Cracker industry bosses and comics shed light on the art of the cracker joke, from winning formulas to ‘innovation teams’ – and why they’re more important than ever in the digital age
What do you get if you cross a potentially awkward, booze-soaked family lunch with a rich tradition of bad yet inclusive comedy? Arguably the most widely enjoyed cultural event of the year: the telling of Christmas cracker jokes.
Estimates for cracker consumption vary enough to make any of them doubtful, but they’re all in the hundreds of millions a year. And, from Fortnum & Mason’s “winter green” crackers (£295 for six) to the pile-them-high stalwarts of the canteen Christmas lunch, they all have one thing in common – a terrible gag.
