A bristish "Cracker" is a pyrotechnic novelty device. A small
friction-initiated explosive device inside a thing that looks like a big
paper taffy.  You pull on the two ends, set off the explosive (which is
usually pitifully weak (fortunately, since the things are pretty much
designed such that it goes off right in front of your face)), and it bursts
open (more as a result of the pulling than of the "explosion".)  There is
usually a small toy and a silly hat inside.  See:
http://www.absolutelycrackers.com/

Interestingly, there IS no american word for the same thing, because
americans (except for anglophiles) just don't DO "crackers" - the closes
equivilent is probably the "grab bag" WRT the prize, or the "champagne
popper" from the pyrotechnic perspective.

(The Germans have "Kinder eggs", which seem to be similarly local...)

BillW

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