Welcome to day twenty-three of my advent calendar of ornaments. This year, rather than 2020 & 2021’s Cheesy Christmas, it’s our hodge-podge of a Christmas tree that’s front and center… I’m giving you a tour of our tree, one ornament at a time, until Christmas Day.
Today’s ornament is pretty traditional…
A Nutcracker Standing Tall…
For the longest time, I really had no idea what a nutcracker really was so I could never understand what ballet had to do with those metal plier-like things that always sat on my grandparents coffee table, beside a bowl of various nuts.
For to me… that’s what a nutcracker was… those metal things that you squeezed walnuts & macadamia nuts into, to make a mess on the table (or the rug) and then eat those bitter, absolutely un-appealing hard things that were found inside the shell. WAY too much work for WAYYYY too little reward.
(I still can’t figure why anyone would ruin a good pan of brownies by putting walnuts in them, but that’s for another post… Thanks grandma, for ruining many a tray of sweets!! *cue the sarcasm*)
It was many moons later before I realized that those well dressed, crowned & wooden toy soldiers were actually old fashioned nutcrackers. …and my mom’s house was littered with them at Christmas time.
She had one of those rather vast kitchens with an island in the middle and cupboards ’round the room. The top of those cupboards became home to an entire collection of nutcrackers during the holidays… all kinds of shapes, sizes and costumes – it was a sight to behold!
Since nutcrackers were definitely a grandma-thing at one point, she gave each of the kids a miniature nutcracker to hang on the tree… hence the decoration that you see in today’s photo. There are three of them, each one as unique as the kids for whom they were destined, and they are a nod to an awesome grandma who will be sorely missed even just a hint more than usual at Christmas, given the distance, that hasn’t shrunk. 😍😍😍
… and that’s today’s Christmas ornament.
Give the gift of Parisian strolls this Christmas.
My book on Amazon.
AIM Long 
Love these and the story behind them 🙂
Thanks Carol… while Christmas shopping yesterday (yes, I’m one of THOSE people – heh heh), I saw several nutcrackers in the stores here in France. Generally not as nice at the ones back home, but it’s a start. A very Merry (almost) Christmas to you and thanks for being a regular visitor this month!!
You are welcome Mike it’s been lovely reading about your tree ornaments..Christmas is not celebrated here in Thailand so our is very low key I make what traditional English fare I can but there is no atmosphere to build up to Christmas here we try as hard as we can but when around does not it’s not quite the same…I hope you and your family enjoy your Christmas and have a Happy and Healthy New Year 🙂