Question for all OE'ers

[Pam]

Pickle ornaments.

We talked about this last year - and I was just wondering who puts a pickle on their tree (old German custom). I bought a pickle ornament after Christmas last year and can't wait to start the tradition at our house.

So - who does this and who doesn't but would like to?
Pam

 

[shep]

I have never seen a pickle ornament before....

 

[Shannon G]

I do it - we're not German, but were given the pickle as a gift from someone else who does this. I have since bought them for others, too.

 

[Chattyaholic]

I bought a pickle ornament last year and was all ready to put it on the tree and had the gift all wrapped for the child who found it and my DH didn't think it was a good idea. He thought the other two (we have three grandchildren) would feel bad if they didn't get an extra gift too. I didn't see it as such a problem as he did, but I decided not put it on since he didn't like the idea.

 

[Pam]

Shep,
It's an old German tradition. It's a glass ornament in the shape of a pickle. Parents are supposed to place the pickle on the tree late at night on Christmas Eve - you're supposed to hide it in the tree's boughs. The first person (usually child) that finds it on Christmas morning is presented with a present.

Our two children are now teens but we heard about this a couple of years ago and couldn't find the pickles anywhere. Last year, after Christmas, I posted on here about it and the kind DISers directed me to several websites that sell them. I am now armed with a pickle!!
Pam

 

[shep]

That is neat..
I will have to talk to dw about this...

 

[browneyes]

LOL! I've never seen a pickle ornament. That cracked me up (I know you're serious Pam, but I still laughed ). It reminds me of a line Jon Lovitz says in a League of Their Own.

 

[Rajah]

I think in our house it would be put it on several weeks ahead of time and the first kitty to find and break it wins?

No kids here, so obviously no pickle. First time I've heard of it, too.

 

[Sonya]

We do, it's DH's family tradition.

 

[tiggerlover]

We have a pickle ornament that was given to us by some German friends. It is a great tradition and it is very important to keep with tradition that you receive the pickle as a gift, that you don't buy it for yourself. They come in all shapes and sizes with the smaller pickles being better because they are harder to find. (But of course for smaller children small isn't always good.

Here's a link of the pickle: http://www.roman.com/gifts/ornaments/82573.htm

 

[Dream]

Pam I was shopping for ornaments yesterday and saw the pickles! What a wonderful tradition...one I had not heard of until yesterday. I am thinking about it.

 

[candykisses]

We put a pickle ornamnet on our tree. The boys like to see who can find it first on Christmas morning.

 

[Meriweather]

LOL....we have had one for years.

Then I was talking to Poohshoney about it (she is our Brit living in Germany with a German DH) and she has never heard of it!!
(nor has her DH or anyone else she knows)....so for fun, I put one in her Christmas box. I think a tree in Germany should have a German "tradition" on it

 

[Chattyaholic]

I bought mine myself....I didn't know you were supposed to receive one as a gift instead of buying it for yourself.

 

[minniecarousel]

I received a pickle from my DIS OE exchanger last year. My mom is German, but hadn't heard of this one. My kids aren't little anymore, but some day I'll use it on grandkids (just not too soon!)

 

[alabamaalan]

I have a pickle ornament as well, but it was a gift from the director for a Christmas Community Theatre production I was involved with.

I have done "Smoke on the Mountain" and its sequel, "A Sanders Family Christmas". They are set in the 1930's in small town North Carolina where the only industry is the Mt. Pleasant Pickle Company! The ornament was given to all cast members as a joke, but available because of the number of people who do indeed put them on their tree.

Otherwise, does my Bob and Larry snow globe count?

 

[CrazyBoutDisney]

I always thought it was a Polish tradition!!! We never had one when I was small, but my 100% Polish dad told me all about it from his childhood, so I got him one the year before he died. He got all teary eyed over it! It's a great tradition wherever it came from!
Beth

 

[Pam]

Chatty,
I bought mine myself as well.... Oh well, as long as the pickle makes us happy!

alabamaalan,
What a weird coincidence, the Mt. Pleasant Pickle Company is where I bought my pickles from! They sell all kinds of Pickle items!!
Pray tell, what is a "Bob and Larry" snow globe??

Pam

 

[alabamaalan]

Originally posted by Pam
Pray tell, what is a "Bob and Larry" snow globe??

This is Bob and Larry

They are the stars of the popular Veggie Tales series of videos.

However, Larry will be quick to point out that he is a cucumber and NOT a pickle!

The snow globe looks like a giant snowball that they got caught up in during a skiing accident.

They looked like a tossed salad!

 

[Pam]

OK - Veggie Tales I understand! The younger ones in our Sunday School are always doing activities with them!
Pam