Switch to zero waste Christmas crackers
Keep This Cracker is a wonderful brand of Christmas crackers. Made with pet-friendly, low-noise snaps (so don’t terrify animal friends or children), they can then be reused the next time.
These crackers work like ‘normal crackers’ in that you pull them apart. But rather than binning them, you just use another eco-snap, to use next time.
Flat-packed in sets of six, just fold into shape, to use. And everything is made in the UK. Sold in many colours and designs.
Keep Christmas crackers (and ribbons) away from small children and pets, due to choking hazards. Read tips on how to keep pets safe at Christmas.
Why switch to zero waste Christmas crackers?
Most Christmas crackers contain small plastic choking hazards and are impossible to recycle, due to different materials (millions are thrown out on Boxing Day), they also scare babies and pets, with their loud cracker bangs. You can fill up these crackers with your own zero waste gifts.
Christmas crackers were invented by British confectioner Thomas Smith, back in 1846. While visiting Paris, he came across a sugared almond wrapped in tissue paper, and thought this would be a nice festive way of eating sweets.
By 1860, he had added chemically impregnated paper to the crackers, to make a loud bang. Originally called ‘bangs of expectation’, he was not to know that his invention would become an environmental nightmare.
These linen Christmas crackers are in a lovely festive Candy cane design, ideal to fill with zero waste gifts, to avoid the expense and waste of disposable ones. The vibrant red bows on each end untie, so there’s no bang!
Carefully sewn in Cumbria, these are lined with red cotton and hand-tied with herringbone ribbon. Once tied, you’ll find a cardboard tube to fill with goodies.
The box of four crackers are a tad expensive, but you’ll never have to buy them again. So they work out more affordable long-term.
Zero waste cracker gift ideas
- A heartfelt note
- A pretty bookmark
- A folded reusable shopping bag
- A small bar of artisan soap
- A plastic-free tea bag
- Mini jars of jam or chutney
Why choose reusable Christmas crackers?
Traditional Christmas crackers not only contain plastic choking hazard toys, but are made with virgin paper (wastes trees) and have glitter (plastic). They are also impossible to recycle, so you have to just bin them, causing havoc for refuse collectors on Boxing Day.
Keeping pets safe at Christmas
Pets will appreciate no loud bangs of Christmas crackers! Also keep them away from pine tree needles, candles and toxic plants (holly, mistletoe, lilies, poinsettias). And rinse paws with lukewarm water after snowy walk, to remove rock salt (which can burn at higher temperatures).
And obviously keep tempting toxic foods well away: not just chocolate but nutmeg, alcohol, nuts, citrus and basically any ‘human foods’.
If travelling for the festive season, don’t let dogs run for 2 hours after long car drives. Ensure microchips are up-to-date due to strange places and fireworks.
