Happy Holidays!
My mom has a beautiful nutcracker collection....77 of them to be exact. Her grandchildren help her set them up each year for Christmas. Here is a snapshot of the ones above the fireplace.
The origin of nutcrackers, originally made to crack nuts, can be traced to Germany.
The Löschner family of Neuhausen, Germany, owns the biggest nutcracker collection: 4,334.
Between the late 1400s and early 1500s people began to use them as decorative pieces.
According
to German folklore, nutcrackers were given as keepsakes to bring good luck to
your family and protect your home.
By the mid-1700s, German nutcrackers were a popular symbol of Germany. They were, and still are, mainly used as decorations during the Christmas season.
While popular in Germany, the nutcracker did not experience worldwide notoriety until the late 1800s with the release of the Tchaikovsky ballet The Nutcracker Suite in 1892.
I wish you all a relaxing, artful day!
May the Christmas season
fill your home with joy,
your heart with love
and your life with laughter.
What a stunning collection and a beautiful Christmas wish, as well. Merry Christmas Cathy, to you and the ones you love!
Posted by: Kathy | 12/25/2012 at 10:58 PM
Wow, what a fun collection, don't think I've ever seen so many in one place.
Thank you so much for stopping by and for your nice comment.
Happy New Year to you:-)
Posted by: Betsy | 12/27/2012 at 11:41 PM