Nutcrackers are wooden carvings that come as a solider, knight, santa, or other profession. They have existed since at least the 15th century. These nutcrackers portray a person with a large mouth which the operator opens by lifting a lever in the back of the figurine. Originally one could insert a nut in the big-toothed mouth, press down and thereby crack the nut. Modern nutcrackers in this style serve mostly for decoration, mainly at Christmas time, a season of which they have long been a traditional symbol.
I selected my son's collection of nutcrackers to photograph today. He has received a nutcracker each Christmas since he was 5, he is now 25. They are all still all at our home, it is my hope that they grace his home some day.
Pewaukee, WI
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