Clara is at that trying age where she is almost past the time of playing with dolls but is still too young yet to have a distinguished gentleman sweep her off her feet... or is she? When Uncle Drosselmeier gives Clara a nutcracker for Christmas, he tells her the tale of how his brave nephew Hans had been turned into that very Nutcracker by an evil spell. The boy who should have earned his reward as a prince among men is now a prince of the dolls and will remain so until he can defeat the Mouseking and win the hand of a fair maid. Will Clara join her beloved Nutcracker Prince in his land of the dolls? Or instead, will she decide that growing up can be a wonderful thing too...