A very well-recognised Christmas ornament, which can be found in homes across the world, is the traditional German nutcracker.

Originating from the Sonneberg and Erzgebirge regions of Germany, these free standing, wooden figures take the form of soldiers or kings and were first found in the 1800s.

These colourful characters have become extremely popular and are a great heirloom project to make, give as a gift and pass down from family to family as the centrepiece to your Christmas décor.

Learn how to make your German nutcracker

Watch Colwin as he shows you how to make your own German nutcracker in this two part Woodworking Wisdom special.

Christmas Projects Banner

If you have enjoyed this project, why not have a go at one of our other traditional wooden Christmas projects?

See other Christmas projects

Share your pics

If you have made our Christmas nutcracker, we would love to see it. Share your pictures with us on social media. Search and tag @axminstertools on Facebook or Instagram.