by Katie Lamborn

When you pull your Christmas cracker come Friday - there's a
strong chance it would have been made in Kent!

Around 25 million crackers are put together by Swantex, a paper
company based in Swanley. They make more than anywhere else across
the UK.

Managing director David Byk explained what makes the perfect
Christmas cracker.

He said: "It's something that's bright, colourful and it's fun.
It themes in with the rest of the table and it has a really good
joke!"

The company, established in 1892, recently changed its cracker
jokes after coming to the conclusion many were outdated.

Mr Byk added: "We got rid of some of the older, more corny
jokes. And we brought in some which just get a belly laugh,
especially after a few drinks!"

"A Christmas cracker should have a slight chuckle, a grin and
maybe a groan. You're not expecting cutting edge humour from a
Christmas cracker or anything that granny wouldn't understand."

So what would Christmas be without the cracker? David said:
"Flat and awful - it just wouldn't be Christmas!"