Although Nutcrackers have been found from as early as the third century B.C., the Nutcracker figurines as we know them today originated in the Erzgebirge area of Germany around the 1700s. Over the years, they became popular collectible items.
Nutcrackers represent “cracking a tough nut,” a German expression referring to a person who has big problems. The artisans who originally created Nutcrackers did have big problems – they were poor and had to struggle to make a living. They also resented the day’s authority figures because they felt that they did not care about them and did not help with their problems. The artisans began crafting their Nutcrackers to resemble kings, soldiers and other military figures. These authority figures would now crack the nuts and be at the beck and call of the poor instead of the other way around. The German import website Mydirndl.Com shows examples of these traditional Nutcrackers.
People gave Nutcrackers as keepsakes to bring good luck to friends and family and protect their homes from evil spirits and danger. Many Nutcrackers have “bared,” big teeth, which is purposely done to resemble a watchdog and scare away the evil spirits who would bring harm. In medieval times, part of the dessert course included nuts and other sweetmeats. An unusual or interesting nutcracker was part of the social custom and a conversation piece, like a pretty vase or piece of art might be today.
Nutcrackers are also a symbol of the cycle of life. When a nut falls to the ground, it grows into a strong tree that is eventually cut down and used by woodcutters and craftsmen. The cycle begins anew when another nut from the big tree falls down to the ground.
The nutcracker became a part of popular culture beginning with the novel “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice” by E.T. Amadeus Hoffman. The novel was the basis for the composer Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite,” a ballet which is often performed around the Christmas holidays and has become a popular holiday tradition around the world.
