Gather 'round children! It's time to play "Hide The *Pickle!"
The German Christmas Pickle Tradition:
Myth or Reality?
from the German Section on About.com:
It never fails. Every December someone asks about the German Christmas pickle ornament that's supposed to have a long tradition in Germany.
Here's the pickle “legend” from one Web site: “A very old Christmas eve tradition in Germany was to hide a pickle [ornament] deep in the branches of the family Christmas Tree. The parents hung the pickle last after all the other ornaments were in place. In the morning they knew the most observant child would receive an extra gift from St. Nicholas. The first adult who finds the pickle traditionally gets good luck for the whole year.”
This Christmas pickle story, with a few minor variations, can be found all over the Web and in print inside the ornament package. It says that Germans hang a pickle-shaped glass ornament on the Christmas tree hidden away so it's difficult to find. The first child to find it on Christmas morning gets a special treat or an extra present.
Of course, anyone familiar with German Christmas customs can see the flaws in this “legend.” First of all, the German St. Nick doesn't show up on Christmas Eve. He arrives on the 5th or 6th of December. Nor do German children open their presents on Christmas morning. That happens on Christmas Eve in Germany. (See our German Christmas Guide for more about German Christmas customs.)
But the biggest problem with the German pickle (saure Gurke, Weihnachtsgurke) tradition is that no one in Germany seems to have ever heard of it:
GERMAN PICKLE MYTH
There are anecdotal tellings around the web from some who remember the tradition in/around the Berlin area, somewhere around the 1930s. Hard to say where it was started, how it became popular, but it is certain that many families in the U.S. do participate in this tradition on Christmas.
The commercialism and competition surrounding what is supposed to be a Holy remembrance drive me nuts.
What I figure is that this is how the legend began:
A couple with young children were caught in the "act" ... making love or something. The children were aghast and wanted to know what was happening. The parents thought quick and said, "We're playing hide the pickle!" In order to elaborate and keep up the ruse, they invented a real
"hide the pickle" game. Elaborating further, they made it up to be a Holiday tradition because: One of the children said, "Can you even hide it in the Christmas tree???" Parents said, "Why yes, Jimmy, you can!" Jimmy says, "Do you win a prize if you find it???" Parents say, "Why of course, Jimmy, now just close the door and we'll wait for Christmas. Go play now, dear." So now, in order to keep up the pretense of the confabulated tale, we have the Hide The Pickle ritual. Okay. Maybe not.
In keeping up with the crass commercialism of the Season, this Pickle tale is brought to the blog Way Too Early. I love pickles. Especially homemade bread and butter ones.
21 comments:
Hi Tink...
I'm not sure what to make of this German/Pickle deal. Many pickle jokes come to mind but I'll refrain. I'm not in a crude mood. And incidentally, I've got Stern on right now, and I'm still not in a crude mood. Go figure! I think I'll listen/watch the Amazing Journey DVD I just got and come back to this most bizarre of blog posts you've thrown at me later.
Rob
What an OBSCENE ornament!
Hide the Pickle??
LOL
Yes Dale...Hide the Pickles.
Sounds like something Ellen Degenarate's girlfriend does right before Ellen gets home from work doesn't it?
That's all I've come up with so far Tink. Blame Dale for triggering that though in my head though. I think I'm to into watching this new Who DVD right now to think about pickles. This thing is bitchin'...I suggest you get it quick. The Bonus DVD of The 1979 Chicago concert is great too. I'm watching it now actually. Pete does look pretty messed up in it though. The bags under his eyes are disturbing. He sounds great for the most part though.
Rob
The christmas pickle, see what you can learn in blogland!!
xx
:o)
Glad that you're loving the dvd, Rob - I'm still waiting for mine. What a pickle. This is one of the strangest nonissues I've found on the Internet. lol
Lucy I'll let the Heidel House know your thoughts. This is the Christmas Pickle ornament they sell. It is a weird one, but 100s of these are sold every Holiday season.
I know, I know Dale It's so weird. We can't help but wander ... as our minds look at a pickle. I'm sure that absolutely no sexual reference is meant or inferred by the tradition.
Grace It is funny and yet mystifying to me, in that how such things become Legend when no real data can be found to the origins.
