A Short Guide to Nutcrackers

Nutcrackers started as a tool for cracking nuts and became one of the most recognizable Christmas decorations. Today most are made to be displayed, not used. Here is what to know before you buy your first one, or your next one.

Where they come from

The standing wooden nutcracker in the shape of a soldier or a king comes from the woodcarving tradition of the Ore Mountains in Germany. Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker, first performed in 1892, tied the figure to Christmas for good, and nutcrackers have been part of holiday decorating in American homes for generations.

Decorative, not for nuts

Most nutcrackers sold today are decorations. Many still have the lever at the back that moves the jaw, but it is there for tradition. Use a proper nutcracker for the walnuts and keep this one on the mantel.

Choosing a size

Height decides where a nutcracker can live. Ours are 10 and 15 inches tall.

• Around 10 inches: sized for a bookshelf, a desk, a side table or a spot among other decorations.
• Around 15 inches: tall enough to hold a mantel or an entryway table by itself.

Measure the shelf before you order, and leave a few inches above the hat.

Choosing a style

There are three broad families.

• Traditional: soldiers, kings and drummers in red, green and gold.
• Themed series: figures that belong to a story. The 10 Lords A Leaping is the tenth piece in the Twelve Days of Christmas series from Hollywood Nutcrackers™, designed by Holly Adler for Kurt S. Adler. A series gives a collection a path to follow.
• Licensed designs: figures made with a well-known brand. The Coca-Cola® striped pants nutcracker from Kurt Adler is an officially licensed design, 10 inches tall, and a lighter, nostalgic take on the form.

How to display them

One figure on a mantel, a shelf or a hall table is enough. A pair works on either side of a fireplace. If you have several, group them in odd numbers and vary the heights so each one can be seen. Place them at eye level and away from the edge, because they are made to be seen from the front.

To build a whole mantel around one figure, see how to decorate a Christmas mantel.

Keep them away from candles, heaters and direct sun, and out of reach of small children and pets. They are decorations, not toys.

What to put around them

A nutcracker looks best with something soft and something that glows. Run a pre-lit garland along the mantel behind the figures, and set flameless LED candles at different heights beside them. Because the candles have no open flame, they can sit close to painted wood.

What to check before you buy

• Height: compare it with the shelf or mantel where it will stand.
• Materials: the product page lists them. Our Coca-Cola® nutcracker, for example, is mostly solid wood.
• The box: a figure that comes in its own box is easier to gift and to store.
• The license: for a branded design, look for the words "officially licensed" on the page.

Care and storage

Dust a nutcracker with a soft, dry brush or cloth. Do not use water or cleaning sprays on painted wood, fabric or glitter. After the holidays, store each figure in its original box if you kept it, in a cool, dry place. If you did not, wrap it in tissue paper and give it its own box so the details do not rub against anything.

Starting a collection

Pick a theme, whether it is a color, a story or a brand, and add one figure a year. Write the year on the box. In a few seasons the collection becomes a tradition, and unpacking it becomes part of the holiday.

Looking for a present for a collector? See our Christmas gift guide for the home.

Coca-Cola is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company. Kurt Adler is the brand of the figures shown.

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