Written in 1816 by one of the leaders of the German Romantic Movement for his children. The Nutcracker captures better than any other story a child's wonder at Christmas. Since its publication, it has inspired hundreds of artists and adaptations, most notably Alexander Dumas p re's fable of the same name and the legendary ballet, scored by Russian composer Tchaikovsky. Today the Nutcracker continues to influence the magic of Christmas from sugar plums to mistletoe, the power of the story continues to cast a spell on readers.