Hiding a pickle ornament in the Christmas tree is a German-American tradition where the first person to find it on Christmas morning receives good luck for the year, a special blessing, or an extra present. It is primarily a fun, modern game designed to add excitement to the holiday, often attributed to the 1880s.
He put his good fortune down to that last simple supper, so in honour of this, each year at Christmas he hid an ornamental pickle in the family tree. Whichever child found it first would have good luck (as he had) and thus the tradition of the Christmas pickle had begun.
Hide the Pickle: On Christmas Eve, after the children are asleep, hang the pickle ornament on the tree. Tuck it behind other ornaments or deep in the branches to make it a challenge to find.
Every year, an ornament shaped like a pickle is the last to be hung on the tree. The first child to locate the pickle hidden among the pine needles on Christmas morning gets to open the first present, or for some, receives a special treat.
According to this theory, the Christmas pickle was a symbol of good luck and prosperity, and it was believed that the person who found the pickle on the tree would be the first to marry or the first to find a job in the coming year.
Why Do We Play Hide The Pickle? | Christmas Pickle Tradition
How to do a Christmas pickle?
But here's the basics - The Christmas pickle is a fun holiday tradition where a pickle-shaped ornament is hidden somewhere on the tree. On Christmas morning, the first person to find it is said to receive good luck for the coming year—or sometimes a little extra gift...you can make up whatever you'd like really!
What does a pickle have to do with Christmas in Germany?
The Christmas pickle is a German-American Christmas tradition. A decoration in the shape of a pickle is hidden on a Christmas tree, with the finder receiving either a reward or good fortune for the next year.
In Germany, Christmas trees traditionally are unveiled fully decorated on Christmas Eve and then remains up in the home until the 12th day after Christmas (the twelve days of Christmas) this entire period is filled with celebration as they also celebrate the New Year.
First, let's be clear that this is not a Polish tradition. But this traditional German ornament and the story behind it is popular among many Polish families who either lived in or near German territories. Here it is: The pickle ornament was considered a very special tree decoration by many families in Germany.
One possible origin dates back to the 8th century, when Saint Boniface (ca. 675–754), an English Benedictine monk and missionary known as the Apostle of Germany, hung a fir tree upside down to represent the Holy Trinity.
What do Germans do on the 25th and 26th of December?
On December 25th (First Christmas Day) and 26th (Second Christmas Day, Zweiter Weihnachtstag), Germans enjoy official public holidays focused on quiet family time, large festive meals with traditional foods like roast goose or carp, exchanging gifts (which often happens on Christmas Eve), and visiting relatives, with most shops remaining closed as the celebration continues after the main gift-giving on Christmas Eve (Heiligabend).
What is the history of the pickle on the Christmas tree?
The Christmas pickle is a special ornament that's hidden in the tree, and the first child to find it gets to open a special gift. While many believe it originated in Germany, the Christmas pickle tradition was likely created by salesmen to promote German glass ornaments in the late 1800s.
Many families in Germany put an Advent wreath on the living room table the fourth Sunday before Christmas. The wreaths have four large candles and, traditionally, pinecones and berries. As lights are dimmed, the whole family gathers around the wreath. As one, they spend a quiet, reflective hour together.
On the 24th of December, the Polish house is “on fire”. By “on fire” we mean not physically burning, but actively preparing for the evening celebration including decorating the Christmas tree, preparing traditional meals, cleaning the house, dressing up, etc.
In 1978, the Illinois State Legislature proclaimed St. Charles, Illinois, “Pickle Capital of the World.” It didn't matter that not one pickle is produced in the city on the Fox River.
At some point in American history, some people began to hide pickles in their Christmas trees. It is a contest of sorts. The idea is that whoever finds that hidden green pickle, camouflaged against the green needles of a Christmas tree, deserves a little something extra.
Through baptism into His death, Christ doesn't just forgive our sins or lift our shame—He rewrites our very nature. He frees us from the grip of sin and the corruption that once defined us, making us new, inside and out. Like a cucumber turned pickle, we are forever changed, redeemed, preserved, and alive in Him.
Which is more important, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Christmas Eve is actually more important than Christmas Day. Countries like Germany, Poland, Sweden, and Denmark open gifts on the evening of the 24th. Their main festive meal also happens at night.
In Belarus and Moldova, Christmas is celebrated as a national holiday on both December 25 and January 7, accommodating various Christian denominations. Different regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Eritrea also have holidays on both days.
