Houston Ballet's Nutcracker Market: Tips, tricks and history of how it came to be a shopping extravaganza

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The holiday season is almost here, and it kicks off with the annual Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market.

The Nutcracker Market began in 1981 as a fundraiser for the Houston Ballet.

Since then, it has grown from a tiny venue to the Reliant Center, drawing more than 104,000 shoppers and bringing in $24. 6 million in sales in 2025.