Decorative nutcrackers — most often resembling a toy soldier, but available in countless other characters — are synonymous with the Christmas season. Why? It’s a story whose origins predate Christmas itself. And whose history involves a mining town, Napoleon, dance theater, and World War two. So...let’s get crackin’!

Mentioned in this Episode

http://www.nutcrackermuseum.com/ 

Music in this Episode

• "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies" — Kevin MacLeod, via Wikimedia Commons
• "March from the Nutcracker" — Trygve Larsen, via Pixabay
• "Chinese Dance from the Nutcracker" — Trygve Larsen, via Pixabay
• "Arabian Dance from the Nutcracker" — Trygve Larsen, via Pixabay
• "Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech