Christmas Pickle
Do you have a Christmas pickle on your tree? We do. We started this tradition years ago. I’m a sucker for traditions and the story was so awesome and came with German roots which made it even more fitting for this nee Von Falkenstein. Then I found out it was a hoax or made up story by a Woolworth salesman. OK. A Woolworth salesman. I like this version even better. We had the very best Woolworth store on the avenue in Highlandtown, Maryland (aka East Bawlmer). I miss that store.
Anyhow, so as the fake-Woolworth-salesman story goes, for generations, in Old World Germany, the glass Christmas pickle ornament was the last ornament hung on the tree and the first child to find it on Christmas morning got an extra present. But apparently, it wasn’t until the 1990’s that Americans realized that Germans in Germany had no idea what we Americans were talking about-- “what Christmas Pickle tradition?” But what they really meant was “dumme Amerikaner,” or “Menschen sind Narren.”
What is believed to have happened is that in the 1880’s, Woolworth stores started selling glass ornaments imported from Germany and many were in the shapes of various fruits and vegetables and some genius Woolworth salesman made up this crazy Old World Germany Christmas Pickle tale probably because it was the least selling vegetable ornament. What a brilliant made-up invention. *Sidebar: one of my bucket list items is to have a pickle-themed Christmas tree one day.
Anyway, there are other stories that say it was a pickle that saved an American Civil War soldier and thus he started the pickle tradition with his family to ensure good fortune for the next year ahead for the finder. And then yet another tale has to do with St. Nicholas saving two boys who were trapped in a barrel of pickles ---I have a lot of issues with this story, but whatever.
Regardless of the real story behind the Christmas Pickle, it’s a tradition we love in our household and the fact that Americans believed this story for over 100 years makes it completely, perfectly priceless. We are fools.
I can't remember where we got our Christmas Pickle, but here's a similar one if you wanted to start this silly tradition in your house!
And a very Happy Chanukah to all celebrating the Festival of Lights! In honor of the first day of Chanukah, the Woodwards plan to make these for dinner. Yum. Everything is fried during Chanukah. I love this holiday.
Potato Latkes | I'll def be eating these for breakfast....and dinner.