Nutcrackers Around the World by Gail Carolyn Sirna

We were so pleased to become grandparents when my daughter gave birth to her son Connor. But it takes a bit of time to get to know the child and to discover what he is like, so it is only now that I feel I can stitch a stocking for him.

After all, as I remind my students, a Christmas stocking lasts a lifetime, and the child will only be a baby for a short time. So I look for something that will go with him throughout his life.

Last Christmas we took him to see the Nutcracker at the ballet. He loved it (after much preparation by his mother). Our grandson is "all boy" and loves rough and tumble and battles so he especially appreciated the sword fight between the Nutcracker and the mice.

Connor is also a combination of many nationalities – Irish and Italian in a big way, and to a lesser extent, German and French, so I depicted those ethnic groups in their native dress. He attends a bilingual pre-school and is studying Spanish (since he lives in Houston) and so added a Mexican Nutcracker. Connor, although only 4 has already visited Mexico and France; we hope to take him to many other faraway lands in the years to come.

Each nutcracker holds a weapon (well, the French one has a paint brush – much more appropriate) since Connor is a big fan of battles and weapons, much to my dismay. But these are only ceremonial weapons – parade weapons.

I added some significant historic buildings from the countries depicted on the stocking, just for interest, and to remind him of what he saw.