Mix and Match Nutcracker has been a favorite ornament over the years. It is the one most often removed from the tree because it is great fun to mix up the heads and bodies of the four different nutcrackers. The first actual nutcrackers were simple mechanisms for-you guessed it-cracking nuts. Way back when if you wanted to eat nuts you had to crack them open yourself – no such thing as buying them in a bag or a jar. The tradition of the Christmas nutcrackers that we are familiar with began in the late 17th century in the Erzgebirge region of Germany which is a mining area. In the winter it would often be too cold and snowy to work in the mines so, to keep busy, the miners turned to whittling and carving wood from the thick forests. Utilitarian nutcrackers became figures of all sorts and were prized as gifts. Kings and soldiers were very popular then, as they are today. They gradually became associated with Christmas because they were most often made and exchanged in the winter. Eventually, they became so popular in other parts of Germany that a new industry – nutcracker production – became an economic mainstay of the region, allowing the nutcracker to spread to other countries in Europe. American soldiers returning to the United States often brought home nutcrackers, making them popular in the US and a symbol of the Christmas season. Though the early nutcrackers were utilitarian, most nutcrackers made today are made as decorations and do not actually crack nuts.

While we were in Germany, we replaced our inexpensive American nutcrackers with several very nice ones that were made in the Erzgebirge region. We have two Saint Nicholas, 1 large and 1 medium, and 3 soldiers, small, medium, and large. We thought we would have a favorite one, but we don’t. We like them all and enjoy putting them on our fireplace mantle during the Christmas season.