Christmas Bon Bons: History, How to Make & What to Put Inside

Few holiday table traditions spark as much surprise as the Christmas cracker—or bonbon, depending where you sit. Tom Smith, a London confectioner, first sold these wrapped treats in 1847, and they’ve been cracking open ever since—whether you’re here to learn the history, make your own, or settle the name debate, this guide covers the essentials with sourced facts and practical ideas.

Invented: 1847 ·
Paper hat added: early 1900s ·
Jokes replaced poems: by 1930s

Four key facts, one pattern: the bonbon tradition evolved steadily from Victorian confectionery to a global holiday staple.

What Are Christmas Bon Bons?

• A festive table decoration that makes a snapping sound when pulled open (Wikipedia)
• Typically contains a small gift, a paper hat, and a joke
• In Australia and Ireland the term “bonbon” is used interchangeably with “cracker” (Crackers For Bonbons)

Regional names for Christmas bonbons

• UK & Canada: Christmas cracker
• Australia & Ireland: Bonbon
• USA: Christmas cracker (less common); “bonbon” usually means chocolate confection

Key parts of a Christmas cracker

• Cardboard tube (the body) wrapped in decorative paper
• A chemically treated snap strip that creates the bang (Wikipedia)
• Inside: paper crown, joke or riddle, small novelty gift

The History of Christmas Bon Bons

• 1847: Tom Smith, a London confectioner, imports French bonbons and starts selling them as Christmas treats (Beachcombing Magazine)
• 1850s: Smith adds a motto to the sugared almond bonbons (Historic UK)
• 1860s: The “Cosaque” (later “cracker”) name appears, inspired by the sound of crackling logs
• early 1900s: Tom Smith’s sons introduce the paper hat (Historic UK)
• 1930s: Love poems are replaced by jokes and limericks (Historic UK)

Who invented the Christmas cracker?

Tom Smith is widely credited with developing the commercial Christmas cracker in the Victorian period. According to Beachcombing Magazine (history of Christmas crackers), the snap was inspired by the crackling of a log fire.

How did the bonbon tradition spread?

British settlers carried the tradition to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. In Australia, the term “bonbon” stuck, while the rest of the Commonwealth mostly uses “cracker” (Wikipedia).

What this means: from sugared almonds to factory-made novelties, the cracker has adapted to each generation’s tastes while keeping the core surprise intact.

How to Make Christmas Bon Bons at Home

• Supplies: empty toilet roll, wrapping paper, ribbon, glue/tape, a snap strip (or substitutes), small gifts, paper hat template, printed joke (English Heritage (DIY guide))
• Assembly time: about 15–20 minutes per cracker

Step-by-step assembly instructions

1. Cut wrapping paper to about 20 cm × 30 cm. Lay the toilet roll in the centre.
2. Attach the snap strip with small blobs of glue near the top edge of the roll so it will still crack when pulled (English Heritage).
3. Slide the gift, hat, and joke inside the tube.
4. Roll the paper around the tube, twist the ends, and tie with ribbon.
5. Decorate as desired.

Choosing gifts and jokes

• Adults: mini bottles, jewellery, seeds, or personalised notes
• Children: small toys, stickers, chocolates, colouring pencils
• Jokes: keep them clean and short—classic riddles work best

The pattern: the effort of DIY pays off in personalization and sustainability.

What to Put in Homemade Christmas Bon Bons

• Mini toys, chocolates, jewellery, seeds, or miniature games (Historic UK (DIY ideas))
• Paper hats and jokes are traditional and always included
• Handwritten notes add a personal element

Gift ideas for adults

• Mini spirits or cocktail mixers
• Loose-leaf tea or coffee sachets
• Seed packets (for garden lovers)

Gift ideas for children

• Stickers, temporary tattoos, or collectible minifigures
• Small puzzles or brain teasers

Personalised touches

• Handmade paper hats with the recipient’s name
• Custom jokes tailored to the family
• Recycled or fabric wrapping for an eco-friendly finish

What Do Americans Call Christmas Bonbons?

• In the USA, the pull-toy is called a Christmas cracker (Wikipedia)
• The word “bonbon” in American English almost always refers to a small chocolate confection
• The cracker tradition is less common in the US than in the UK or Australia

Christmas crackers in the USA

Introduced to America in 1864, reportedly by Charles Fenno Hoffman, Christmas crackers never gained the same ubiquity as in Britain—they are often found in specialty holiday shops rather than every supermarket (Crackers For Bonbons).

Bonbons as chocolate confections

In the US, if you say “bonbon,” people will likely picture a filled chocolate, not a cracker. This dual meaning causes confusion when American visitors encounter Australian or Irish bonbons.

Regional terminology differences

Other English-speaking countries use “cracker” (UK, Canada, New Zealand), while Ireland and Australia prefer “bonbon.” The exception: in Ireland, some use both terms interchangeably, though the exact history is unclear.

The pattern: the name a country uses reveals how deeply the tradition took root—Australia and Ireland adopted the old confectionery term, while Britain moved to “cracker.”

Why Do Australians Call Crackers Bonbons?

• In Australia, Christmas crackers are commonly called bonbons (Crackers For Bonbons (regional usage))
• The term dates back to early British settlement when “bonbon” was used for any wrapped sweet
• Bonbons are a staple at Australian Christmas lunches, often placed at each plate setting

Australian Christmas traditions

Christmas in Australia falls in summer, so lunches are often barbecues or seafood feasts. Despite the heat, bonbons remain a fixture—pulled before the meal alongside sparkling wine.

Origin of the term “bonbon” in Australia

Early British colonists brought the French-derived term “bonbon” for sugared almonds and later applied it to the cracker when it arrived in the 1860s. The name stuck even as the UK switched to “cracker.”

The catch: the bonbon name in Australia is so ingrained that even official retailers use it, yet many international visitors are confused when they pull a cracker at an Australian table.

Timeline

• 1847 – Tom Smith invents the first Christmas cracker in London (Beachcombing Magazine)
• early 1900s – Tom Smith’s sons add paper hats (Historic UK)
• 1930s – Love poems replaced by jokes and limericks (Historic UK)
• 2000s – Eco-friendly and luxury bonbons gain popularity (trend reported by multiple retailers, but specific data remains scarce)
• 2023 – Bonbon sales peak with emphasis on sustainable materials (consumer surveys indicate growing demand)

What this means: the timeline shows that the cracker has evolved continuously, but the shift to eco-conscious manufacturing is the most significant change in the last two decades—and the hardest to verify with hard numbers.

What We Know and What Remains Unclear

The takeaway: confirmed facts are backed by reliable sources, while uncertainties reveal gaps in public data.

Expert Perspectives

“The crack of a log fire gave me the idea to add a snap to my bonbons.”

— Tom Smith (as reported in Beachcombing Magazine)

“My Christmas Puddini Bonbons are a quick, fun way to get children involved in the kitchen—they love filling the bonbons with sweets and surprises.”

— Nigella Lawson (from her Nigella Lawson (celebrity chef))

“A cracker consists of a segmented cardboard tube wrapped in brightly decorated paper, with a prize in the centre.”

— Wikipedia (definition)

These perspectives highlight the cracker’s enduring appeal and its evolution from confectionery to cultural icon.

Frequently asked questions

For Australian families, the choice between homemade and store-bought bonbons is clear: invest an afternoon in crafting personalised eco-friendly crackers, or pay up for luxury versions that save time but generate more waste. The bonbon’s enduring appeal lies in that moment of surprise—and whether you make it or buy it, the memory is yours to keep.