The story for the Nutcracker Ballet was adapted from the book The Nutcracker and the Mouse King written by E.T.A. Hoffman in 1816. Pyotr Tchaikovsky composed the score for the ballet and the first performance was in 1892 in Russia. This ornament captures the joyous nutcracker.
These unique Christmas decorations are made using the traditional method of zardozi embroidery.
Zari (meaning gold) embroidery originated in Persia and reached India in the 12th century.
It is a highly skilled embroidery technique that traditionally used gold wires and jewels to embellish courtly robes.
Here those same techniques are used to great effect in producing fine Christmas ornaments.
There are a limited number of such skilled artisans today who can create these challenging pieces.