IT’S the familiar groan that echoes around the Christmas table after the crackers have been pulled and everyone takes it in turns to read the one-liners.

But despite the credit crunch, Hampshire residents can’t keep away from the Christmas cracker aisles and love to hate those predictable gags repeated in each box whether you spend £1 or £10.

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Get ready to hold onto your party hat and steady your mulled wine glass as the Daily Echo launches our hunt to find the worst ever Christmas cracker joke.

We scoured the streets of Southampton to interrupt shoppers who admitted the guilty pleasure they got from the dreadful gags.

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The cracker industry is rocketing despite the recession.

Britain’s biggest Christmas cracker maker Swantex has sold 26.6 million – up 20 per cent from last year.

Managing director David Byk, said: “Crackers are absolutely synonymous with Christmas.

“The jokes serve a purpose. They are not written by comedians for comedians but made to appeal to anyone from six to 60 to create a belly laugh and a cackle.”

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So we want to know the corniest joke which induces the most groaning on December 25.

Southampton comedian Mike Osman thinks the companies should employ somebody funny to write the jokes because there is better material out there.

He said: “They are a bit pathetic. I don’t know who writes them but it certainly isn’t a comedian. They don’t make anyone laugh and most people around the table know them anyway. They’re missing a trick.”

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Despite his gripes, he still makes sure Christmas crackers are on his table.

“We always moan and groan at every single joke but it is part of Christmas and I love Christmas. I wouldn’t have it without them.”

The Christmas cracker dates back to 1847 when London confectioner Thomas Smith spotted the design of French bonbons wrapped in tissue paper on a trip to Paris.

He added a motto or a simple love poem to the package, which by the 1930s was replaced with jokes.

Daily Echo: Christmas cracker Join in the fun and tell us your favourite cracker joke. Have a laugh and leave your joke below in the comments section or send them to tara.russell@ dailyecho.co.uk

The best one will get a bottle of Echo bubbly!