Does anyone do the Christmas Pickle tradition?

[Missin#7]

I hadn't really even heard of it until I married someone who's family is from Germany.

But the kids look forward to it every year. Only problem is they are getting older so its become more like a Wrestling match. Last year they even tipped the tree, luckily it was caught before it hit the groud.

Should be interesting this year.

[saltybuggah]

I hadn't really even heard of it until I married someone who's family is from Germany.

But the kids look forward to it every year. Only problem is they are getting older so its become more like a Wrestling match. Last year they even tipped the tree, luckily it was caught before it hit the groud.

Should be interesting this year.

i play hide the pickle all the time

seriously one of my X's did... i never heard of it either till i spent a few christmas's with her family... her family was german...

my dad is german but we never knew about that tradition... **kicks dirt** now i feel like i missed something growing up

[kmcgough25]

Never heard of the Christmas pickle...but the latest thing is the elf on the shelf. My kids freaked when they saw that one.

[saltybuggah]

Never heard of the Christmas pickle...but the latest thing is the elf on the shelf. My kids freaked when they saw that one.

its an old tradition...

someone from the family hides the pickle ornament in the christmas tree..
i believe the person that finds the ornament hands out the presents or something to that nature

[Bronco_Armada]

its an old tradition...

someone from the family hides the pickle ornament in the christmas tree..
i believe the person that finds the ornament hands out the presents or something to that nature

Kids get an extra treat from good ol' St. Nick. It is a fun tradition, it is also to bring good luck to the finder. It dates back to the late 1800's but kids would open up presents on Xmas eve, not sure about today though?

Edit: there are other things with the tradition, that the finder is the first person to open a present. The best part is beating the crap out of your sister and cousins looking for the damn thing

Also thank the Germans for the idea of a Christmas tree and Bauble ornament
.

My fav. christmas carol is also originally German, silent night.

[kmcgough25]

that sounds pretty neat and I am sure the kids would be into it.....if I can only escape work early, maybe I can pick one up.

[KozmicKlown]

Okay....

What is it exactly?

[CTM]

Okay....

What is it exactly?

Damn, everytime I look at your post I get Rick roll'd

Yah I have no idea either, whats with the pickle?

[saltybuggah]

Okay....

What is it exactly?

Damn, everytime I look at your post I get Rick roll'd

Yah I have no idea either, whats with the pickle?

It is a quaint tradition that nobody wants to claim. And its story would not be the first tradition of Christmas born of a total fabrication. It is the little-known tradition of the Christmas pickle.

The Christmas pickle is not really a pickle at all. It is a pickle-shaped ornament that is the last one hung on the tree on Christmas Eve. The first child to find the Christmas pickle gets an extra gift from Saint Nicholas. Or so the so-called legend goes.

There are two other versions of the origins of the Christmas pickle. One is a family story of a Bavarian-born ancestor who fought in the American Civil War. A prisoner in poor health and starving, he begged a guard for just one pickle before he died. The guard took pity on him and found a pickle for him. The pickle by the grace of God gave him the mental and physical strength to live on.

The other, perpetuated in Berrien Springs, MI, is a medieval tale of two Spanish boys traveling home from boarding school for the holidays. When they stopped at an inn for the night, the innkeeper, a mean and evil man, stuffed the boys into a pickle barrel. That evening, St. Nicholas stopped at the same inn, became aware of the boys' plight, tapped the pickle barrel with his staff, and the boys were magically freed.

Berrien Springs calls itself the Christmas Pickle Capital of the World. They celebrate with an annual Christmas Pickle Festival held during the early part of December. A parade, led by the Grand Dillmeister who passes out fresh pickles along the parade route, is the featured event. You may even purchase the German glass pickle ornaments at the town’s museum.

Rumor and speculation place the origin of this tradition in Germany. However few in modern-day Germany recognize or have even heard of the Christmas pickle. Some in West Germany blame generations of East Germans who may have had nothing more than pickles to decorate their Christmas trees with after World War II. But even families and historians in East Germany shrug at the mention of the Christmas pickle tradition.

Regardless of where it came from, the Christmas tradition survives. Ornament manufacturers continue to make the specialty decoration and enjoy perpetuating the myth of its legendary origins -- false though they may be.

[jetrazor74]

I've known two different people who were German/Americans..... as in German mom, American father, spoke fluent English and German with no accents, one was a housemate, and the other was an old gf of mine. My family has alot of German heritage. I've never heard of the Christmas pickle. Maybe it's not as popular in certain areas of Germany?

[saltybuggah]

I've known two different people who were German/Americans..... as in German mom, American father, spoke fluent English and German with no accents, one was a housemate, and the other was an old gf of mine. My family has alot of German heritage. I've never heard of the Christmas pickle. Maybe it's not as popular in certain areas of Germany?

ive never heard of it either... my dad is german... but my ex's family followed this tradition..

i never knew where it came from i just tore that tree apart looking for a pickle

[jetrazor74]

ive never heard of it either... my dad is german... but my ex's family followed this tradition..

i never knew where it came from i just tore that tree apart looking for a pickle

My great grandparents were straight off the boat, and no one in our family celebrates the pickle thing.

Sounds like something us Americans invented and then blamed on the Germans when it was realized how dumb it actually sounded!

[saltybuggah]

My great grandparents were straight off the boat, and no one in our family celebrates the pickle thing.

Sounds like something us Americans invented and then blamed on the Germans when it was realized how dumb it actually sounded!

your probably right... some guy got busted playing "hide the pickle" and the rumor spread and got all twisted up...

now some families got this pickle looking ornament and they think its got this long history behind it...

[Bronco_Armada]

I've known two different people who were German/Americans..... as in German mom, American father, spoke fluent English and German with no accents, one was a housemate, and the other was an old gf of mine. My family has alot of German heritage. I've never heard of the Christmas pickle. Maybe it's not as popular in certain areas of Germany?

Don't think anyone would since it was never a "national" tradition, or never grew into one, from a family's tradition.

My fiance's family has a Tradition of drinking Vodka while decorating the tree, that is not a Russia tradition it is just something they do, not to say millions of other Russians drink Vodka while decorating the tree because all Russians drink that disgusting potato drink and at any given moment a Russian's blood content contains 75% vodka.

And thought my fiance's family were all a bunch of Drunks when the celebrate Christmas on January 7. Did not know the Russian Orthodox follows the old Julian calendar.

My family's traditions are pretty simple and boring except the one where my dad takes all the burnt chestnuts and his golf club and swings away at them and tries to hit our neighbor's roof.

[Missin#7]

Kids get an extra treat from good ol' St. Nick. It is a fun tradition, it is also to bring good luck to the finder. It dates back to the late 1800's but kids would open up presents on Xmas eve, not sure about today though?

Edit: there are other things with the tradition, that the finder is the first person to open a present. The best part is beating the crap out of your sister and cousins looking for the damn thing

Also thank the Germans for the idea of a Christmas tree and Bauble ornament
.

My fav. christmas carol is also originally German, silent night.

How his family has done it, and we just continue. St Nick hides the pickle the night he brings the gifts. There is a special gift wrapped in different paper with bows & no name that sits right in front under the tree.

When the kids get up they are allowed to look for the pickle first.
Whom ever finds it get the "Pickle Present"