R&R 8 x 13 (inch) Handmade English Festive Decorations - Contains Musical Chime Bars to Make an Orchestra

My mom is a war bride from England and insists on having Christmas crackers made in England. I did a lot of research, and no where on the product information did it say they were made in China. Instead, the title is quite misleading: Handmade English Festive Decorations. One would gather from that headline that these were indeed made in England. So, I ordered them. I was crestfallen when they came (very timely) and behold! Made in China.Maybe these will be the best Christmas crackers we've ever had. In my heart of hearts, I hope so. They weren't the most expensive, but they also weren't the least expensive. I just wish all sellers would be upfront about the country of origin of their products. I'm not averse to buying Made in China products, but I do try to source American-made ... and Mom had her heart set on genuine English crackers. I'll do better next year.If anyone has a source for English-made Christmas crackers, I'm all ears. My cousin just arrived this week from England to spend the holidays with us. I really should have had him bring me some. But who knows? Maybe theirs are Made in China as well!

My family members are typically reticent to do contrived family activities. After attending a friends' dinner where she had the whistle-type crackers (and we laughed until our sides ached!) and knowing that my family members would never blow whistles, I gave these "baby xylophone" crackers a try. I brought them out after our holiday dinner, and everyone started tinkering with them. To my complete surprise, they found the crowns and put them on (shock!!). The laughs and musical shenanigans were a highlight of our Christmas! The booklet of songs had a nice variety of old, new and silly. I'm planning to get empty crackers next year and do it all again. Now to find more music to surprise my family ....

Everyone at the dinner table enjoyed this. One person was the conductor and led us through several songs.

The crackers were a great success.

A family favorite, explosive cracks, snarky dad jokes & fun facts with Quality chime inside &wooden mallets for musical fun.

We have enjoyed Tom Smith crackers for over 2 decades but chose these for 2021. They were AWESOME. We’re not a “musically inclined” family but these created a hilarious opportunity for our family & friends. Definitely our new “go to” crackers. Happy New Year!!