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CHESTER, W.Va. -- Delbert "Bud" Miller became entranced by nutcrackers 45 years ago, when he received his first one as a gift from a friend.
Since 1975, his collection has grown to exceed 150, which he keeps wrapped with care in his Alicia Arms Apartment. Many of which find themselves displayed at the community's Festival of Trees holiday event that was canceled this year due to the pandemic.
That first one, which was German in origin, grabbed his imagination. He admits. "I found them fascinating, and friends and family began giving them to me."
According to German folklore, nutcrackers often were gifts as keepsakes to assure good luck to the recipient and serve as protection to his home. According to the site Christmas Treasures, "A nutcracker represents power and strength, (serving) like a trusty watchdog (and) guarding your family from evil spirits and danger. A fierce protector, the nutcracker bares its teeth to the evil spirits and serves as the traditional messenger of good luck and goodwill."
National Geographic's website takes it a step further, explaining that E.T.A. Hoffman had wrote the story, The Nutcracker and the King of Mice, more than 400 years ago, "Nutcrackers in the shapes of animals and people were popular at parties, as cracking nuts was a light task to engage guests over conservation after dinner." After producing the first American production of Tchaikovsky's 1892 hugely popular ballet, The Nutcracker, nutcrackers became a must-have collectible – especially for American soldiers returning home from Germany after World War II with their souvenirs.
As demand for the nutcracker dolls as home decor increased, more nutcrackers that didn't actually crack nuts are produced – specially since the trend in favor of nut meat to be sold preshelled and prepackaged.
Not as Miller explains of the majority of his collection, nutcrackers began more ornamental than functional, especially since nuts were genetically engineered to be larger so they could have increased pest and disease resistance. Many nuts no longer fit in the cracking mechanism, which was more often the soldier's mouth, any more, National Geographic revealed.
Wearing his nutcracker socks while staring at a framed and assembled nutcracker puzzle, Miller explains that he just picked up two more nutcrackers during a shopping excursion earlier in the week. "I look for ones that I don't have, and I only have two (of the 150) that are exactly the same." A nutcracker Lori Greiner (think Shark Tank) snow globe produces vibrant colors on a bottom shelf near a living room Christmas tree.
Displayed on shelves throughout the apartment are nutcrackers clad like the Three Wise Men, Pittsburgh Steelers, fireman, a few ladies and even military figures.
Miller, who is a member of the Chester Lions Club and Newell Nazarene Church, is disabled.
A graduate of Western Beaver High School in Industry, he is a lifelong area resident and also used to collect tractor-trailer rigs and NASCAR models.
Miller explains that some were bought when visiting his uncle in North Carolina, others at stores like Boscov's and Macy's. However, there are a few that even were picked up at area dollar stores or while shopping QVC.
They don't stay displayed yearround, so Miller concludes, "I put them out only for Christmas. After New Year's, I will put them away. Some even have the original boxes."