Christmas Crackers

PUZZLES, JOKES, GAMES, COMPETITIONS -

and of course CRACKERS!

The Victorians loved puzzles, parlour games, competitions indeed all kinds of brainteaser and tests of artistry or skill, and their magazines increasingly encouraged readers to engage in these around Christmas and the New Year. This page also contained a logogriphe from Tom Hood's Christmas Annual and a selection of Forfeits for Party Games. These items or similar will be reinstated in due season. If you are particularly interested in either meanwhile please contact via my Contact Page. I do reply privately to questions, comments and requests.

Christmas Party Games

CHARADES- Detail adapted from cartoon by M Stretch. Tom Hood's Comic Annual 1871.
"Our Christmas Party and the Reasons why Some People Like It" showing The Young Lady. because 'you always have such fun with the Acted Charades'. Charades were perhaps the most popular of the parlour games. The licence to wear make-up - as well as taking on the role of a male cavalier - featured here, reflects the furious debate over the the "Girl of the Period" . See Beauty Secrets- Skin Deep

Christmas Crackers
Rose motif from a Rimmell's Christmas advertisement

Crackers were well established as part of Christmas entertaining by the second half of the century. This perfumer's 1871 advertisement for Christmas novelties mentions "Oracular crackers, a new mode of telling fortunes" for 3s.6d. a dozen and "Floral crackers, containing beautiful scented flowers" at 5s.6d. Amongst other Christmas specialities were scented Christmas cards.

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