DETROIT (WXYZ) — At 92 years old, Detroiter Rita Bloxson knows what she likes, and what she likes are nutcrackers — lots of them.
"Everywhere I travel, I see nutcrackers, I buy them. No matter what they cost," said Rita.
A trip down the stairs off her kitchen takes you into a winter wonderland of a basement with a nutcracker display that just screams holiday spirit.
While in the basement, Rita points to the first one she ever bought, a Pinocchio nutcracker.
Rita estimates she has more than 200 in her collection now.
From football players, to bride and grooms, to professions across the board, you see something new every time you look.
Rita says she started her collection more than 40 years ago — when her grandchildren were little — and she was traveling around the world working as an interior designer.
"I used to travel all the time for my job for decorating. You know, let's just start collecting nutcrackers," said Rita, talking about why she decided to start collecting them in the first place.
It’s a passion that shines through all aspects of her life. A nutcracker drawing from a relative hangs on her fridge. On the tables are placemats and napkins adorned with nutcrackers. There's even a coffee book about their history.
"What do I like about them? I don't know. They are wood and like a piece of furniture to me," she laughs.
And now they’re on permanent display in her cozy basement, to be enjoyed all year round.
"This is the first two years that I just kept them up. Always have them in boxes and wrap them in paper and put them in the attic. And I'm too old to walk up in that attic, pulling them all the way down to the basement," she said.
Shockingly, within her sprawling collection — no two are exactly the same. Rita’s got a sixth-nutcracker sense about these things.
"I know all of them. I don’t mix any of them," said Rita.
After many years of growing her collection, Rita doesn’t plan on cracking on her tradition anytime soon — she said she's still keeping an eye out for that perfect addition.
