22nd of December

Nussknacker

by Thomas

My favorite Christmas decoration is a traditionally handcrafted nutcracker. During a vacation trip with my son we visited a wood shop specialized in toys in Seiffen in the Ore Mountains. The nutcracker inspired us most and so we brought one home. Every year when I unpack it from its box around Christmas, the fond memories of that vacation comes back.

The origins of the nutcracker can be traced back to the 19th century in the Eastern German Ore Mountains, a region known for the production of wooden toys and decorations that are particularly popular during Christmas. They often depict kings or soldiers and actually were supposed to caricature and mock the establishment. In Neuhausen there is even a specialized museum with more than 5.000 nutcrackers from all over the world.

Today, they merely are a beloved part of Christmas traditions. You can see here how a nutcracker is made:



Was your first thought when you read ‘nutcracker’ the ballet and Tchaikovsky’s music? There you go, enjoy:



Picture from Wikimedia Commons