It was nearing Christmas day when your family hosted a grand party. It was filled with lots of dancing, laughter, but best of all, gifts. Your grandfather had made a fashionably late appearance, but cane bearing many gifts. Dolls that could dance, dolls, wooden swords, and yours, a nutcracker. Although it wasn’t much, you loved it so dearly and happily danced around with it. Until your little brother Fritz immaturely got jealous and tried to take it from you. It ended in a fight with him accidentally pulling the Nutcracker’s head off. You were in disbelief and cried afterwards. He was safely fixed with a small chiffon ribbon and you still loved him the same.

That night after the party, you snuck into the living room where the tree was to see your nutcracker again. Midnight fell and you fell asleep soundly holding the nutcracker in your arms. All of the sudden, the sound of squeaking and rustling woke you up. Only to find rats, mice, dolls, and toys coming to life. Had you shrunk? The tree looked huge and you were only the size of some of the gifts under the tree. You panic as the mice and rats fight the toy soldiers and dolls. That’s when you saw your nutcracker, but he seemed much more alive. The Rat King came to attack, but the Nutcracker fought him off. Just when the Nutcracker was about to lose, you took off your shoe and hit the Rat King’s head and distracted him enough for the Nutcracker to finish him off.

The mice army fled in fear as they dragged their leader to who knows where. The dolls went back and you hurried over to your nutcracker. He was injured, but you had saved him. He took your hand and brought you to the Land of Sweets. To get there you passed through a winter wonderland of snowflakes and fairies. When you arrived, there was many to greet you. Spanish Chocolate, Arabian Coffee, Chinese Tea, Russian Candy Canes, Marzipan, Mother Ginger, and many more came bearing gifts. You danced and explained the terribly frightening experience with the rats, but you and the Nutcracker had saved the day.

Then one by one, each divertissement danced and gave gifts. Your nutcracker’s name was Rui, as he introduced. The two of you sat in a candy throne watching the delightful entertainment. He looked at you with a calm smile.

“Is everything to your liking? You saved the day, truly.”