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| Pickle: Myth or Fact? |
We were informed that the Pickle was a long time German tradition whereby each Christmas Eve, the Pickle would be hidden deep within the branches of the Tannenbaum. On Christmas morning, when the children awoke, they would first search high and low to find the ornament, for whoever found it first would be awarded an extra present from Santa Claus.
Without researching the merit of the tale, as to whether or not this was fact or legend, we incorporated it into our own tradition by hanging it on our tree. It was a fun gift from some friends so it really didn't matter. And at the time, we didn't have children, so it was more of a talking point to show people, who found it curious that a strange looking pickle was dangling amongst the usual easily recognizable Christmas ornaments.
But was this legend of the Christmas pickle actually of German origin? Let's see.
Christmas Pickle to True Germans
I've asked several ethnic Germans about the practice of placing the pickle on the the Christmas Tree, and most of them, stop for a second, stare into space, and claim to have heard of the custom, but none of them remember ever seeing the tradition practiced until they came to the United States. And since Germany is quite fractured into regions called Stadts, some folks add that it may have been a Schwaben practice, or a Bavarian practice, or even a Prussian tradition - but none claim it as their own.
Of course, if you search the Internet, you will likely find a German ornament company that would be more than happy to sell you a Weihnachtsgurke if you so desire it. Could this be the case of myth becoming a tradition? It seems likely.
Another interesting tidbit is that we do know that the city of Lauscha in the German State of Thuringen (which boast to be the birthplace of glassblowing which includes a museum as mentioned in the German Tourism Bureau page) that a glassblowing company did produce glass ornaments for sale around the year 1600. The ornaments were not only glass balls, but were also molded in the shape of fruits and nuts. It is likely that that the glassblowers could have included pickles or other shapes as a part of their inventory.
Christmas Pickle: An American Foundation?
Alas, there is one story that does have a German angle and is somewhat plausible - as long as you don't spend too much time dissecting the evidence or seeking historical records to authenticate its origins. And it originates right here in the United States where it is likely that the myth and tradition may have taken root after all.
It is claimed that during the American Civil War, a Bavarian immigrant and Federal soldier, John Lower (or Hans Lauer) was taken prisoner, and was placed in a Confederate jail in Andersonville, Georgia. As he starved, he begged a guard for a pickle as his last meal. The guard felt sorry for poor John and found him a pickle. The nutrients from the pickle kept him alive long enough so as to sustain his health that he eventually saw freedom from his captors. And from that point on, he deemed the pickle a blessed miracle that kept him alive. And from that point on, he began the practice of placing a pickle in a Christmas Tree vowing that whoever would find the pickle each year would be blessed with good fortune and health.
Well, you can decide if this story seems reasonable or not, since there isn't enough documentation to verify any of the tales one way or the other. But regardless of whether its true, or merely a creative marketing tool, its now part of the current practice and Christmas tradition of many households here in the United States, and its even likely that some Germans may even hang the Christmas pickle on their tree.
So all that being said, we've opted to include it in our own yearly tradition And if for no other reason - its a nice looking ornament that has a good story, and draws a bit of fun and entertainment on Christmas Day.
The original blog article can found at my blog Random Selection which is located at www.randsel.blogspot.com
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