The Nutcracker fable seems to have two different storylines.  We all know about the ballets that go on during Christmas.  But did you know that the story is slightly different from the children’s tale written by E.T.A. Hoffmann circa 1816.  In both cases, Herr Drosselmeyer appears as a toymaker full of tricks.

Who is Drosselmeyer?

Even in ballets, there are several versions of the Nutcracker.  Drosselmeyer plays essentially the same character in all of them.  He is a toymaker.  See his figurine?  He’s carrying a wee-nutcracker toy.

Drosselmeier gives the Nutcracker as a present to young Clara as a Christmas gift.  The Nutcracker comes to life at midnight to do battle against the Mouse King.  After the battle, he transforms into a prince.

In the children’s book (and some versions of ballet), the Nutcracker is Drosselmeyer’s nephew.  Drosselmeier also had a hand in death of the Mouse Queen’s children by building a trap for them.  It was the Mouse Queen who had cursed Drosselmeyer’s nephew into the Nutcracker.

Drosselmeyer is a key figure in the story.  But his character is not one of complexity.  He is, however, a worthy addition to many Nutcracker ornament collection.

I was intrigued by the royal design of the Mouse King Nutcracker ornament.  Perhaps it’s the dark lavender cape.  Or the richly designed coat.  Maybe it’s the sword.  Or could it be the crown?  A mouse with a crown.  Indeed only in fables that a mouse could be a king complete with a royal court.  Of course, that and Disney.

Different Adaptations of the Mouse King

In researching more on the Mouse King, it’s hard not to go back to the entire fable written in 1816 by E.T.A. Hoffmann.  In the story, the Mouse King is an evil mischievous character who seems to enjoy harming the Nutcracker.  His queen is equally deceptive with the power to lay curses on humans.

In the ballet, he plays a lesser role as the leader of a gang of mice who battles the toy soldiers led by the Nutcracker.  He is killed quickly in the ballet.  No longer appearing after Act I.

There is also a movie called Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (1986) that’s worth checking out.

Helpful websites on the Nutcracker

- The Nutcracker and the Mouse King
- The Story of the Nutcracker by the Pacific Northwest Ballet

The Ulbricht Mini Drummer Nutcracker figurine reminds me of the song “The Little Drummer Boy.” The one I recall in particular is sang by David Bowie and Bing Crosby. I see it every year on TV no matter what. I believe that in the past few years, PBS has had Christmas specials with the old school performers. Bing Crosby being one of them.

I suppose anything with the year 19xx on it is old school now. Nevertheless, this one is a classic. I found the Youtube video of it. Also, lyrics of “The Little Drummer Boy” is below the video if you want to sing along.

Classic Little Drummer Boy Duet Video and Lyrics

The Little Drummer Boy
lyrics by Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati, and Harry Simeone

Come they told me
Pa rum pum pum pum

A new born King to see,
Pa rum pum pum pum

Our finest gifts we bring
Pa rum pum pum pum

To lay before the King
Pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum

So to honor Him
Pa rum pum pum pum,

When we come.

Little Baby
Pa rum pum pum pum

I am a poor boy too,
Pa rum pum pum pum

I have no gift to bring
Pa rum pum pum pum

That’s fit to give our King
Pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum

Shall I play for you!
Pa rum pum pum

Mary nodded
Pa rum pum pum pum

The ox and lamb kept time
Pa rum pum pum pum

I played my drum for Him
Pa rum pum pum

I played my best for Him
Pa rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum

Then He smiled at me
Pa rum pum pum pum

Me and my drum.
On my drum.

In admiring the Ulbricht Painted Snowman Nutcracker, I was blown away by the exquisite and painstaking details that went into accessorizing it.  It may not seem all that important, but I thought the twigs he’s holding is pretty cool.  Of course, much like any other Ulbricht Nutcracker, each one of these are handpainted.  So no two are alike.

Still, I realize that Nutcracker snowmen are not the most famous of snowmen.  We know that Frosty is the most famous and ubiquitously known.  But who else is out there?

List of Popular and Famous Snowman

I did a quick research on other famous snowmen and here’s a list, in no real particular order:

• Frosty the Snowman.  No real surprise here.  For many of us, Frosty IS the Snowman.  He has a song.  A movie (Frosty the Snowman 1969).  And years and years of recognition.
• The Abominable Snowman.  A mythical creature that’s not unlike Bigfoot, except the abominable snowman lives in snow covered mountains.  For many kids, our first encounter with the abominable snow man is the Matterhorn ride in Disneyland.
• Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman.  A character from a children’s book, The Snowman, written by author / illustrator Raymond Briggs, published in 1978.  Kinda like Frosty, but not really.
• Jeezy The Snowman.  A hip hop song by the artists Young Jeezy.

What comes to mind when you think of Christmas?

Mine is simple. Santa Claus in a sleigh!

And I grew up in the Philippines where there are no snow for us to even learn about sleighs.

Santa Claus Ornaments are everywhere during Christmas

It is no surprise that kids all over the Western world recognize Santa. Whenever Christmas comes along, he’s all over the place.

As a child in the Philippines, we had plenty of Santa Claus ornaments. I was still a child when we came to the US and, of course, he’s all over the place here. His pictures and posters were all over the stores. Some of the best TV Christmas specials were about Santa.

Remember, Christmas is for the young (and the young at heart).

