Question for the Brits

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Posted:
in AppleOutsider edited June 2014
Is there a term/name for the paper hats English folks wear at Christmas? If so, what is it? I've always just called them "paper hats."
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  • Reply 1 of 53
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    I'm not British, but I play an irrepressible know-it-all on the internets.



    I've heard them called "cracker hats", or "Christmas cracker hats", owing to the fact they come in Christmas crackers, the firework cum wishbone that the Brits somehow made a Christmas tradition.
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  • Reply 2 of 53
    justinjustin Posts: 403member
    Midwinter,



    what type of hat is it? *snigger*



    Is it like one of these ones:



    http://www.partydomain.co.uk/d-commerce/page120.html



    'Christmas cracker hats' comes to mind, although that suggests an exploding hat - could be fun at dinner time when the kids heads pop off.



    'Christmas hats' is probably as close as I can think - the paper ones, cut out in the shape of crowns, to remind people of the visitation of the wise men, even if the wearer's behaviour has nothing in common. The Santa hat is something else (as are the people who wear them). The Christmas beanie

    (complete with pom-poms) has been a non-virulent fad, although kids of all ages from 20 onwards seem to enjoy parading as red 'mooseketeers', wandering into the city centre wearing antlers. I'd warmly recommend you try out the mooseketeer hats - a pair of antlers can be very becoming on an American as well as a Brit
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  • Reply 3 of 53
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    these ones:



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  • Reply 4 of 53
    e1618978e1618978 Posts: 6,075member
    Christmas crackers with crown hats must also be a tradition in Australia, because my Australian wife gets them for us to do at Christmas and Thanksgiving. You also get a little prize and joke with the hat.
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  • Reply 5 of 53
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Midwinter, what's that pile of food on a plate in the picture?



    Because it appears to be pancake BLTs, and if it is I need the recipe.
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  • Reply 6 of 53
    justinjustin Posts: 403member
    Hmmm! Definitely Christmas cracker hats



    They're great for Christmas dinners - I just hope my cracker goes off properly this year.



    Btw - very digital looking image. I miss proper photographs in this modern age....
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  • Reply 7 of 53
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    And why are you serving small flashlights as an appetizer?
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  • Reply 8 of 53
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by addabox

    Midwinter, what's that pile of food on a plate in the picture?



    Because it appears to be pancake BLTs, and if it is I need the recipe.




    I hadn't noticed until just now, but I agree. It seems to be a giant pancake BLT.
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  • Reply 9 of 53
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Justin

    Hmmm! Definitely Christmas cracker hats



    They're great for Christmas dinners - I just hope my cracker goes off properly this year.



    Btw - very digital looking image. I miss proper photographs in this modern age....




    First off...not my image. I just found it on the web in a search for "weird-assed English hats they wear during Christmas dinner, and for some bizarre reason don't seem to find it embarrassing or strange or funny looking, which is somehow refreshing and wonderful."



    Second: there's a popper/cracker thing? potential explosions? I may have to get some of these this year. There's a shop in Salt Lake City that specializes in all things English...I may have to make a trip down to it.
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  • Reply 10 of 53
    justinjustin Posts: 403member
    No prob.s - digital images are everywhere - they look soooo antiseptic.



    Christmas crackers are traditional crackers at Christmas dinners - kids love these! They require a helping hand to pull so it's all joint fun - when the cracker goes 'bang!', the contents are extruded.



    Check out: http://www.marksandspencer.com/



    this fine British store has a good range of luxury crackers - the hats come with it too. I like Marks & Spencer - their food range has got to be one of the best in the country
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  • Reply 11 of 53
    justinjustin Posts: 403member
    Addabox - the 'crackers' are a preliminary hors d'oeuvre to get into the Christmas dinner! If you have kids, it makes a great difference, compared to say, singing to Bing Crosby
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  • Reply 12 of 53
    justinjustin Posts: 403member
    Hold on.



    *gasp*



    You mean........in the States, you don't have Christmas Crackers???



    How is that possible?



    Those things are pancakes, but I can't say they're a traditional part of British Christmas. Mince Pies, Christmas Pudding, cranberry sauce, Yuletide Log, alcoholic punch are all standard fare. Pancakes are great though - Shrove Tuesday is a little while later, so I'm not sure of its relevance...



    What do Americans eat during Christmas then? (Other than turkey)
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  • Reply 13 of 53
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Justin

    What do Americans eat during Christmas then? (Other than turkey)



    Babies. Lots and lots of babies.
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  • Reply 14 of 53
    e1618978e1618978 Posts: 6,075member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Justin

    Hold on.



    *gasp*



    You mean........in the States, you don't have Christmas Crackers???



    How is that possible?



    Those things are pancakes, but I can't say they're a traditional part of British Christmas. Mince Pies, Christmas Pudding, cranberry sauce, Yuletide Log, alcoholic punch are all standard fare. Pancakes are great though - Shrove Tuesday is a little while later, so I'm not sure of its relevance...



    What do Americans eat during Christmas then? (Other than turkey)




    The blood and body of Christ? 8)



    We eat the same stuff at christmas as thanksgiving - Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, sweet potatos mashed with pecans and marshmellows, green beans, gravy.



    Some years we eat duck instead.
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  • Reply 15 of 53
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by e1618978

    The blood and body of Christ? 8)



    We eat the same stuff at christmas as thanksgiving - Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, sweet potatos mashed with pecans and marshmellows, green beans, gravy.



    Some years we eat duck instead.




    My family gave up on all that a while back. For the past 10 years or so, we've had BBQ ribs, tenderloin, and crappie (a kind of bream fish).
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  • Reply 16 of 53
    justinjustin Posts: 403member
    Quote:

    Babies. Lots and lots of babies.



    Yikes. You guys are scary. What a way to manage birth control. I only ever eat jelly babies, and if I didn't get drunk, I'd do wine gums as well.



    Quote:

    The blood and body of Christ?



    We eat the same stuff at christmas as thanksgiving - Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, sweet potatos mashed with pecans and marshmellows, green beans, gravy.



    Some years we eat duck instead.



    Come on - you can do better than just once a year!!



    If you have the same stuff, and Thanksgiving is so close to Christmas - is it all leftovers?? (Ug - what a thought!)



    Please please please!! How do I make sweet potatoes??? My girlfriend will go crackers if I manage to make anything other than mashed potatoes this year
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  • Reply 17 of 53
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Nothing celebrates the birth of our Lord and Savior like the Christmas Crappie.
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  • Reply 18 of 53
    justinjustin Posts: 403member
    Quote:

    Nothing celebrates the birth of our Lord and Savior like the Christmas Crappie.



    Are you returning to the parental jail for Christmas too?



    Hmmm. You're not orthodox Greek per chance? they celebrate Christmas on a different date. As does any other country using a non-Gregorian calendar.
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  • Reply 19 of 53
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Isn't this one of the wise men bearing gifts?



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  • Reply 20 of 53
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by midwinter

    Isn't this one of the wise men bearing gifts?







    Holy shit, somebody's on their game today!
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