Baffled people are only just working out what Christmas Nutcrackers are used for

It might seem incredibly obvious to some of us, but many people were under the belief that a Nutcracker soldier was just a Christmas decoration

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Christmas wouldn’t be the same without rows of Nutcracker soldiers lining up under the tree or in front of the fireplace.

The cute wooden characters, which were first commercially produced by a German woodworker in 1872, have become a staple decoration over the years.

They have a special link to Christmas due to The Nutcracker ballet, with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s score becoming one of his most famous compositions.

First debuting in 1892, the ballet has gained enormous popularity and has become associated with the festive season as it’s set on Christmas Eve.

So we’ve established it’s an adorable Christmas decoration with a nice backstory, but what are Nutcrackers actually used for?

It might seem incredibly obvious to some of us, but many people were under the belief that a Nutcracker soldier was purely something nice to look at.

So it’s true purpose has come as a surprise to many, even though it’s very clearly in the name.

Yes, nutcrackers, shockingly, are actually used to crack nuts.

This went over many peoples’ heads as they have headed to social media to express their surprise after finding out the true function of nutcrackers.

“Nutcrackers are actually used to crack nuts… I was today years old,” tweeted one confused person.

Another wrote: “You’re telling me that nutcrackers can actually crack nuts?’ -Me, Thanksgiving 2022,.” one person tweeted.

“NUTCRACKERS ACTUALLY CRACK NUTS?! WTF SINCE WHEN,” shouted a third on Twitter.

A fourth agreed: “Oomf genuinely didn’t know that nutcrackers crack nuts I’m sobbing rn.”

While one person on TikTok called Dave said: “I was today years old when I found out Nutcrackers crack nuts.”

“Wait til you find out what a juicer does,” came one of the replies, while someone asked: “Where have you been?????”

There may be hope for the world, as other people were equally as baffled as to why the purpose of nutcrackers wasn’t known.

“When people didn’t realize that nutcrackers actually crack nuts LOL ridiculous that people didn’t know that,” asked one person.

Another added: “Yes I’m living in a world with a bunch of nuts when this is ‘shocking’ news.”

Nutcracker dolls are symbols of good luck, frightening away malevolent spirits – and in German folklore they serve as as protectors of a house.

Decorative nutcracker became popular outside of Europe after the Second World War, when American soldiers stationed in Germany came home to the US with them as souvenirs.

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