Gingerbread Cookie Tray Christmas Wooden Nutcracker 10 in by Wizardi F07AM9-13-XC4617C

Serve up some holiday cheer with the Gingerbread Cookie Tray nutcracker by Wizardi — a jolly host in a red top hat crowned with two stacked white teacups, a red jacket embroidered in white, and a fluffy white beard under a black moustache. He holds out a tray of smiling gingerbread men, with green trousers and black boots on a red base trimmed in green.

A little collector's folklore: tea and gingerbread have been a Christmas pairing since Victorian times, when guests were welcomed in from the cold with a hot cup and a spiced biscuit. Collectors say this host never lets a visitor leave without one.

Why this nutcracker: if you love baking, tea parties or a cosy gingerbread Christmas, he is a sweet, unusual alternative to a soldier. The teacup hat makes everyone smile, and at about 10 inches he fits a kitchen counter, tea cart or dessert table.

In the box: one Gingerbread Cookie Tray nutcracker in painted wood with a white faux-fur beard, packed in a red gift box with a window. A decorative nutcracker, not intended for cracking nuts. Ready to display, no assembly needed.

Collect the other treats in the series — peppermint, gingerbread house and candy cane (F07AM9-13-XC4617A, B and D) — or set him beside the teapot and cookie plate. Dust with a soft, dry brush and keep away from moisture and heat. A decoration, not a toy.

Size: 25 cm tall (9.8 in). Christmas kitchen and tea table decor, and a sweet gift for bakers, tea lovers and nutcracker collectors.