5 Things You Didn't Know About Animal Crackers

Who doesn't love animal crackers? Those little red boxes full of animal-shaped cookies have been an essential part of childhood for generations, but did you ever really stop to think about them?

They were, of course, named after the famed circus showman P.T. Barnum. 

Ever wonder why there's a little string on the top of each box? It was designed for the Christmas season, as the box was originally meant to be a Christmas tree ornament! The string was there to help the box hang from the tree, and it's still around today.  

Until Barnum's Animals came around, crackers were sold in barrels or big tins. The single-serve box, which sold for five cents, was revolutionary at the time, and was such a success than many other brands followed suit. 

The field has narrowed somewhat!

The koala was briefly added into the mix in 2002, to celebrate the snack's 100-year anniversary. It beat out a penguin, walrus, and cobra in a vote.