Our Nutcracker Guard Figurine Gifts are 10 inches tall. The Nutcracker Guard Figurine Gifts are wearing a black velvet, crown style, hat with gold braid, gold ribbon and clear, diamond shapped, plastic jewels decorations and a gold, glittered brim. The Guard Nutcracker Costume consists of a medium blue violet, flock coat with red plastic jewel buttons, gold glitter collar and gold ribbon and trim decorations on the front of the coat. The Nutcracker Guard has gold shoulder pads with gold braid eppelletts, gold cuffs, red pants and black boots. The Nutcracker Guard Figurine Gifts are holding a long handled battle axe, with a gold handle and silver blade, in their right hand. Select this link to view our wooden nutcracker toy soldiers.
Regimental Dress
The styles and decoration of military uniforms varied immensely with the status, image and funds of the military throughout the ages. Uniform dress became the norm with the adoption of regimental systems, initially by the French Army in the mid seventeenth century. Some Swedish infantry had been issued with standard coloured dress under Gustavus Adophus. However in the main the levies of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries wore civilian dress with scarves, pieces of foliage or other makeshift identification. Even Royal guards would only be issued with surcoats to wear over ordinary clothing. Select this link to view our Unique Christmas Ornaments.
During the Eighteenth Century
The normal military uniform comprised a standardized form of civilian dress (tricorn hat, long-skirted coat, waistcoat and breeches). One distinctively military feature was the long canvas gaiters which came up to mid-thigh and had multiple buttons. Dress was surprisingly standard between European armies in cut and general outline. The distinction normally lay in colours, red coats for the British and Danes, light gray then white for the French, Spanish and Austrian infantry, dark blue for the Prussians, green for the Russians etc. Within armies different regiments were usually distinguished by "facings" or turn backs and braiding on coats in colours that were distinctive to one or several regiments. Thus the Royal Comtois Infantry Regiment of the French Army, for example, had large dark blue cuffs on off white coats. Select this link to view our Wooden Nutcracker Soldiers.
Nutcracker History
Nutcrackers originated in the 19th century in the eastern region of Germany. Life was hard and the people worked long hours as miners and endured hardships and poverty. Often the miners watched as the fruits of their labor were confiscated by their superiors. Nutcrackers were cleverly designed to resemble the authoritarian figures of kings, policemen, and soldiers. The townspeople enjoyed these caricatures of their rulers, since the nutcrackers were placed at their service to perform the lowly task of cracking nuts. No holiday table can be without a bowl of nuts and a handsome Nutcracker!
Nutcrackers were especially popular with Germans who coined the phrase, “Gott gibt die Nüsse aber knaker müss man sie selbst or God gives the nuts but we have to crack them ourselves”, which was intended to teach children that life was hard but rewarding. This phrase made the nutcracker a favorite toy, possibly because it enabled children to reach one of life’s rewards more easily. Select this link to view our Unique Christmas Ornaments.