Glass Ornament
Length: 100mm, Made in China
 
A PICKLE?! Yes, a Christmas pickle. It's a thing. I love pickles and as a Canadian had never heard of this little known American tradition. See, on Christmas Eve, after the children have fallen asleep, parents snuck downstairs and hid the pickle in the branches of the tree. Because of its green color, it blends into the evergreen and is difficult to spot. The first child to find the ornament on Christmas morning is granted the privilege of unwrapping a special gift from under the tree. The story behind the gherkin-themed game has been unclear since the beginning of time. For years, many people believed that the Christmas pickle tradition was passed down to new generations from Old World Germany. Some believe that the Christmas pickle is in honor of an American Civil War soldier who survived starvation on Christmas Eve by eating a pickle. Still, it is believed that the tradition began when St. Nicholas saved two boys who were trapped in a barrel of pickles.
 
Which of these explanations is correct? Apparently, none of them. The tradition was most likely fabricated by salesmen during the late 1800s to promote German glass ornaments in American stores. To their surprise, over 200 years later their sales strategy has impacted many generations that continue to pass down the Christmas pickle tradition. Make this fabulously odd tradition yours and embrace it.