Monday, December 14, 2009

The Pickle

So last night we went over to my mom and dad's for some cake after Megan's Christmas play. (I will share some pictures and such about the play later this week).

When I sat down after getting some snacks all the girls were milling around Mom and Dad's Christmas tree talking about pickles.

Pickles? Why are they talking about pickles, my girls don't even eat pickles. (Jeff and I happen to love pickles - useless information plug). The girls were looking for a PICKLE ON THE CHRISTMAS TREE.

Okay. I know my parents are getting old but wow, is senility really setting in? I know sometimes they forget where they put things and Mom lapses into her German accent whenever she says a word starting in "W" but now they're putting pickles on the tree as ornaments. This is not good.

Well actually, Mom explained to me (after I put the phone down calling the assisted living hotline LOL) that Aunt Ursula had given her a pickle ornament for the Christmas tree. (Oh great now I have to worry about Aunt Ursula's mental health?) It seems that this is a German tradition, although Mom had never heard of it.

According to German tradition, the pickle
brings good luck and was the last ornament
placed on the Christmas tree.

On Christmas morning the first child to find the
pickle was rewarded with an extra little gift left
by St. Nicholas.

This German tradition encouraged the children to
appreciate all the ornaments on the Christmas tree,
rather than hurrying to see what St. Nick had left for them.

I love being German. I love hearing my mother's stories. I love when I hear her talking in German. I love reading the book that my uncle wrote about their childhood in Germany and coming to America and now I LOVE PICKLES ON THE CHRISTMAS TREE! I gotta get me a pickle this week!

3 comments:

Kathy December 14, 2009 at 8:34 PM  

I love this!!! I have friends who always hid the pickle. Their kids couldn't wait to get up Christmas morning and find it. I don't think they took the time to appreciate the ornaments. Three little boys were vying to be the one to get an extra gift!

Traditions like that are priceless. Good luck! Hope you find it, Sue!

di December 14, 2009 at 8:57 PM  

I bought me my pickle today at the mall and I love it....got it at the ornament shop outside of Nordstroms.....can't wait to hang it on my tree....Donna had good laugh about it...Crazy German's I think was said...and she said Italians probably hang sausages on their trees....LOL

A House FULL of Grace December 14, 2009 at 10:20 PM  

My mom had a pickle for our tree growing up and now there's one in the Somma house (Steve had never heard of the tradition before we were married, and HE's the German one...go figure!!)!!

Aren't you glad they make 'em in glass with little loops at the top for hanging? Can you even imagine having to hang a REAL pickle on your tree?!?!

Hugs and Merry Christmas!!

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