Ornament - Blown Glass - Peppermint Nutcracker

Nutcrackers were first carved by commoners as a joke because it was considered fun to make a little wooden king or soldier do the menial work of cracking the tough nuts. Today, nutcrackers are often associated with the Christmas holidays due to their whimsical nature and the very popular Nutcracker Suite Ballet.Old World Christmas is the premier brand of Christmas ornaments in the country. Tim and Beth Merck reintroduced these figurative designs to the United States in 1979. As a couple who shared a special love for Christmas, Tim & Beth revitalized the art of mouth-blown fine glass ornaments.Each figurative glass ornament produced by Old World Christmas is hand crafted in an age-old tradition using the same techniques that originated in the 1800's. Molten glass is mouth-blown into finely carved molds made exclusively for Old World Christmas, then a hot solution of liquid silver is poured inside. The ornaments are then hand-painted and glittered in a series of labor-intensive steps