Nuts for Nutcrackers

November 2023

I have a friend who is truly smitten with her Nutcracker collection (I think she has over 100 of them to date).  I have about a half dozen for the Christmas holiday, but her collection spans all holidays (and historical eras and themes). I asked her why she chose to collect Nutcrackers and her answer was simple: she loves their “look". I will admit, when I was younger, Nutcrackers scared me a little (I think it’s the teeth), but they definitely are not as creepy as clowns! Needless to say, the history of Nutcrackers stretches all the way back to the Sonneberg and Ezerberge regions of eastern Germany in the early 19th century. In 1872, Wilhelm Fuchtner made the first commercial production of the wooden nutcrackers. According to German folklore, nutcrackers were given as keepsakes to bring luck to the family and protect the home. It is said that they represent strength and power and watch over the family keeping evil spirits and danger away. So, maybe not such a bad idea to have at least one Nutcracker in the house for Christmas.