Aw, nuts!

I have to say, nuts make me think of Christmas...thanks to childhood memories of the inevitable bowl of nuts in shells (brazil, walnut, hazelnut) and accompanying "festive nut cracker"...in a household where no one actually liked them...which accounted for the layer of dust that was gathered on them by New Year's. I assume that they were part of my mother's childhood and she felt the need to carry on the tradition but, to me, unless you're a peanut or cashew I have very little interest. Until now...when I have had to amend my list to include whatever nut was used to carve this vintage Barong mask ring. The Barong is a Balinese deity who is a "force for good"...the Christmas nut basket was, of course, a "force for evil"...together they equal each other out.