The nutcrackers are owned by Kean’s twin brother Kasey. Kasey has collected the ornamental tools for more than 20 years now. He just liked them, and when people found out about his affection, well, he got a lot more.

“Like anything, right? You collect something, people find out and they start giving them to you. Birthdays, Christmas, that kind of thing,” Kean said.

Usually, Kasey sets them up at the Dechantal Apartments where he lives.

“I said, ‘Gee Kasey, if you could set up your collection down here in the window it’d be great,'” Kean said. “So he did.”

Kean Riley shows off some of his brother Kasey’s nutcracker collection, which the two are displaying in the front window of Kean’s Twin Crystal Rock Shop on Broadway. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Kean said he’s gotten a great response to the decorations.

They’re his brother’s private collection, so they’re not for sale, just on display. But Kean said he’s had a lot of people stopping by to ask about buying them. When they stop in and start looking around, they usually leave with something else, he said.

Kean does sell nutcrackers on occasion. Kasey has even bought a couple of his from his brother’s shop.

At night, the nutcrackers can be seen illuminated in a warm glow through the shop window.

Ornamental nutcrackers carved in the shape of soldiers, knights and kings have existed since the 15th century. They became popular in the U.S. in the 1940s for two reasons. The first production of the ballet “The Nutcracker” was held in the U.S. in 1944. And some soldiers returning from World War II brought back with them German-made nutcrackers as souvenirs, according to a 2014 article in National Geographic.

A collection of nutcrackers is seen here on Broadway in Saranac Lake Tuesday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)