It is Christmas eve and the guests are on route to the Stahlbaum's party.
Uncle Drosselmeyer shows his nephew the special gift he is bringing.
Inside the Stahlbaum's house, the maids are busily dusting.
You can't get help like that these days.
Young Clara Stahlbaum is thrilled.
The maids keep cleaning.
The guests start to arrive.
The adults drink...
while the children dance.
and dance...
and dance.
Mr. and Mrs. Stahlbaum invite the adult guests to dance.
They join in.
The children do too.
At last it is time to open the presents that Drosselmeyer has brought.
The children are apprehensive..
but happy to have their toys.
and more toys.
Drosselmeyer presents a toy sword to Fritz.
Typically, he uses it to plot an attack on the girls.
Herr Stahlbaum takes the sword away.
Drosselmeyer has a few more tricks. He tosses a toy doll over a screen...
and reveals a lifesize doll...
that can dance (Cast I)
and dance (Cast II)
until at last the doll finally stops.
Then Drosselmeyer winds up a lifesize toy soldier
