FESTIVE SPIRIT
I tested supermarket Christmas crackers – the 80p winner’s gift kept the family entertained all night
Keep reading to find out which supermarket came out on top
NO Christmas dinner is complete without the snap of a cracker, a paper hat and a terrible joke.
But not all crackers are completed equal. Whilst some offer sparkly decorations and cheese graters, others provide games to play on the big day.
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The price variation is huge, too, so you’ll want to make sure you know what you getting before you spend out.
And the games got mixed reviews.
Here, Lynsey Hope reviews some of this year’s best-sellers and novelty versions. Here's what she thought...
Asda George Home Musical Christmas Crackers - £6 (75p per cracker)
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When you pull the cracker, initially these look a bit disappointing. There's no great snap and you get a naff looking whistle inside.
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However, the box comes with an instruction sheet to play a selection of Christmas songs and everyone has to follow along doing their bit with their numbered whistle.
This was actually great fun. Much more fun for everyone than getting a pair of tweezers or a tape measure. They are a great price too, working out at just 75p each.
Gift: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
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Appearance: 3/5
Total: 11/15
Christmas meal budget
Aldi Shaped Christmas Crackers - £5.99 (99p per cracker)
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Aldi's shaped crackers looked really pretty on the table as you could stand them up rather than laying them down like the traditional versions.
They also had a fabulous 'bang' when you pulled them and a real burning smell so the snap is quite powerful.
I liked the gifts, too, which included a dice, bottle opener and a mini Christmas tree cookie cutter.
There was also a shiny, good quality hat in each one and a joke - and no plastic at all. This is a great value option from Aldi.
Gift: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Appearance: 4/5
Total: 12/15
John Lewis Robin Christmas Crackers - £15 (£1.25 per cracker)
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Lovely crackers that will be the perfect addition to any Christmas table.
Beautifully designed with small illustrated Robins and tied at each end with red ribbons.
A great 'crack' when pulled and each one comes with a paper hat, a joke and a small gift.
I liked that the mix of gifts could suit a range of ages so there was cards and a kids' activity book as well as a ruler, keyring and a bottle opener.
Gift: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Appearance: 4/5
Total: 12/15
Morrisons Hand Finished Luxury Crackers - £8 (£1.33 per cracker)
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These crackers looked really beautiful. You'd never think they were from Morrisons and looked like they came from a fancier brand.
The ribbons were beautifully tied and a they'd look great on the table for Christmas.
They had a good snap and the gifts were good quality, if a little boring.
They had a good snap and the gifts were good quality, if a little boring.
It was just the usual nail clippers, keyring - and a paperclip. Super pretty overall though.
Gift: 3/5
Value for money: 2/5
Appearance: 5/5
Total: 10/15
Tesco Indulgence 6 Luxury Crackers - £12 (£2 per cracker)
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These are pretty impressive to look at and they do feel luxurious.
They have a lovely fruity theme with touches of velvet on them and each one contains a gift, hat, snap and motto.
Gifts were better than average with tweezers, nail clippers, a key ring and a small measuring tape.
They pulled well with a good snap. Impressed overall.
Gift: 4/5
Value for money: 3/5
Appearance: 5/5
Total: 12/15
Habitat Six Premium Ultra Christmas Crackers - £23 (£3.83 each)
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These are very pricey, but if there are only a few of you and you want a standout Christmas table, these will do the trick.
They ooze indulgence and luxury and the gifts were quite impressive.
We got a little Christmas decoration and a cookie cutter - and even a mini cheese grater!
Overall, these were impressive, but they had a price tag to match and few of us would splash out this much on a cracker, even at Christmas.
Gift: 5/5
Value for money: 3/5
Appearance: 5/5
Total: 13/15
Sainsbury's Cube Red Stripe Crackers - £4 for 12 (33p each)
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These are incredibly cheap but you do get what you pay for. They pull apart with more of a whimper than a snap and there’s no gift.
Instead, each one contains a quiz game, a tissue hat and a joke.
They looked nice and I liked the punchy red and white stripe design, but nothing to get too excited about here.
Gift: 1/5
Value for money: 3/5
Appearance: 3/5
Total: 7/15
M&S Festive Crackers with ‘Who am I?’ Guessing Game - £15 for 12 (80p each)
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The crackers look festive with pretty robin illustrations and ribbons on each one.
Instead of a gift, each comes with a gold crown with a slot where you can put a ‘Who am I?’ Card for people to guess during dinner.
It was fun for the whole family throughout the evening, and my 10-year-old son was excited to see some of the names, such as Lionel Messi.
They were good quality with nice paper and a good snap and they also come with a joke and a riddle.
