Nutcrackers Abound in Main Street Display

Before the holiday season is over, Lilburn residents might want to head over to Main Street to see a new art display there -- hundreds of nutcracker figuirines of all shapes and sizes.  

The nutcrackers are located in the window of 106 Main Street, the Hen House, according to the owners of the display. The window art idea is the work of the newly forming Lilburn Art Alliance, which spearheaded an effort to decorate the Main Street storefronts for the holidays.

In this case, the nutcrackers are from the personal collection of local residents Kevin and Renee Edwards, who started amassing nutcrackers some 24 years ago. 

It started as a single purchase from the Bonner's Christmas Store in Frankenmuth, Mich. Then, some came as gifts; some came as discounted purchases after-Christmas sales.

This year, the Edwards wanted to share their collection with the city residents, and anyone else who wanted to catch a glimpse.

The collection is lighted, so it can be viewed day or night.

Words from the owner, Kevin Edwards:

"Each year, we would find nutcrackers at retail, antique and thrift stores, yard sales, and on the Internet. The growing collection began to take on a life of it's own.

"First, taking over the fireplace, then filling all the shelves in the living room, until custom ladder-like shelves were made to display them all. The collection has now grown to over 200 nutcrackers, and we are always on the lookout for unique nutcrackers.

"Every Christmas season, they are put out for display in our home, then carefully boxed up again after the holidays and returned to storage, it's a lot of work, and we use a lot of bubble wrap."

The display will be up until after the new year, and will be taken down the first weekend in January 2013. (January 5 and 6)

For questions, comments, (or to donate an unwanted nutcracker,)  contact Kevin and Renee Edwards at: edwardsdtp@aol.com; put "Nutcracker" in the subject line.