It sounds kind of naughty, but seriously, this is a G Rated fun thing that we do in our family. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about the tradition:
"The Christmas pickle is a pickle-shaped ornament hidden in the tree. The child who finds it first on Christmas morning receives an extra present. While the Christmas pickle is believed to be a German custom, it is fairly unknown in Germany but widely spread across the USA. In fact it is completely of American origin."
I have to disagree. My 86 year old mother in law has some antique Christmas ornaments from her Irish grandmother. One of the ornaments is a tiny glass potato. The story goes that the first child who found the hidden potato on the tree gets an extra present. Same game, different culture.
You might think that playing this game is a cinch, but you would be wrong. This little pickle disappears right into the branches of the tree like magic, and is impossible to find! I actually had to replace our pickle one year because when we undecorated the tree of all the other ornaments, we still couldn't find the little dickens.
We have been unpacking boxes of holiday decorations for the past five days and I will be darned if I have yet to find the pickle, so who knows if it will find itself on the tree this year or not? I know it's around here somewhere.
50 responses to “Find the Pickle”
Hi Nicole,
*grin* – what a funny tradition. And I already wondered why there were those pickle ornaments between the ‘normal’ ones in the stores lately… I tried to get my mother into buying a pickle for her tree, too {she collects funny ornaments} but she didn’t want to. I think I’ll give her one for Christmas so that we can play this game, too…
Oh, there is probably a reason why this tradition can’t be German origin: we open our presents on Dec. 24th (Heilig Abend) & mostly don’t decorate the Christmas tree until Dec. 23rd (some do it even on Christmas Eve). So no time for searching & getting an extra present.
Thanks for sharing – I love getting to know traditions from other countries/cultures…
Have great day,
Julia
Hi Nicole,
*grin* – what a funny tradition. And I already wondered why there were those pickle ornaments between the ‘normal’ ones in the stores lately… I tried to get my mother into buying a pickle for her tree, too {she collects funny ornaments} but she didn’t want to. I think I’ll give her one for Christmas so that we can play this game, too…
Oh, there is probably a reason why this tradition can’t be German origin: we open our presents on Dec. 24th (Heilig Abend) & mostly don’t decorate the Christmas tree until Dec. 23rd (some do it even on Christmas Eve). So no time for searching & getting an extra present.
Thanks for sharing – I love getting to know traditions from other countries/cultures…
Have great day,
Julia
Every year I take the kids and let them each pick out an ornament (which I will then send with them when they leave home). About 3 years ago, Eric picked the pickle and it came with the story. I hide the pickle and the first kid to find it on Christmas morning gets $5.
Every year I take the kids and let them each pick out an ornament (which I will then send with them when they leave home). About 3 years ago, Eric picked the pickle and it came with the story. I hide the pickle and the first kid to find it on Christmas morning gets $5.
Such a fun tradition. When we traveled to Germany, a pickle ornament was NUMBER 1 on my list of souvenirs.
Such a fun tradition. When we traveled to Germany, a pickle ornament was NUMBER 1 on my list of souvenirs.
It’s a fun tradition we do in our house – only our pickle ornament is about an inch long. I always make sure hubby knows where it is at too – so I don’t loose it!
Kris
It’s a fun tradition we do in our house – only our pickle ornament is about an inch long. I always make sure hubby knows where it is at too – so I don’t loose it!
Kris
I have a pickle for my tree, too! I also have a birds nest (fake) that is supposed to be good luck. One year we bought a “real” tree and it had a birds nest in it. I love these traditions!
I have a pickle for my tree, too! I also have a birds nest (fake) that is supposed to be good luck. One year we bought a “real” tree and it had a birds nest in it. I love these traditions!
Sounds like a lot of fun. It is amazing how some ornaments do disappear in the tree each year. Thanks for sharing.
Sounds like a lot of fun. It is amazing how some ornaments do disappear in the tree each year. Thanks for sharing.
I have one of these pickles…but you know, my husband put it on the tree and now I can’t find it. LOL
I have one of these pickles…but you know, my husband put it on the tree and now I can’t find it. LOL
Hey Nicole, I have a pickle on my tree also. Funny, but I always thought it was a Polish tradition.
Hey Nicole, I have a pickle on my tree also. Funny, but I always thought it was a Polish tradition.
We do the pickle thing, too! When I first started dating my wife, her family introduced me to the tradition … I then brought it home to my family, and now they do it, too. Fun!
Here’s my question: what do you usually supply as the “surprise” gift? We’ve sort of fallen into the routine of a nice, crisp $20 bill.
We do the pickle thing, too! When I first started dating my wife, her family introduced me to the tradition … I then brought it home to my family, and now they do it, too. Fun!
Here’s my question: what do you usually supply as the “surprise” gift? We’ve sort of fallen into the routine of a nice, crisp $20 bill.
Well I don’t have a pickle ornament but I do have a pear! I believe you that it’s hard to find, I have 6 glass hearts on the tree every year and when it comes to pack them back in their box I spend 15 minutes or more finding the last one every year!
Well I don’t have a pickle ornament but I do have a pear! I believe you that it’s hard to find, I have 6 glass hearts on the tree every year and when it comes to pack them back in their box I spend 15 minutes or more finding the last one every year!
this may need to be a new tradition in our family. love this idea!
this may need to be a new tradition in our family. love this idea!
