Ancient tradition has it that this is the day that children went out into the woods to collect hazelnuts as this date was deemed to be the exact date that hazelnuts are ripe. The universal acceptance of the Georgian calendar (between 1582 and the mid 18th century) removed 10 days from the calendar, which is why some celebrate Nutting day on September 14th, more in line with the true ripening time. Nuts were collected in wicker baskets and stored for the winter or made into a nut loaf. Hazelnut collecting is fine provided the squirrels don’t get there first and help themselves to all of them!
Contrary to Nutting Day is Devils Nutting Day, which falls on September 21st. Tradition has it that the Devil was picking nuts and putting them into his bag when he met the Virgin Mary, and in surprise dropped his bag of nuts. The nut bag turned into the Devils Hills in Warwickshire. It is deemed unwise to pick nuts on the Devils Nutting day. In some areas of Britain it is considered unlucky to pick nuts on a Sunday.
Although unclear where the tradition came from, lace makers were allowed to light a candle to help them with their work at the lace cushions from Nutting Day until Shrove Tuesday the following spring.
Whether you celebrate the 3rd or the 14th why not furnish your dolls house with a basket of nuts (and maybe a cheeky squirrel!)