This is the Stahlbaum's house.
These are their children,
Marie and Fritz.
It was Christmas Eve...
...when there was always
a big family party.
The children had been waiting
and waiting for the guests to arrive.
The house was full of rich,
wonderful smells...
...of baking and chocolate
and peppermint sticks.
Listen!
Something was happening...
...behind the living room door.
The tree!
Here they all came,
the Christmas guests...
...uncles, aunts and cousins,
all splendidly dressed for the party.
Here they came...
...for the happiest night of the year.
It was such a tree, and surrounded
by the most tantalizing presents.
But first, it was time
for the games to begin...
...and the Christmas dancing.
But what was this?
Who was this?
A strange man...
...with three huge boxes...
...and a boy.
Then Marie knew.
It was her godfather, Drosselmeier.
Magical things always happened
when he came to the house.
It was her godfather
Drosselmeier's nephew.
She'd never met him before.
Magic!
Magic!
After Godfather Drosselmeier put his magical
dancing dolls back in their boxes...
...he brought out toys for the children.
A hobby horse...
...for Marie.
Well, maybe not.
But look, here's something better.
A soldier...
...with a strong jaw.
He's a nutcracker!
Who shall have him?
Marie slept that Christmas Eve.
And she dreamed of
Godfather Drosselmeier...
...and his very special nephew.
She dreamed of her own
dear nutcracker...
...and his sad fate.
He was down there alone
in the living room, in the dark.
All on his own.
Magical things always happened...
...when Godfather Drosselmeier
came to the house.
In the snowy forest...
...in the enchanted land to which
Marie and her prince had come...
...the snowflakes danced.
News of the prince and Marie...
...was brought to the land
of the Sugarplum Fairy...
...by the Christmas tree angels.
One by one...
...the Sugarplum Fairy brought in
all the delights of her land.
Hot Chocolate from Spain.
Coffee from Arabia.
Chinese Tea.
The Candy Canes.
Marzipan and her shepherd girls.
The little Polichinelles...
...like dolls.
Dewdrop...
...and her garlands of flowers.
The Sugarplum Fairy welcomed them...
...and asked the prince to tell
of his adventures as the nutcracker.
A wonderful throne and banquet were
brought in for Marie and the prince...
...and the Sugarplum Fairy
announced that in their honor...
...everyone in turn would dance.
Into the great room, the Sugarplum
Fairy came with her cavalier...
...to dance for Marie and her prince.
Marie knew that it was time
to leave the enchanted land...
...though everything she had seen,
like a wonderful dream...
...would stay with her...
...always.
And her nutcracker prince
would go with her...
...on this magical Christmas Eve.