The Christmas Pickle

One of my favorite Christmas ornaments is my blown glass pickle ornament.

For years I would see pickle ornaments at stores and wonder,

"Who puts a pickle ornament on their tree?!"

I assumed it was for people who had food-themed trees in their kitchen or something along those lines.

Not so, my friends.

About 10 years ago I learned that there is a story behind the Christmas Pickle.

Here is an explanation from the Pomnitz Family Web site:

According to some accounts, the tradition of trying to find the little ornament shaped like a pickle which was hidden deep among the green boughs on Christmas Eve, began many years ago in Laschau, Germany.  As the story goes, the lucky one who found the ornament on Christmas morning would receive an extra gift from St. Nicholas.  If a family could not afford an extra gift, the lucky finder of the pickle was rewarded by being the first to open a present.

There is much debate about the accuracy of the legend of the German Christmas pickle but I think it's such a lovely tradition that I don't really care where it originated.

 Basically it's no big DILL to me!

Bahahahaha!

Over the years I have bought numerous Christmas Pickle ornaments as gifts to share with family and friends in hopes that they would enjoy the story of the Christmas Pickle and maybe start a new tradition in their own family.

You can find Christmas Pickle ornaments at numerous retail stores for $5-$10.  

I also found them on Amazon for about $9.

When I give them as gifts I like to add a pretty ribbon loop to it and include this little story

 (also from The Pomnitz Family Web site) printed on card stock:

In
Old
World
Germany,
the last decoration
placed on the Christmas tree
was always a pickle... carefully
hidden deep in the boughs.  Legend
has it that the observant child who found
it on Christmas Day was blessed with a year
of good fortune...
and a special gift!

Does your family have any special traditions at Christmas?

À la vie et à l'amour

-Cortney