The German Christmas Pickle: Die Weihnachtsgurke

The Christmas pickle is a decoration in the shape of a pickle which is hidden on a decorated Christmas tree.

It says that the finder of the pickle receives a reward or good fortune for the following year. There are a number of different origin stories attributed to this tradition; most stating it originated in Germany. Even though this tradition is not known in Germany, this tradition developed to become a true German-American tradition from the late 19th century on.

In fact, today many Christmas pickle ornaments are produced in Germany and about one third of the production is sold annually to the US market. Inge-Glass, a famous Christmas ornament producer in Germany, is producing for more than 30 years Christmas pickle ornaments and its selling numbers are still rising. The company and family business is known for the quality of its Christmas ornaments since 1596.

Atlanta Expat