Reusable Keepsake Crackers
Slide them open to discover the secrets inside.
Crackers that are too lovely to throw away
Reusable keepsake crackers look like traditional crackers, but open without tearing - so guests can keep, refill or regift them.
- Keep as a memento
- Refill and reuse
- There is no snap or bang, great for noise intolerances
How Keepsake Crackers Work
- The two parts slide together
- Guest gently slides open to discover the secrets inside
- The cracker stays intact
- Refill, reuse or keep it
So, Here’s the Thing…
You make fabulous celebration crackers for your guests. Everyone admires them, they are pulled… and then they go in the bin.
What an absolute waste of your hard work and effort, let alone the impact on the environment. All that thought, time and lovely ribbon is over in a bang — literally!
Have you ever heard any of these?
“This is gorgeous, do I have to pull it?!”
“I’ll spoil it if I pull it…”
“Can I just undo it instead, so I can keep it?”
“Oh, those are too pretty to pull…”
“I wish I could just keep this and not rip it — it’s criminal!”
If you haven’t heard any of those yet, you should probably be looking at our crackers — you definitely will then!
From our own experience, both personally and professionally, we know that this is said all the time. Many people are genuinely disappointed when they have to pull a beautiful cracker. And who wants to keep the mushed-up pile of debris that is normally left afterwards?
So, what’s the solution?
Meet Our Reusable Keepsake Crackers
At The Cracker Company, we are always looking for ways to bring crackers into a new generation. We have been asked many times to create a cracker that the recipient can keep, simply because they love it.
That is exactly what our reusable keepsake crackers are for.
They are slid open to discover the secrets inside.
They can be kept as a reminder of a special occasion, reused at another celebration or refilled with something special for the next recipient. Over the last few years, we have made keepsake crackers for customers using them for weddings, Christmas, gifting and corporate events.
Until now, we have only offered them on request. However, the number of enquiries has grown significantly — mainly from people who have seen them in action — so we have decided to make them available as an option across all our crackers.
Shop reusable keepsake crackers
How Do Keepsake Crackers Differ from Traditional Crackers?
A traditional cracker is made from one piece of card, then rolled into shape with a snap inside. When it's pulled, the snap breaks, the cracker tears in two and the handles are squashed. It has had its moment of fun, but it is then impossible to reuse. Off it goes to the bin — the recycling at best!
[Add image or video here: traditional cracker versus keepsake cracker]
Our reusable keepsake crackers are made from two parts which slide one inside the other. The recipient gently pulls the two sections apart to open it.
Because the cracker is not ripped, it is not damaged. Once it has been emptied, it can be simply reassembled into the same condition in which it was received. It can become a keepsake, be packed away for another celebration or be refilled with a thoughtful new gift and passed on.
We may be innovating crackers, but we know most people still want the traditional cracker look. So, on the table, our keepsake crackers look no different from a traditional cracker. It is only when they are opened that your guests will discover this modern take on a much-loved tradition.
Why not be the one to introduce our memento or keepsake crackers to your family, friends or colleagues? Wouldn’t you like your crackers to be the ones people love, talk about and keep?
Reusable too…
Isn’t the idea of a reusable cracker exciting?
You can make the crackers once and use them time and time again. You may want to change the ribbons and, of course, the gifts will need changing each time — but you will not have to start making the crackers from scratch. That saves time, saves materials and is kinder to the environment too.
If your crackers are staying within your household, simply pack them away with the ribbons still intact and bring them out again for the next celebration. If one gets taken away (or sat on!) you can top up the ones you still have with more of the same design or complementary ones.
We also offer a selection of custom-sized boxes for storing our standard-size keepsake crackers and protecting them for next year. They make lovely gift boxes too, allowing you to give anything from one to six crackers to someone special, or perhaps to another family. Boxes for the other sizes will be introduced shortly.
[Shop cracker storage and gift boxes]
Making Reusable Keepsake Crackers
All of our cracker-making sets are designed with easy assembly in mind. They are ready cut and simply lock together.
Normally, the only adhesive you would need is for the snap. However, our keepsake crackers are even easier to make because there is no snap to attach. Just roll them up, lock them shut with the integral tabs, add your ribbons and fill them with hats, jokes and gifts.
It really is as simple as that.
Browse our reusable keepsake cracker-making kits
Are You a Serious Bow Maker?
