It's kind of a big dill at our house.
The tradition is this..... On Christmas Eve, after the children have fallen asleep, we sneak downstairs and hide the pickle high in the boughs of the tree. Because of its green color, it blends into the evergreen and is hard to spot. The first child to find the ornament on Christmas morning will receive a special gift from St. Nicholas for being the most observant.
Apparently there are a few other pickle theories such as: the Christmas pickle tradition was passed down through the generations from Old World Germany, others believe the pickle is in honor of an American Civil War soldier who was saved from starvation on Christmas Eve by eating a pickle. Yet, others believe that the tradition has something to do with St. Nicholas saving two boys who were trapped in a barrel of pickles. Historical evidence also supports the theory that the tradition may have been fabricated by salesmen during the late 1800s to promote German glass ornaments in American stores.
Whichever story you believe to be true, there's no doubt that the pickle ornament has become a mainstay in many homes across the country, including my own.... it just wouldn't be Christmas without it hiding in our tree.
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