Below is an article that gives an insight on how Santa has become a dominant figure in American pop culture.
_______________________________

Santa Claus Magazine Covers by Jessica Vandelay

St. Nicholas was a real saint, a 4th century bishop from Asia Minor known for his generosity; in early December he visited homes and left gifts for children by the fireplace. Moore?s poem tweaked the Dutch St. Nicholas and brought the figure of Santa Claus into the American psyche.

By 1863, Santa Claus made his first magazine appearance in the political magazine Harper?s Weekly. Influential political cartoonist Thomas Nast’s drew Santa as the fat, jolly, bearded, and red-suited figure that still holds today. From the 1860s to the ’80s, he drew a special cartoon every year for the Christmas edition of Harper’s Weekly, which was the first American magazine to achieve national circulation. The magazine was a political magazine published from 1857-1916 by Harper & Brothers in New York City. The magazine ran a variety of articles on subjects such as foreign and domestic news, humor, essays and fiction.

Nast’s first depiction of Santa appeared in the magazine at the personal request of President Abraham Lincoln, to show Santa visiting U.S. troops in the war zone. Nast established Santa’s North Pole address, along with the army of elves making toys, in his 1885 cartoon.

At the same time Nast?s Santa Claus appeared was St. Nicholas magazine, which was named after Santa, was published by Scribner’s from 1873 to 1939. In 1939, a copywriter for Montgomery Ward added Rudolph to the reindeer pack. In 1889, the poet Katherine Lee Bates, created Mrs. Claus, Santa’s wife in “Goody Santa Claus on a Sleigh Ride.”

Throughout the 19th century Santa was both beloved and respected. In 1897 a little girl named Virginia O’Hanlon wrote a letter to the New York Sun expressing her friends? skepticism of Santa?s existence. The Sun replied in one of the most famous editorials in American history: “Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. … Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist.”

In 1931 the Coca-Cola Company launched its now annual Santa-themed advertising campaign, in an effort to boost mid-winter soft drink sales. Commercial cartoonist Haddon Sundblom created Coca-Cola?s version of Santa. Sundblom?s Santa established wore a red suit and drank from a green Coca-Cola bottle.

By the mid-20th century magazine publishers determined magazine covers as the most important aspect of a magazine. Many great illustrators created now legendary Christmas-themed magazine covers that depicted Santa Claus, Christmas trees, gift-giving, Christmas shopping, the anticipation of Christmas, gift-receiving and other Christmas-related themes. Some of the greatest illustrators of this era are Neysa McMein, Helen Dryden, John Falter, Herbert Paus, Dynevor Rhys, Norman Rockwell, Frank Schoonover, Maginel Barney, J.C. Leyendecker, James Montogomery Flagg and Jessie Willcox Smith.

Throughout the 20th century and today Santa Claus remains a popular magazine cover subject for all kinds of magazines, including home magazines, kids magazines and food magazines.

For more on holiday magazines, visit www.magazines.com Jessica Vandelay is a freelance writer in New York City.

Article Source: Santa Claus Magazine Covers

Wooden Nutcracker ornaments are popular Christmas decorations.  Often you see them hanging in trees or on table tops.  To understand more about them, below is a full article on the Nutcracker ornaments discussing its German origins.  I like how there’s a kind of a supernatural origin to the Nutcrackers at first and its evolution to holiday trinkets.
_________________________________________________

German Nutcrackers

Nutcrackers have been around for centuries and are assumed that with their increasing popularity, they will be around for many centuries to come. Right from the original versions to the new ?Chubby? ones, nutcrackers have enlightened people?s homes and brought joy and happiness throughout the world.

Originally it was believed to be only a protector against evil spirits; but the nutcrackers today are a beloved Christmas decoration seen nearly in every home. There are many styles and sizes of nutcrackers available today. There are also many manufacturers, although German manufacturers Steinbach and Christian Ulbricht seem to have taken up the market in terms of popularity.

True German nutcrackers are very unique and of a very high quality. They are hand crafted into beautiful displays that are so widely seen today. The Steinbach Chubby series is a highly popular design today. With their unusual ex-pressions and chubby features, these endearing nutcrackers are adored by both children and adults. Designs like the Chubby Black Forest nutcracker, Chubby Fireman nutcracker and Chubby Teacher nutcracker are adored throughout the world. The Chubby series, though still reflects the tradition and heritage of the Steinbach name, is a unique twist on the nutcracker?s image. Other designs, like the British guards, toy soldiers, kings, chimney sweepers and bakers are also very popular as a collector?s item. Steinbach and Ulbricht Nutcrackers can be found practically in every corner and display collections of the beloved nutcracker in so many designs and sizes that it is sure that there are nutcrackers for every taste and personality.

Personalized nutcrackers such as the firemen or teachers make excellent gifts for someone special and the joy of receiving a nutcracker is difficult to let go. For a gift that is as unique as it is beautiful, you really cannot find a better choice than a true German nutcracker. — Marc Wiedmaier is COO of the German trading company Wibros GbR that has specialized in German handcrafts from the Erzgebirge such as nutcrackers, incense smokermen and Christmas pyramids. Wibros also carries over 500 original cuckoo clocks from the German Black Forest.

Learn more about nutcrackers from Germany.

Learn more about cuckoo clocks. Source: http://www.articletrader.com