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Thursday, December 18, 2008

Christmas 1972


Yesterday I bought a big bag of these.

I remember having nuts like these around during the holidays when I was younger. I mentioned that to Brian, and he had similar memories of nuts as well. I thought it would be fun to buy some and let our kids share in the experience. The only problem was that we didn't have a nutcracker. We stopped at several stores on our way home to look for a nutcracker. Brian went in search of the nutcracker while I picked up a few other things. He looked everywhere in at least 3 stores to no avail. No nutcracker. Tonight we stopped at Walmart to pick up a couple of things. When we were done we walked over to the kitchen supplies where I picked up this.

He started to laugh.

Turns out he was looking for this...

And then it was my turn to laugh. I'm still laughing. Hahahahahahaha...

OK...editing to add another picture I found of a tree bowl nutcracker set.

This one has a clearer picture of the nutcracker in the middle of the back with a pick on each side. Hope this helps...and I'm still laughing!

21 comments:

Amy said...

Oh my goodness. I promise we had that exact set when I was a kid. And I use to get so mad when my stocking was filled with the nuts and fruit that were on the coffee table. I don't remember ever getting anything else in my stocking.

Deanna said...

oh, we so had one of those when I was a kid. that is the exact memory that I have of nuts at the holidays. :)

Anonymous said...

Wow, that bowl really is right out of the '70's. My grandparents always had a bowl of nuts and a couple of sets of implements out at Christmas.

Classy Fab Sarah said...

Ok, I don't even know what that last picture is. Seriously.


But I do recognize the other nut cracker.

Anonymous said...

Ahahaha! I don't know what that last pic is either! And I was thinking of the toy soldier nutcracker. That just proves how little I have been taught about nutcrackers.

Anonymous said...

Hilarious! I do have one question, though... what the heck is that thing?

Brittany said...

My parents still totally have that old set! Use it every year!

Amy said...

Okay kids. Let me enlighten you. That picture is of a "bowl" that looks like a tree. In the center of that there bowl is a holder for your nutcracker (kind of like pliers) It is in the center of the whole deal. Surrounding that, you have several picks that you would use to dig the nuts out of their shells. Hope that helps.

Sra said...

We had that metal nutcracker, but no bowl. I didn't quite appreciate those nuts when I was a kid, but I love them now, and I realize how expensive they are! I love the Brazil nuts, but they are hardest to open without destroying the nut.

Tamara said...

I remember hours of sitting at the table, cracking Texas pecans for holiday pies! I don't think we had that bowl, but I remember seeing them. We did have the old-school nutcrackers, though.

Unknown said...

As soon as I saw the picture of the nuts I was immediately brought back to my grandparents' dining room table at Christmas and New Years. We always had mixed nuts!! I used to love the almonds and walnuts the best!!

What a great memory...thanks!

Anonymous said...

We did the nut thing too. There were always a bunch of brazils left over, they were too hard to open.

Anonymous said...

Oh, my! What a riot and what a memory stirrer! I'm like lots of others when I say we had this set, too. My own children probably never even saw a nutcracker unless it was over at a friend's house. I'll have to ask. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

Mamadallama

Hillary said...

my parents totally had that tree bowl nut cracker set when I was a kid! awww memories ...

HeyJoe said...

Boy, you people sure like your nuts. Why not get one of those Nutcracker soilder thingy's. The kind that squeeze your nuts in their mouth?

Anonymous said...

Had that exact tree bowl/nutcracker set growing up! My favorite were the walnuts - my dad would always grab two of them in his hand and just squeeze to crack them against each other. I always tried, but never seemed to be able to do it myself.

I know I inherited that bowl somewhere... now where is it???

Bteacher99 said...

I have no idea what that contraption is that Brian is holding. Nutcrackers are either a) the metal things in the last two pictures b) large soldier-like statues or c) a ballet about a girl getting a large soldier-like statue as a gift!

Just exactly what nuts are there in that bowl? I get lost after walnuts!

Jason, as himself said...

Oh yes! Memories of Christmas past! I guess everyone in our generation had this nutcracker and these nuts.

How about those sticky hard candies with some kind of sticky jelly filling, the kind that always got stocking fuzz all over them?

By the way...thanks for your comments on The Jason Show!

Natalie said...

amy - evidently we weren't the only ones from the looks of my comments! i don't remember ever getting fruit or nuts in my stocking though! what a letdown as a kid!

kidz mom - i know! so funny that so many of us have that same memory!

citizen of the world - how funny!

sarah - hee hee! i love that! i feel so fortunate to have educated you!

emily s - we did see some of those nutcrackers, but i didn't want that kind. i guess i should have been more specific with brian about the whole not wanting a tree set either! i'm glad i was able to teach you the fine art of tree nutcracker bowls!

sammanthia - i know! crazy looking thing!

brittany - i'm sure there are many of them out there still! ah...the memories!

amy - thanks!

sra - i must say these nuts were pretty, but they weren't very tasty! they tasted old! since they had been polished i'm thinking i'll use them as a decoration. or i could throw them out in my yard and watch the squirrels go crazy!

tamara - i know! my grandmother had a pecan tree, and i spent many hours cracking pecans!

stella - you are welcome! i loved this post. it was so fun to me!

memarie lane - i'm thinking i need to go get a can of salted mixed nuts so the kids can taste them. these tasted kinda gross i must admit!

mamadallama - i know! so fun that so many people could relate!

hilary - i'm so glad this posted stirred up memories for you!

heyjoe - good grief...no soldier nutcrackers for me!

jenny - wow! cracked them in his hands! these nuts are way too hard for that! you must find that bowl! it is a classic!

ms morton - in the bowl...walnuts, pecans (that are so polished they almost don't look like what i am used to!), hazelnuts, brazil nuts, and almonds.

jason - i am so glad you can relate! and the hard candies...yuck!

Jessica said...

that is the kind of nutcracker we have around here...

Natalie said...

jessx - i bet someone made a killing on those tree nutcracker bowls!