While the word "nutcracker" might evoke some painful mental images in some, for many it's a familiar part of the holiday season.

The original ballet was composed in Russia by one Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1892, and The National Ballet of Canada has been performing The Nutcracker since 1964. James Kudelka did a revamp of the choreography in 1995, and since then The National Ballet's Nutcracker has become what The Globe and Mail has deemed "The Best Nutcracker on the Planet." It has sold out year after year, earning more than $27 million.

This year for the first time The National Ballet's The Nutcracker will be broadcast live from the Four Seasons Centre in high definition at 69 Cineplex Odeon theatres across the country. This one-night-only deal takes place on December 22nd at 2:00 p.m. EST.

The 2007 season kicks off tomorrow, December 8th, with a special appearance by Mayor David Miller as a cannon doll on stage at 2:00 p.m. Performances run until December 30, and tickets can be nabbed for as low as $41, going up to $110.

You can buy tickets by heading to The National Ballet of Canada's website. For tickets to see The Nutcracker in HD, just head over to the Cineplex website.