December 18th: In a Pickle
Just when I am tempted to imagine I know everything there is to know about Christmas, along comes a new tradition that I have never heard of: the Christmas pickle. For years I have been attending trade fairs, wondering how come there is demand for the preponderance of gherkin-shaped glass ornaments I see everywhere. Most are not very attractive, and some are just plain ugly. They would never find their way onto one of my trees. Since the principle European Christmas fair is held in Frankfurt, Germany, I assumed pickles to be some strange festive fetish beloved by Bavarians and Berliners (and, no doubt, shortly to be subject to tariffs and import restrictions). Turns out this is exactly what I was supposed to think.
The real story of the Christmas pickle is somewhat different. It seems that at some point in the 1880s, Woolworths stores in the USA began importing traditional glass ornaments from Germany. Some of them were in the shape of fruit and vegetables, with cucumbers / gherkins / pickles among them. No doubt anticipating that pimply green vegetables might not be the hottest sellers in town, an enterprising sales person concocted a story about an ancient German family tradition involving pickles. Quite simply the pickle was hung on the tree in a hard to spot place and the first child to locate it was rewarded with an extra gift. Hunt the gherkin, if you will. All very plausible.
The story caught on and pickles soon entered the panoply of adopted Christmas traditions in the USA. In an attempt to give historical credence to the tale, a link to a mediaeval legend involving St Nicholas was made. This involved St Nicholas saving two Spanish boys from drowning in a barrel of pickles. However, the original story where the boys were disguised in a barrel of pie meat soon came to light and the pickle story was exposed for what it really is – a very clever marketing ploy.
One has to raise one’s hat, or glass, to the sales person who invented the story of the Christmas pickle. It has sufficient simplicity to be found plausible, combined with enough absurdity to make it interesting, or ‘sticky’ as marketeers might describe it. I have suggested on occasion that we should replace the gherkin in British culture with a Brussels sprout. These ornaments have sold well, but the practice of hiding them on a tree hasn’t caught on. Which reminds me, have you heard the ancient legend where St Nicholas visits people’s houses dispensing presents from a basket laden with crisp, green miniature cabbages …….? TFG.
I never knew they were called pickles. Thank you! We used to have these on our tree as children…not just one but several. They weren’t glass but whatever metal-like material was always used…Over the years they shattered as eager hands grabbed them out of the box and thumbs broke through the inverted section. I think I will go and find a new one….
You should not have any problem, but if you do, let me know, as I am sure I could find one for you on my travels!
Don’t think it will catch on! Thank you Dan but I hope you know your readers will expect Advent musings every year now? A new tradition, eh?
Haha! Love it!
These baubals on your picture are called reflectors and in Central European tradition a pickle hung on the Christmas tree promised a rich and full next year 😉. If anybody would like to see how the glass decorations are made watch this video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w2quYCrr4Eg
Hmmmm, I wondered if that pickle story was real. Now I know. I still like the little gerkin that hangs on my tree. It looks real except for the bit of sparkle on it. It would be fun to have a small tree with all vegetable ornaments on it.
You might read ‘The Glassblower’ by Petra Durst-Benning which is quite illuminating on all things German and baubles and the Woolworths connection!
GREAT tip. How have I hot heard of this book before? It’s on my wish list!!
I nearly fell out of my desk chair over this one!!!!!!
I have a miniature pickle on my office desk tree, given to me by my sister, explaining the German tradition. Funny thing is, I am German and never heard of the tradition from any of my German grandparents. They evidently did not bring the tradition with them when they came over to the US from Germany. And of all the years I spent shopping in Woolworths, I don’t remember ever seeing a pickle there, but I was just a kid then and maybe didn’t notice. Thanks for the history.
My pleasure. The stories I’ve read would suggest the pickle had nothing to do with Germany, although some of the comments would suggest there is some truth in it. I hope your pickle brings you good fortune!