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Just in time for Saturday’s Christmas party for kids, the History Center has acquired some interesting new pieces for its large and growing nutcracker collection.
The latest addition is a life-size nutcracker with a motion sensor that plays theme music from “The Nutcracker Ballet” when visitors enter and exit the History Center.
Historical Society President Betty Mann said she hopes it sings all morning long for the History Center’s annual children’s Christmas party from 10 a.m. to noon.
“Kids love nutcrackers,” Mann said. “Last year we gave out over 100 nutcracker Christmas ornaments.”
Attendees will again enjoy nutcracker ornaments at the door, in addition to holiday tattoos, a scavenger hunt, make and take projects, story time, photo opportunities and festive snacks.
And they’ll all be greeted by the new musical character at the door.
Its rich colors on a textured surface give the illusion of painted wood grain, but the holiday nutcracker is actually hollow plastic that is easily moved from one location (near an outlet) to another.
Mann isn’t bothered by the fact that it’s a Walmart purchase. “I saw it advertised for sale and had to have it,” she said.
Meanwhile, she acquired several other 12-inch Christian Albrecht nutcrackers at a flea market for a price that’s a fraction of what they’re worth.
“I’m very pleased with these,” she said about the recent expansion of the Albrecht section of the display behind glass.
With the new pieces and dozens of other recent donations and acquisitions, Mann said Luverne’s nutcracker collection with more than 4,200 pieces, can claim to be second largest in the world.
She said the History Center has seen 2,623 visitors as of Dec. 1, and many come through the doors looking for the nutcracker collection.
“We’ve had so many people in off the interstate,” Mann said. “A lot of them come in because of the billboard on the highway. … The collection is doing its job. We’re getting people into town.”
Also near the entry is a glass display case showcasing 12-inch-tall nutcrackers that were hand-painted by local artists in unique and colorful themes.
Mann said she someday hopes to generate enough funds to have several of them recreated in 7-foot-tall replicas to be displayed on street corners downtown Luverne.