After slowly becoming a winter holiday tradition in Europe during the 1800s, nutcrackers found their way to the U.S. when American soldiers stationed in Germany during WWII brought them home.

They usually feature the traditional soldier design from The Nutcracker ballet, but you can find some with a modern twist to resemble cartoon or other pop culture characters.

He wears a traditional soldier’s uniform and carries a sword, just like the character from the ballet. The figure is made of sturdy polyresin and can add a bit of holiday whimsy to any shelf or ...