I only learned of this last year to tell you the truth. Its a wonderful tradition I think.
I only learned of this last year to tell you the truth. Its a wonderful tradition I think.
We have put a pickle in our trees for the last few years. We put a pickle in each tree this year and the kids have not mentioned it. They must have forgotten about it. Last year I couldn’t even find it!
How are your doggies?
We have put a pickle in our trees for the last few years. We put a pickle in each tree this year and the kids have not mentioned it. They must have forgotten about it. Last year I couldn’t even find it!
How are your doggies?
Nicole, as big as your tree is, I can’t begin to imagine how hard it will be to find that pickle. Sounds like a fun tradition too, I wish I had known of it when I had kids young or older around to enjoy Christmas with us. Let us know who wins the extra gift.
Nicole, as big as your tree is, I can’t begin to imagine how hard it will be to find that pickle. Sounds like a fun tradition too, I wish I had known of it when I had kids young or older around to enjoy Christmas with us. Let us know who wins the extra gift.
Nicole, as big as your tree is, I can’t begin to imagine how hard it will be to find that pickle. Sounds like a fun tradition too, I wish I had known of it when I had kids young or older around to enjoy Christmas with us. Let us know who wins the extra gift.
Nicole, as big as your tree is, I can’t begin to imagine how hard it will be to find that pickle. Sounds like a fun tradition too, I wish I had known of it when I had kids young or older around to enjoy Christmas with us. Let us know who wins the extra gift.
We do the pickle thing too when Santa remembers to hide it! LOL
I hang it on the tree when we put it up and then Santa is supposed to hide it somewhere else.
I give $5 too
We do the pickle thing too when Santa remembers to hide it! LOL
I hang it on the tree when we put it up and then Santa is supposed to hide it somewhere else.
I give $5 too
At the Nixon Presidential Library (where I was a tour guide for 7 years) here in Yorba Linda, CA, they have a German Christmas tree displayed during the holidays. On that tree there is a pickle ornament hidden and the security guards love to move it to different parts of the tree from time to time. Everytime I took people through the museum, the pickle ornament was someplace else. Lots of fun.
The Nixon Presidential Library displays dozens of Christmas trees representing different countries. This is a tradition they have for about a month during the holidays.
Thanks for reminding me of that German tradition I learned about there!
At the Nixon Presidential Library (where I was a tour guide for 7 years) here in Yorba Linda, CA, they have a German Christmas tree displayed during the holidays. On that tree there is a pickle ornament hidden and the security guards love to move it to different parts of the tree from time to time. Everytime I took people through the museum, the pickle ornament was someplace else. Lots of fun.
The Nixon Presidential Library displays dozens of Christmas trees representing different countries. This is a tradition they have for about a month during the holidays.
Thanks for reminding me of that German tradition I learned about there!
At the Nixon Presidential Library (where I was a tour guide for 7 years) here in Yorba Linda, CA, they have a German Christmas tree displayed during the holidays. On that tree there is a pickle ornament hidden and the security guards love to move it to different parts of the tree from time to time. Everytime I took people through the museum, the pickle ornament was someplace else. Lots of fun.
The Nixon Presidential Library displays dozens of Christmas trees representing different countries. This is a tradition they have for about a month during the holidays.
Thanks for reminding me of that German tradition I learned about there!
At the Nixon Presidential Library (where I was a tour guide for 7 years) here in Yorba Linda, CA, they have a German Christmas tree displayed during the holidays. On that tree there is a pickle ornament hidden and the security guards love to move it to different parts of the tree from time to time. Everytime I took people through the museum, the pickle ornament was someplace else. Lots of fun.
The Nixon Presidential Library displays dozens of Christmas trees representing different countries. This is a tradition they have for about a month during the holidays.
Thanks for reminding me of that German tradition I learned about there!
Hmmm, now that you mention it, I don’t remember unpacking our pickle. I’ll have to go see if it’s on the tree!
Hmmm, now that you mention it, I don’t remember unpacking our pickle. I’ll have to go see if it’s on the tree!
Hmmm, now that you mention it, I don’t remember unpacking our pickle. I’ll have to go see if it’s on the tree!
Hmmm, now that you mention it, I don’t remember unpacking our pickle. I’ll have to go see if it’s on the tree!
Hi Nicole! Did you find your pickle yet?
Hi Nicole! Did you find your pickle yet?
What cute tradition. I’ve never seen a pickle ornament before.
What cute tradition. I’ve never seen a pickle ornament before.
Hey Nicole! Where are you? Are you still looking for that pickle?????
Hey Nicole! Where are you? Are you still looking for that pickle?????
When we decorated our tree over a week ago, we couldn’t find our pickle either! So today we bought another one. I love the tradition. Love your blog too.
~Laura
When we decorated our tree over a week ago, we couldn’t find our pickle either! So today we bought another one. I love the tradition. Love your blog too.
~Laura
Well I have never heard of this tradion in Germany ever…
The tree only gets put up on Christmas eve and us children did not get to see the tree before that.
cheers
Christine
Well I have never heard of this tradion in Germany ever…
The tree only gets put up on Christmas eve and us children did not get to see the tree before that.
cheers
Christine