………………..This Christmas season I have found a new interest in NUTCRACKERS!!!…..Jac’s mom had some in her room on her desk, and they were there spring, summer, fall and winter…for years!……This Christmas I decided to bring them down to my Gathering Room….I also got some additional ones, and some new ones to add to my own tree ornaments….To keep the Nutcracker theme going I added a Nutcracker Tree Skirt, and a Nutcracker pillow I saw on line…………..The Nutcracker doll originated in the Ore Mountains [Erzgebirge] region of Germany in the late 17th century….Miners in the area carved Nutcracker figures to supplement their income after the region’s mineral resources began to decline. The Nutcrackers were originally not associate with Christmas, but became so over time….In German tradition, Nutcrackers were considered a symbol of good luck and were used to scare away bad spirits…….so I have many!!!…….LOL