A Pickle On The Tree

There is a funny thing on our Christmas tree and I've never known why. Seriously. Every year I put it up, every year I wonder, every year I get the same response (from my Mother-in-Law): "It just goes there...that's all I know. But you have to put it up."

What is this funny thing? A hand-blown pickle. Yes. Green and lumpy and curved. A pickle. On our Christmas Tree. Why? I don't know but it seemed important and I'm all about letting people have the things that are important to them. Plus, I figured if not hanging the flippin' pickle would curse the family (or something) I'd just hang the silly thing. I mean, it's green. It kind of blends in. Anywho.

A week or so ago my friend, Christine Warner, posted about her favorite holiday ornaments and I happened to mention the pickle. Because, come on, weird ornament contest? A pickle wins hands-down. Turns out Christine knows the answer - or at least one answer and since the only other answer I've ever gotten was 'just because' I'm going to with hers. Here goes:

You're supposed to hang the pickle on Christmas Eve and it's supposed to be kind of hidden. Then, Christmas morning, the first person to find the pickle gets a little something extra from Santa (she says it's usually a candy bar or something like that). So, it's just a fun tradition. I like traditions. I also like candy and so I'm taking the pickle off the tree and instituting Christine's tradition this year - the pickle will return on Christmas Eve!

Okay, your turn: Have a fun/silly/strange holiday tradition? Share it in the comments.

Comments

  1. Aha, I've heard that, though I don't know where or when. Nor do we have a pickle in our family. Sigh. Great post, Kristi!

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  2. I never heard that one. We don't have any strange traditions. That in itself is weird since I have a very strange family.

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  3. I've never heard of that, but I love it!

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  4. Love it! Don't know anything about it, but love it!

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  5. Ha, we always put a pickle on the tree too. And we always have a bell and a red bird. No clue why. We just always have. Happy Holidays. :)

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  6. I'd never heard of a pickle on the tree until I moved to Germany. It's an old German custom for good luck. They have lots of them. In bakeries you can find martizpan pigs. Witches abound (also good luck)and, of course, pickles on trees.

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  7. I hope you-all have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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