The Nutcracker performed by the Turkish State Opera and Ballet in Türkiye Dec 22, 2025

The Nutcracker performed by the Turkish State Opera and Ballet in Türkiye

As Christmas approaches, each sunset gives way to a glow of festive lights, bringing a touch of wonder and preparing us for the holiday season. One of the world"s most beloved stage works, "The Nutcracker," is rooted in this very sense of magic. The story unfolds on Christmas Eve, in the midst of holiday cheer, when Clara receives a nutcracker as a gift. As night falls and the household drifts into sleep, the little girl and her nutcracker embark on a fantastical journey—battling the Mouse King and wandering through the Land of Sweets. Among its most famous moments is the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy—the ruler of the Land of Sweets—accompanied by music that has become iconic. Tchaikovsky composed these enchanting melodies for the celesta, an instrument often called the bell-piano.

© Anadolu/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Dec 22, 2018Night of the ‘Cold Moon’
Dec 22, 2019You ve never seen anything like this
Dec 22, 2020A holiday beacon of light
Dec 22, 2021Illuminating Annecy
Dec 22, 2022Galeries Lafayette, Paris
Dec 22, 2023Ljubljana, Slovenia
Dec 22, 2024Christmas tree at Crystal Pier, San Diego, California

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jan 14, 2021Summer huts in winter
Oct 14, 2025Village of Oia in Santorini, Greece
May 29, 2020It s Bermuda s big day
Jan 14, 2026National Take the Stairs Day
Aug 22, 2020A monster view in Scotland
Feb 7, 2024St. James Tidal Pool, Cape Town, South Africa
Oct 22, 2018We did not invent this, honest
Apr 30, 2021The Spirit of Harlem by Louis Delsarte
Mar 26, 2021The wild heart of Tasmania
Jan 28, 2023The Bahamas as seen from the ISS
Apr 10, 2025Siblings Day
Sep 14, 2023Przewalskis horses, Hustai National Park, Mongolia
Jun 12, 2024Big Bend National Park anniversary
Aug 1, 2022Hawai i Volcanoes National Park at 106
Oct 27, 2021Pumpkin patch
Jan 19, 2022Kluane National Park
Apr 8, 2021I m here! Take a look at me!
Aug 10, 2019Seville celebrates first world tour
Apr 19, 2024Ring of Brodgar, Orkney, Scotland
Mar 10, 2018Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Jan 16, 2018Lionfish off the coast of Indonesia
Nov 21, 2025World Hello Day
Sep 2, 2019Detroit Industry Murals by Diego Rivera
Mar 1, 2021Gazing upon Portraits of Change
Dec 18, 2019It’s Weihnachtsmarkt time!
Aug 13, 2024Telašćica Nature Park, Dugi Otok, Croatia
Sep 29, 2022World of WearableArt Awards
Nov 23, 20191, 1, 2, 3: It s Fibonacci Day!
Jan 11, 2021At the gates of the ksar
Feb 13, 2020Midwinter freeze