Ah, "The Nutcracker": one of the staples of the Christmas season. I would just like to agree with Brangien Davis when he says it is all about magic -- not a dancing kitchen utensil.
Yes, I grant you the idea of a little girl receiving not a doll, but a handy aid to crushing the hard shells of nuts and dancing around and dreaming about it does not immediately seem like a Christmas classic, however, the beauty and artistry with which it is done, somehow makes it work.
Perhaps it is in how Tchaikovsky wrote the music down to the certain number of measures to suit the dance, or the rich tradition associated with such a classic ballet which keeps wowing crowds even in this age of streamlining, modernizing and mainstreaming. For me, it will always be one of those special holiday treats.
Furthermore, hurrah for all those who have made it a yearly event. In the age of movie sequels, one would think we would be at the Nutcracker 187 by now, but crowds do not go to to the Nutcracker to see what hasn't been done, they go to relive the magic of it snowing on the stage, the growing Christmas tree and the entire Nutcracker experience.
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