Christmas Nutcrackers, originally a German tradition, where the dolls are symbols of good luck, serving as protectors of a house.
Nutcrackers originate from late-17th century Germany.
They were often given as gifts, and at some point they became associated with the Christmas season.
They grew in popularity around the 19th century and spread to nearby European countries.
Then came Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, a ballet adaptation of E. T. A. Hoffmann's story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, which featured a toy soldier nutcracker.
The ballet, became a favorite holiday tradition and helped make the nutcracker a traditional Christmas decoration.