Making crackers is not a one-minute job, although our craft kits do make it much quicker.
Once the crackers are made, you still need to add knots or bows. In our page on tying ribbon knots and bows for crackers, we suggest ribbon knots for a more modern look and simple “shoelace” style bows for a traditional look.
However, we know many of our customers take bow making very seriously — often spending more time on extravagant bow details than on making the crackers themselves. And why not?
What we have come to understand is that our customers, who make these crackers, together with the recipients, want a way to keep them so that the work and materials are not wasted.
With our keepsake crackers, that is now possible. They can sit on a mantelpiece or dressing table for a few weeks as a reminder of a special day, then be refilled and used again.
We are sure there are plenty of people out there (one of them is writing this) who would very gratefully refill and regift a cracker created by an expert bow maker. Would we take the credit? Of course not…
See our bow-making ideas and our huge selection of ribbons for cracker making.
So, Is Regifting a Crime?
That probably depends on how you look at it…
Of course, reusing something is always good for the environment, reduces waste and can help your bank balance. But gifting should still be thoughtful. We are not suggesting that you grab something unwanted from a cupboard and hand it on to somebody else.
Reusing a keepsake cracker is more like reusing a bottle bag or gift hamper. You gratefully receive and enjoy the contents, then use the lovely container to wrap your own gift for someone else.
With our keepsake crackers, you take out your gift, then enjoy finding something personal for the next recipient, slot it in and pass it on. It's as simple as that.
Isn’t it Time for a Change?
Crackers were invented in 1847 by Tom Smith, and their basic construction has barely changed since.
Have we changed them just for the sake of it? You may well ask… Even if you didn't, we are going to answer it!
Cracker hats have improved in quality and design. Cracker gifts have definitely improved. Decorations have improved. But the construction of the cracker, and the way it is pulled and destroyed, has stayed much the same. We still pull them, remove the contents and send the remains to landfill or recycling.
We think it is time for something new, something fresh and something that cracker recipients will genuinely appreciate. We have already proven that there is demand for it.
Everything else around us changes and improves. We are not sleeping on straw beds, are we? We have worked our way through all sorts of options to arrive at memory foam. Are you wearing a monocle, or have you embraced glasses and contact lenses? We oversimplify for effect, but you get our gist!
If you are interested in the history of crackers, or our view on the future of crackers, then you will find our pages on this of interest.
Personalised Keepsake Crackers
Everything we have said about keepsake crackers is amplified when they are personalised. A personalised cracker is even more likely to be something your guests want to keep as a memento.
What do we mean by personalisation? How long is a piece of string?
For us, it could mean guests’ names, wedding dates, the names of the bride and groom, a special sentiment, a proposal cracker or a corporate message.
Imagine you have created Christmas table crackers with each guest’s name on them. They sit down, say how lovely they look and then pull them… that is now them done!
In our own homes, they are thrown under the table to clear up later. In other homes, they are gathered up and put straight in the bin. Or, perhaps you spend Christmas dinner, a wedding breakfast or Easter lunch with cracker debris all over the table…
We are not knocking traditional crackers. We sell them, we use them, we love them and there is definitely a place for them. What we are saying is that there is also demand for something fresh and new alongside them — something people are already loving, as shown by the number of enquiries we have received for a product we had not even advertised.
What Sizes Are Available?
Our stock keepsake crackers are available in five sizes. When assembled, they measure:
|
Cracker size |
Overall length |
Barrel length |
Barrel width |
|
Small |
22.4cm |
6.2cm |
3.8cm |
|
Standard |
29.5cm |
9.6cm |
5.5cm |
|
Large |
37cm |
11.5cm |
6.8cm |
|
Extra-large |
41cm |
16.8cm |
7.8cm |
|
Jumbo |
49.5cm |
20cm |
8.7cm |
The barrel is the section where your fillers go.
What Can I Fill my Keepsake Crackers With?
Another big plus of keepsake crackers is that they are not pulled in the traditional way. This has a real knock-on effect on what you can put inside.
Heavier items: Because the crackers are opened like a gift, items are not going to fall out and smash things.
Fragile items: These can be added too. As with all fragile gifts, it is worth wrapping them in tissue paper or similar before adding them to your cracker.