They're also plastic free and fully recyclable. For a pack of 12, these were good value overall.
Gift: 5/5
Value for money: 5/5
Appearance: 4/5
Total: 14/15
The Traitors Game Crackers - £20 for six, (£3.33 each)
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With these, you full the cracker to discover whether you're a faithful or a traitor.
Based on the hit TV show, you have to complete missions, earn shields, attend 'banishments' and survive murders in this game.
You can shuffle the cards to play again and no matter how many times we played, no two games were the same.
It was super fun. Each cracker contains a role card, gold token, a mission card, plus a joke and a hat.
To boot, these are also 100% recyclable and plastic free. Super fun - if a little pricey.
Gift: 5/5
Value for money: 5/5
Appearance: 3/5
Total: 13/15
Virgin Wine Christmas Crackers - £29.99 for six, (£4.99 each)
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There will probably be plenty of booze during your Christmas lunch, but you can never really have enough once the relatives arrive to dine with you.
Enter the Virgin Wine crackers. Each of these is filled with a 187ml bottle of wine, including some of Virgin's most popular varieties.
These include the Skipper's Cove Sauvignon Blanc and Le Zeitgeist Malbec.
Not the cheapest way to booze on December 25 but we liked the novelty factor and if you want to avoid the tat, these are pretty good value too.
I felt the appearance could have been improved. Some of the boxes were a little squished on arrival.
Gift: 5/5
Value for money: 4/5
Appearance: 2/5
Total: 11/15
Foxy Magic Trick Game Crackers - £19.50 for six, (£3.25 each)
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Not just for pulling, inside each of these crackers you'll find captivating illusions and magic tricks that will add an extra layer of wonder to your festive celebrations.
They opened with a good 'snap' and really added to the excitement and amusement of everyone at the table.
The tricks were simple enough for young kids to learn and perform to their friends after the event.
They also come with a hat, a lighthearted joke or motto - and they look fab too.
Gift: 5/5
Value for money: 3/5
Appearance: 3/5
Total: 11/15
Fudge Kitchen Luxury Christmas Fudge Crackers - £25.60 for six, (£4.26 each)
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There is no 'pop' to these, you simply pull the cardboard and out slide three very pretty, handmade pieces of festive fudge.
The flavours were delicious - a bit much for after your Christmas dinner perhaps but you can save them for another day.
The packaging was pretty too so they looked nice on the Christmas table.
However, they are expensive, working out at £4.26 a cracker, so you'll need to really like fudge if you buy these.
Gift: 4/5
Value for money: 2/5
Appearance: 3/5
Total: 9/15
Cluedo Christmas Crackers - £7 for six, (£1.16 each)
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I loved the novelty look of these game crackers, which have a good snap when you pull them.
You get a fully working Cluedo board game with it which looks decent with a cardboard base plus plastic movers and cards to represent the weapons, characters and rooms.
There are also pencils and mini pads to help you keep track of your game, and on top of that you get some decent little Cluedo trinkets too.
I thought there was a lot here for the price. Plus, you get to play it again another time.
My one complaint is that they don't look terribly festive for the Christmas table.
Gift: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Appearance: 2/5
Total: 10/15
Fever-Tree The Ultimate Cracker - £7.20 for one,
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These are boozy crackers with lots of varieties for every spirit lover.
Alongside an extensive G&T selection, there were also crackers containing tequila, vodka, whisky and rum.
My favourite was the Tequila Mexican Lime Spritz. Each cracker contains one 5cl spirit, a 150ml Fever-Tree can, a Christmas hat and some trivia.
The cracker casing was robust and good quality.
These are very expensive and of course, it's cheaper to buy a bottle of gin and tonic, but great novelty value and unlike the usual tweezers and tape measures, none of this went in the bin.
Gift: 5/5
Value for money: 2/5
Appearance: 5/5
Total: 12/15
Talking Tables Holly Christmas Crackers - £13.33 for six, (£2.22 each)
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These are beautifully designed crackers that come with a 'Who am I?' game.
You have to wear a pair of plastic glasses, which the kids loved, and then pop a card in the slot whilst trying to guess the person, place or object.
My kids found the cardboard specs hilarious and if the names are too challenging, the reverse of the cards are blank so you can make up your own.
They're also super pretty and I loved the holly design. No tat in sight, and there's no plastic and they are fully recyclable.
Gift: 3/5
Value for money: 3/5
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Appearance: 5/5
Total: 11/15
How to save money on Christmas shopping
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents - buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you're not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead - if you've got the stamina and budget, it's worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you're not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales - some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores - you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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