually wrapped chocolate in one of the brand’s most popular flavours, including pecan praline, billionaire’s shortbread, caramel cheesecake, dark dizzy praline and – our personal favourite – salted caramel cream. We also loved that each one has space ready to write each of your guests’ names, meaning they double up as handy place settings, too.
While there’s no bang, joke or party hat, these crackers are sure to leave a lasting impression on everyone around the table. Alternatively, the mini crackers make for brilliant stocking stuffers or tree decorations – simply tuck them between the branches and hope the rest of your family are able to resist the tempting contents.
Buy now £19.95, Hotelchocolat.com
Morris & Co luxury foiled Christmas crackers
For traditional crackers that don’t scrimp on style, these Morris & Co foiled designs are ideal. Inspired by the works of William Morris – an artist and textile designer responsible for some of the most iconic patterns in British design history – they add a touch of elegance to your table, with a deep red hue that’s complemented with gold foliage and embellished with velvet bows.
Along with the prerequisite joke and paper crown, you’ll find a range of reusable metal gifts, including a mini grater, pen, bottle opener and nail clippers. While they’re not the most imaginative, they are great quality and, for the most part, actually useful.
Buy now £40.00, Johnlewis.com
Toast Christmas crackers
While not buying anything new at all is the best thing any of us can do for the environment, these crackers are a great way to take part in the festive fun while being a little more planet-friendly. Hand-assembled in Dorset from Fair Trade lokta paper (made and printed by hand in the Kathmandu valleys of Nepal), the crackers are beautifully designed, with mix-and-match patterns that come finished with a blue grosgrain ribbon, made from recycled plastic, of course.
Inside, you’ll find a selection of handmade treats sourced from small, eco-focused companies. There’s a mini origami star (also made from Nepalese lokta paper), an adorable Fair Trade felt mushroom decoration, an organic beeswax lavender essential oil wax melt, and more. Unique and thoughtfully curated, these crackers also come with a party hat and a trivia card with a riddle and festive anagram.
Buy now £45.00, Toa.st
The verdict: Luxury Christmas crackers
For us, Chase and Wonder’s Christmas crackers are the epitome of luxury, not only for their unique and skilled designs, but also their craftmanship, quality and ability to make your guests feel extra special. It doesn’t get much fancier than pulling open a cracker to be gifted a hand-poured scented candle.
Elsewhere, there’s no denying there’s something rather special about glitter on the Christmas table, which is why we loved Mrs Alice’s offering. Alternatively, those on the hunt for a striking addition with eccentric design and even quirkier gifts should check out Rockett St George.
Looking for more festive recommendations? Read our guide to the best Christmas decorations for 2024
