The Nutcracker: A Timeless Symbol of Christmas

With his pristine uniform, giant jaws, and friendly expression, the nutcracker soldier has become a timeless symbol of Christmas. I always love to unwrap my storage container of nutcrackers and wooden smokers that we’ve collected over the years in order to create a fun display that kicks off the Christmas decorating season. 

Although usually associated with the woodcarvers from Germany's Erzgebirge -- the Ore Mountains bordering the Czech Republic --  the history of the nutcracker spans many cultures and countries.  The first appearance of a decorative nutcracker can be traced back to the 13th century where they were fashioned out of poured brass and were usually of fairly simple tool construction.

So why have nutcrackers been so popular throughout the centuries?  Well, the nutmeat itself has been a significant part of our food chain since the beginning of time, and over the years humans have used stones and other devices to open the shells and retrieve the delicious meat inside. And since nuts are usually harvested in the fall and traditionally eaten during winter months, it’s naturally associated with the holidays and incorporated into holiday foods. 

Over the centuries the decorative aspect has grown more popular and we now have very elaborate designs and themes stretching from working class nutcrackers such as cowboys, wine makers, gardeners, bakers, etc. to multiple stately forms of kings and religious figures.  

Today many of the decorative wooden nutcrackers are manufactured in Germany to meet the demands of collectors all over the world. This interest is renewed each year through the tradition of Nutcracker Ballet. Collectors can now find designs in the characters from the ballet as well as hundreds of other designs from plays and movies. 

This year my niece received a Mad Hatter nutcracker based on her favorite character from the book/movie Alice in Wonderland and now she is carrying on the tradition and starting her own nutcracker collection.