A Complete Guide to Custom Bon Bons for Christmas

Confused for an oversized sweet wrapper, Christmas bonbons are a collection of candy plus a few trinkets. Two people pull the holiday cracker from opposite ends, resulting in a “pop” and surprise gift items. However, brands can use different content items depending on the holiday or the occasion. 

Holiday crackers for Christmas are festive decorations that are popular in America and Europe. Regions such as Australia, Canada, and South Africa are new consumers of the Christmas bonbons (aka holiday crackers). In this guide, B2B brands learn the tradition, design, custom options, and the ordering process. 

Origins & Evolution of Bon Bons / Christmas Crackers

Loved for its surprise element, the holiday crackers pop open when two people pull them. Inside the cracker are surprise gifts, and each person gets to keep their half of the items. Brands can use personalized gift items to give to their clients. 

From French bon‑bons to a London invention 

Tom Smith (baker and confectioner) began selling his version of the bon bons Christmas crackers in 1947 from his London store. Smith would discover the French bonbons (sugared almond sweets) on his trip to France. Impressed by this delicacy wrapped in twisted tissue paper, Smith decided to come up with his version. 

Instead of the wrapped, twisted paper, Smith used two narrow strips of paper. On one side of the paper is a painted silver fulminate that removes a “pop” sound when pulled. From the 1900s, Smith’s Christmas crackers would be adopted by different brands for various uses. 

Addition of crack, gifts, and paper crowns

Brands became more creative with the content items of the holiday crackers. Tom Smith added a love note or riddle in the Christmas crackers to increase sales. He would later include small trinkets such as small toys and jewelry. Smith’s sons added a party hat, jokes, and limericks. 

Modern holiday crackers include gift items such as perfumes, fancy soaps, and custom jewelry. Brands targeting high-end clients often include premium chocolate Christmas crackers.  A colorful paper or cardboard wraps the gift items. 

Commercial spread across Europe and North America 

Christmas bonbons have been a long-standing tradition in Europe. Did you know that Tom Smith’s company is the supplier of Christmas bonbons for the British Royal Family? Holiday crackers soon spread from Europe to North America and other regions. 

While the common name is Christmas crackers in most English-speaking countries, bonbons is the popular name in other regions. In Australia, the first suppliers introduced the children's Christmas crackers as giveaways. 

Why Custom Bon Bons Work Well for B2B Clients

B2B brands are always looking for ways to create memorable experiences for their clients. Ideal for corporate events, holiday crackers provide a fun unboxing experience for the recipients.  

Branding opportunity 

Apart from the surprise element, Christmas bonbons offer a fun and easy way for a business to promote its brand. Include logos, brand colors, and unique messages on the packaging. Packaging them for corporate gifts or giveaways at company events is a fun way to make people remember your brand. 

Adding “Thank you “or Happy Holidays” messaging creates a joyful connection with your clients. Since Christmas bonbons are small, they make fun giveaways for trade shows instead of brochures. Designing them to suit the theme of the season is a great way to keep people remembering your brand. 

Emotional and experiential value 

Unlike pens and mugs, which are the most common corporate gifting items, holiday crackers are a pleasant and fun surprise. The added excitement of hearing the bonbons snap and finding a surprise gift helps build a stronger bond with your clients. 

Bonbons are easy to share, leaving a lasting impression on several people. Most B2B brands use the Christmas bonbons for fun and interaction, making them stand out in the crowded market. 

Design & Customization Options

The packaging of the bon bons is what attracts most people, even before they see the surprise gifts. Make it memorable and impressive by choosing unique shapes, formats, finishes, and content fillers. 

Shape, size & format options 

Fortunately, a key benefit of bonbons and holiday crackers is that you can choose from different shapes and formats to suit your brand and occasion. The traditional single-barrel cracker is the most common. It has a tube shape with twisted ends, making it look festive and easier to pull. 

The twist bonbons are slimmer and ideal for when a brand wants a cleaner and more modern look. The double-barrel luxury Christmas crackers are ideal for corporate gifts or special events with a premium feel. 

Depending on what you want for your brand, you can choose a small size (quick giveaways) or a medium size for gifting. 

Material & aesthetic choices 

The material choices for holiday crackers are many and diverse. You can choose a full-color or minimalist design. Adding velvet or linen paper elevates the perceived value of the bonbons.

Consider eco-friendly materials if your brand values sustainability. Recycled paper, biodegradable inks, or reusable (cloth or fabric) materials are ideal for reducing carbon footprint and impressing eco-conscious clients.  

Contents selection 

Another section where you can show your brand’s creativity is in the items to include in the holiday cracker. Customizing allows you to put in what would impress your clients. Filler content for start-ups includes candy, trinkets, or small toys. However, if you want to have a bigger impact, consider branded items such as beauty samples, coffee sachets, or discount codes. 

You can also include traditional elements such as paper crowns, jokes, or riddles, just for fun.  

Snap mechanism or snap‑free option 

While the traditional holiday cracker has a “snap” sound when pulled apart, you can choose a snap-free reaction. However, in some regions, brands using the snap mechanism must follow safety standards. Snap-free versions are a better option for brands that want to follow safety standards. 

Brands that value sustainability can reject the snap mechanism for noise pollution and opt for the snap-free option. The lack of a snap mechanism makes it easier to recycle or reuse.

Production Workflow & Ordering Process

Once you have a clear description of the ideal holiday crackers for your brand, the next step is to look for the right supplier. An ideal supplier should help you meet your brand requirements to make you stand out. 

Finding suppliers & quoting 

Finding the right supplier is the best way to get started on custom holiday crackers. Working with an experienced manufacturer who does bulk production, such as Brothersbox, can make the work a whole lot easier. Not only can we meet production demands, but we can also manufacture quality Christmas bonbons that meet branding and safety needs. 

Brothersbox accepts lower minimum order quantities (MOQ) and sample runs. We provide timely quotes, digital mockups, or sample kits. 

Lead times & pricing tiers 

Depending on the design and volume, you should contact the supplier in good time. Start early if you’re ordering for peak seasons such as the Christmas holidays. Ask the supplier how much time they need to complete your order, depending on the quantity of pieces you want. 

Enquire about the price for each piece and ask if they give discounts for large orders.  Expect the prices to be a bit higher for unique finishes, prints, and branded inserts. Confirm if the price is inclusive of storage and shipping charges, and that there are no hidden costs.

Use Cases & Real‑World Examples

While holiday crackers are small, most brands use them in smart and memorable ways to connect with their clients. By using branded custom bonbons for end-of-year events, companies can create lasting impressions and memorable experiences. 

A mid-sized software company in London placed custom-branded Christmas bonbons on the dinner tables at an end-of-year event for clients and partners. Inside the bonbon was a paper crown, a fun riddle, and a small USB stick with preloaded brand products. Clients were impressed and shared on LinkedIn. 

A natural skincare company uses eco-friendly materials for their bonbons filled with mini-product samples, self-care affirmations, and discount codes. The brand offered the bonbons as a discount for every purchase above a certain price. There was an increase in sales and customers gave positive reviews online. 

Conclusion:

Holiday crackers for Christmas are an ideal option for marketing your brand. Consider adding your logo, messaging, and brand colors, on the packaging of the bonbons. 

Brothersbox is an experienced manufacturer of packaging solutions that can help meet your brand’s requirements. Contact us for custom holiday crackers for your brand.