Remembering the Magic

A sea of voices swept over me. The lights gently dimmed. A crimson curtain with golden rope lifted upward like wings taking off. The stage came to life, and reality faded to black.

Sitting close to the stage, an eight-year-old girl watched in awe as actors danced and fought right before her very eyes. Instrumental music filled her ears. Firecracker explosions shook her in her seat before the villain emerged to fight the hero, the Nutcracker Prince. A world of imagination showered the stage, and the girl was swept away into its arms.

Years later, I have never forgotten that moment. When the holidays are upon us, there was only one thing that I looked forward to. There was only one thing that still held magic over me. This one thing was the Nutcracker performed in several versions such as in Ballet, Ice Skating, and even transformed into a cartoon.

The Nutcracker took place during Christmas. A young girl, Clara, was given the Nutcracker from her godfather Drosselmeyer during her parents' Christmas party. However, her brother, Fritz broke the toy out of jealousy, but Drosselmeyer quickly rescued it from the boy's hands. After wrapping it with a handkerchief, the toy was gently given back to Clara.

Later that night after everyone had gone to bed, Clara crept downstairs to check on her Nutcracker and fell asleep with him in her arms. The sound of the clock striking midnight woke Clara from her sleep, and to her shock, she found herself shrinking. Spinning around, she watched as the toys under the Christmas tree come to life.

An army of mice suddenly filled the room. They surrounded the toys and Clara. Their leader, the Mouse King with his seven heads came into view.

Springing into life, the Nutcracker led his army against the Mouse King and his minions. They fought back and forth, but they lost the fight. They were captured by the mice and their king.

Coming to his rescue, Clara launched her slipper at the Mouse King, hitting him right in the head. The king fell to the floor. His mice scurried away, dragging his lifeless body with them.