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 Devices used to crack open the hard outer shells of nuts have been accredited in creation to Aristotle and remnants can be found dating all the way back to three thousand before Christ, but it was not until the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries that the tale of classic holiday nutcrackers begins.
These wooden dolls were first created as a tool to help deal with the process of shelling and eating sweet meats. The nut was first placed into the dolls mouth, then, with a lever or screw which was moved, the bottom jaw would be repeatedly pushed into the upper jaw until the shell was cracked. The origins of the holiday nutcrackers can be traced to the once mining region of Erzgebirge, Germany. At first, wood carving was a hobby of the mining villagers to pass time during the off season of winter months, but, when the mine’s mineral deposits ran dry, the villagers turned to woodworking as their permanent trade. These miniature, wooden men first began being created as authority figures of the time as much needed political satire for the people. These comical renditions of powerful kings of the time breaking the shells of nuts for the average man would eventually give rise to Germany’s wooden nut splitters taking the shape of soldiers, gendarmes, holiday characters, kings, authority figures of the past, and religious figures of the past.
It is said these guard-like wooden dolls are able to bring good luck to families and protect homes, which is what lead to holiday nutcrackers being first given as Christmas gifts during the seventeenth century. Despite the positive folklore behind these decorative guards and large sales at nineteenth century Christmas fairs, it would not be until after the premier of The Nutcracker Suite in St. Petersburg, Russia when they would reach mainstream popularity and production in Europe. Even though these wooden dolls had been given as gifts for centuries and commercial production was found in nineteenth century Europe, it was not until the mid twentieth century that their popularity was gained in America.
When trying to answer the question, when did these playful tools become holiday themed, it seems in both Europe and America the origins can be traced to when they first started to be given as Christmas gifts. Major holiday success of these items in America can be identified around World War II. It was during the American occupation of Europe when G.I.’s began heavily sending these holiday nutcrackers stateside as gifts. From this point forward, these wooden German toys and symbols of luck gained their place as a major festive decoration in America. This also marks the period of time where the exclusive hand crafted European markets gave way to worldwide mass production and the modern holiday nutcrackers of today, which lack the fearsome and functional bite of their older relatives, but replace it with even more style and comedy.
Even though the modern creations are for show rather than function, many old German and other European houses still exist by crafting items the way they have been for centuries. With variations such as these and the prosperities of good fortune, should anyone be leaving the guard post by the roasting chestnuts unmanned this Christmas season?
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