More than one gift: Many people like to add several gifts to a cracker. This is difficult when you are trying to add your snap, gift, jokes and hat before rolling a traditional cracker — and even harder afterwards. With keepsake crackers, it is an absolute walk in the park to load extra gifts. Even hats and jokes are easier to add. You can really go for it!
More room: Traditional crackers need space for the snap, which buckles inside the barrel when you tie it. It takes up more room than you might think. With keepsake crackers, you do not need to worry about that.
Fabrics and soft gifts: Socks, plush toys and other fabrics can be snagged or marked by a snap, when a traditional cracker is pulled. That hurdle is removed with our keepsake crackers.
We could keep going, but you probably get our gist!
Let’s Talk About Cracker Snaps…
We would rather not, if you don’t!
It is a surprisingly hot and complicated topic for something that appears so simple.
We know many people love the bang of a cracker, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is traditional, and tradition is great.
But cracker snaps are not for everyone.
Many nervous pets dislike sudden loud noises, and many people also dread cracker-pulling season for the same reason. A snap-free option can be a much more comfortable choice for anyone who is sensitive to loud bangs.
Many neurotypical people have no issue with cracker snaps, whilst a larger percentage of neurodivergent people, including those with autism and ADHD, really struggle with them – kids and adults alike…
Cracker snaps, travel many miles around the world and cause concern for environmental reasons with many.
We have sold Snapless Crackers for many years. These are standard crackers without snaps, and they are very popular. Our Snapless Crackers are designed to make a satisfying sound when pulled, but it is much more subtle than a bang. They still need to be pulled, though, so the cracker is damaged and cannot be reused.
Our reusable keepsake crackers offer another option. They have no snap, stay in the same condition after opening and can be used again.
And how many times have you had a box of crackers where the snaps did not pull? Maybe a couple of crackers, maybe the whole box? Did it ruin Christmas, or did everyone survive? Often, it probably does not even get noticed.
Our reusable keepsake crackers are unique, reusable, snap-free and a great option for people and pets who prefer to avoid the traditional bang.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
You would not believe how often we are asked about taking crackers on planes.
Traditional crackers contain snaps, so airline and postal restrictions can apply. This can make travelling with crackers, or sending them to friends and family overseas, difficult.
Our keepsake crackers have no snaps. That means they are simply paper and card, making them a much more practical option for travelling or sending abroad.
Crackers that can travel — sorted!
Our wedding crackers are always popular, with many new designs created every year.
But a wedding really does deserve something special: something unique that guests may not have seen before.
We have partnered with “Love, Daisy May” to introduce a fabulous range of keepsake wedding crackers and gifts that coordinate with their extensive range of personalised wedding stationery.
This is the occasion when your guests are especially likely to want to take their cracker home. It is a far more thoughtful keepsake or memento than a packet of mints saying “mint to be”, don’t you think?
Just slide the wedding cracker open to discover the secrets inside, then slide back together - perfect!
Yes, we have also created traditional wedding crackers for those who love the bang. But if you, or someone you know, is getting engaged, having a hen night or getting married, take a look at our keepsake options.
[Shop keepsake wedding crackers]
Kids’ Party Bags
Are you sick to the back teeth of party bags and the old tat that goes in them?
Would you like to be the parent who sends children home with something new, useful and reusable?
Our kids’ party keepsake crackers are great for this. They are snap-free and available in a great range of popular party designs, with coordinating gifts too.
Kids just slide them open to discover the secrets inside, then slide them back together again.
Novel? We think so!
[Shop kids’ party keepsake crackers]
But I Don’t Want Things to Change…
If you want to stick with the traditional bang and do not want the crackers to be kept or reused, all of our keepsake cracker designs are also available as one-part crackers with snaps.
We completely appreciate that many people are happy with a traditional cracker. And what is wrong with that?
Nothing at all. We simply think there is room for both.
Why Choose Reusable Keepsake Crackers?
- Keep them as a memento
- Reuse them again and again
- Refill and regift them thoughtfully
- Ideal for weddings and other life events
- Perfect for children’s parties and as party bags
- Great for people and pets who prefer no loud bang
- Hold heavier and more fragile fillers
- Available in five sizes
- Easy to make with our ready-cut, locking cracker sets
- Traditional cracker look, with a modern reusable design
- Recyclable when the time eventually comes
If you would like crackers that people will admire, talk about and actually want to keep, our reusable keepsake crackers could be just the thing.
Shop reusable keepsake crackers