“What was the price of Santa’s sleigh? Absolutely nothing, it was complimentary!”

This quip draws a chorus of groans that resonates throughout a warehouse located in Lambeth, south London.

We’re participating in a joke-testing event hosted by Talking Tables, a London-based enterprise specializing in party supplies, including Christmas crackers.

Clare Harris, the founder and CEO of the company, smiles almost apologetically at the punchline. Yet, despite the groans, this joke has made the final selection for future crackers.

“The effectiveness of a joke is gauged by the number of groans and how loud they are around the table,” explains Harris.

Crafting an engaging Christmas cracker joke differs from creating an amusing one in general; it hinges on the context of the Christmas dinner, where laughter is shared among grandparents, children, and possibly visiting friends or neighbors.

“We strive for a joke that connects the eight-year-old with the eighty-year-old,” says Harris.

The joke selection occurs on the upper floor of the warehouse, where a small group of staff members convene to present and evaluate their latest comedic efforts.

The jokes under consideration today are destined for crackers in 2026.

The company plans its cracker jokes at least one year ahead of each release.

“What Christmas song do monkeys sing?” Harris inquires. “Jungle bells, jungle bells.”

This time, there are more resolute “noes” than groans, leading Harris to concede; this one won’t be featured in a cracker next year.

“We maintain a database,” she mentions. “However, each year, we ensure to include classics that have been crowd-pleasers at home.”

The material for cracker jokes comes from numerous sources, such as the internet, word of mouth, and the company’s own collection of joke books.

When asked if they’ve embraced the capabilities of artificial intelligence for joke creation, Harris firmly declines.

She points out that the aim of the session is to identify their favorite jokes and the ones that evoke the strongest emotional responses.

“Does it achieve the desired effect at the Christmas gathering?” she queries.

Chloe Lloyd from the sales team proposes a joke she encountered earlier in the day.

“What does the moon do when it wants a haircut?” she asks. “Eclipse it!”

The group instantly approves; it’s a winner.

Experts suggest that gathering for shared laughter is not only a well-established practice but likely predates humanity.

“When you find yourself laughing with others at the Christmas table, you’re tapping into a vocalization behavior that’s probably ancient in origin,” comments Prof. Sophie Scott, director of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London.

According to her, collective laughter fosters and strengthens social ties among individuals.

Studies indicate that a lack of such connections can severely impact both mental and physical well-being.

“The people you engage and share laughs with promote heightened levels of endorphins,” says Prof. Scott.

Endorphins, the brain’s “feel-good” chemicals, are released to alleviate stress and pain, as well as in response to enjoyable experiences, like chuckling over a truly dreadful Christmas cracker joke.

“You’re not merely laughing at a goofy joke from a cracker,” Prof. Scott observes. “You’re participating in highly significant social bonding work with the ones you cherish.”

Interestingly, humans are not the only creatures that laugh.

Prof. Scott explains that laughter serves as an invitation to engage and enhance social relationships; various mammals, including rats, partake in this behavior as well.

But what transpires in the brain when we hear a joke?

Interestingly, a considerable amount occurs.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans, which track active brain areas, Prof. Scott and her team have identified regions receiving increased blood flow in response to humor.

Research involves scanning the brains of healthy subjects while exposing them to a collection of amusing words, accompanied either by a neutral “crunch” or recorded laughter, to analyze which brain areas are most stimulated.

“In the scanner, we observed a fascinating pattern of brain activation,” states Prof. Scott.

A joke activates not only regions responsible for auditory comprehension and speech but also areas associated with movement planning, vision, and memory recall.

When synthesized, she explains, the neural reactions to a joke involve intricate processes, preparing an individual not only to understand the humor but also to respond with laughter, guided by memories.

Researchers have found that a humorous word paired with laughter generates a more substantial brain reaction compared to the same word followed by neutral sounds.

“This occurs in areas of the brain accountable for facial movements like smiling and laughing,” Prof. Scott elaborates.

This indicates that people’s responses stretch beyond the joke itself; they are also influenced by the laughter shared.

Laughter, according to Prof. Scott, can indeed be infectious.

So, what implications does this hold for the laughter shared at a Christmas gathering?

“You find yourself laughing more when you’re familiar with the individuals around you,” says Prof. Scott, “and even more so when there’s affection or love involved.”

Regarding Christmas cracker jokes, she posits that the joy arises not from the joke itself, but from the shared laughter that it inspires.

“The joke is the cringeworthy Christmas cracker humor, and it serves merely as a catalyst for collective laughter.”