Online Christmas cracker debate rages over who gets to keep the prize

A Mumsnet user has sparked a Christmas cracker debate on the platform.

While all families have their slightly different takes on the festive season, the question of who gets to keep the prizes inside the cracker has well and truly divided opinion.

In a discussion thread, the user explained it was the subject of a 30-year-long debate with their partner.

The user wrote: “In my family of origin, you didn’t “win” at crackers. You knew which one was yours and got that hat and joke and “thing” even if it ended up in the other puller’s hand. Did/does anyone else do this?

“Dp [Dear Partner] and I have been debating this for the past 30 Christmasses! And I have been outnumbered ever since our children joined the win/lose team. But I still think my way is best. Anyone with me?”

Mumsnet users were quick to weigh in on the debate, with some Christmas cracker fans asserting themselves firmly within the ‘winner’ camp.

One person said: “I’ve never, EVER heard of everyone having a designated or guaranteed cracker. It was the law of the jungle in our house. Having said that, you could always prevail upon a winner to give you their hat/joke or a go of their spinning top. We weren’t TOTAL savages.”

Another added: “It’s game on in our family! That’s the point surely?”

Others declared the ‘winner’ attitude was ‘not right’, as it could mean one person gets multiple prizes.

One wrote: “I’m with you Op. If you had your own cracker and also pulled the cracker of people sitting to either side of you you could potentially ‘win’ 3 crackers. No that’s just not right. You pull and win your own cracker.”

Another added: “I’ve never known the “win” a cracker, in my family you invited someone to pull your cracker so it went bang and then the goodies were whoever’s cracker it was.”

Meanwhile, some people said their families took a more democratic approach to crackers.

One person explained: “Once you’ve won a hat, if you win another, you give the contents to someone who hasn’t. Then everyone eats and it’s forgotten. Just a bit of fun people!!!!!!!”

Another user added: “We’re more pragmatic – two people pull, one wins, then usually same two pull another and the large end is handed to the person who didn’t win first time, if they didn’t win. Ensuring everyone gets two goes at making a loud bang is more important than the contents! (and if someone has the same joke as someone else, they have to tell A different joke. The kids have been eating Penguins recently so should be prepared.”

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