Nutcracker Advent Day 15

Today's nutcracker was also a gift from my Grammy, though if I remember right, there was far less persuasion involved in the acquisition as yesterday's required.

He is a "Wise Man," and my only dark-skinned nutcracker. He's also one of the few with a name. Balthazar, based on the name given to the dark-skinned wise man according to legend.

On whim, I decided to add a book to this picture. And since there was a wise man, I decided to have a book that had a wise man ...

And the natural answer was Ben-Hur. I've read most of the book, but I'm not quite finished with it yet. Same with the movie which I also own. (There's an interesting story there. Ask me to tell it to you some time!) I really need to finish both ... despite some theological errors, it's a very good book. (And a really great movie, though liberties were taken). And I have it on book on tape on my MP3 player, so I really don't have any accuse.