In the 1920s and 30s, glass fruit ornaments were immensely popular, so I guess someone just loved pickles so much, that they felt it deserved a special place too. Who knows! The humble pickle. Who'd a thunk it. :o)
Okay ... I took a good look at the pickle ornament and realized that it looked rather .. erm .. anatomical. So, I went to Carroll Gardens and found a different pickle.
I'm no closer to finding the origin of the "tradition." But, at least *this* pickle looks more picklish and less penish.
Hi Tink!
Off topic here as usual...but I just came across a comment of yours on the "Plane Go Boom" bit. Glad you finally got around to listening to it. Also glad you found it humorous. I must say, your summed it up beautifully too. Obviously you are a smart woman and you just plain "get it". Your right, Phil doesn't shy away from touchy topics, in fact he takes them head on. I think he may be the greatest political/social satirist of our time, bar none.
Talk to you soon, and don't expect me to find a bit involving pickles, I've given up on this one. Not weighty enough of an issue for Phil to tackle I guess. LOL.
Rob
Pickles on Xmas trees. Can't say I ever heard of that one.
Interesting...
XO
Zoe
Got my Amazing Journey DVD yesterday. It's excellent. I was at that Chicago show in 79. Not my favorite compared to 73 and 75. Enjoy it when you get it!
Hi Tink, have a good weekend.
xx
Notice our "slang word" of the day?
Maybe it should read "pickle sympathy".
:o)
Hey Rob I forgot that I had left a comment on it. I'm sure Phil has some good ones on the commercialism of the Holi-daze as well as other "Hallmark Holidays." (those that are invented by and serve retailers.)
Hi Zoe! Thanks for stopping by! I just received mine, too. Haven't been able to watch it yet due to work schedule, however .. my youngest son found the package and absconded. Little thief! lol I can hear him playing the music portions. He is especially interested in Bill Curbishley. funny.
Thanks Grace A busy weekend here! I finally had a chance to listen to the comedians on your blog. omg. :o)
Lucy lol! I feel sorry for men who have to endure SO many comparisons to their anatomy. I'll try to avoid doing that. Unfortunately the next post coming up features the Dickin Award. It was not intentional here. I promise.
Tink--You don't have to explain Hallmark holidays to me. I worked for Hallmark for 18 yrs. I've got at least a dozen Hallmark shirts still. They make great rags. They are a terribly cheap company to work for in my opinion and all those years working for them has left me dreading all holidays. While I do watch MASH re-runs on the Hallmark Channel, other than that I don't want to have anything to do with them.
And yes, Phil has some stuff dealing with the commercialism of Christmas. Is that what your next blog is about? I haven't looked yet. Guess I'll go check.
Uh no Rob...That's what this blog was about.
Sorry Tink, I just woke up and I'm still dizzy. Excuse my confusion.
Ok...on the Phil bits site:
http://philbits.com/audio/
under the year 2005
scroll way down to:
2005-12-22-steve bosell
This is one of the funniest bits ever! Featuring Steve Bosell (the guy who sues everyone for frivelous stuff). He's upset about the state of Chistmas and the fact that "The Jesus is being taken out of Christmas". Of course it takes a few different turns and it ends up being more about him crapping on a neighbor's Christmas display in protest, among other things. This one is actually available on video if you want to actually "see" him work his magic, I can hook that up for you too.
Anyway, check this one out, it's hilarious!!!
Rob
Tink,
LOL re your Dickin-apprehension remark!
Yep, re German Christmases. We always had a big thing on Christmas Eve (still do) ... exchanging and opening gifts. Almost a bigger deal than Christmas Day. :-)
Actually I can't stand Christmas.
I don't care for most holidays. Except Thanksgiving. That one's always rather nice.
lol Rob you figured it out quick. :o) I do like those Hallmark TV specials. I do not like their marketing schemes. My brother was hired once (as a freelance artist) to do a series of pastel paintings to be used as Valentine cards. They were a very stingy company. That I do remember. It's so weird. STeve Bosell sounds hilarious. I can't promise when I'll get to listen .. but I will! And I will let you know my thoughts. :o)
Lucy I know what you mean. The Holiday time makes me so stressed. I wish for quieter, much simpler celebrations - whether it's welcoming the Christ Child or welcoming the God of Winter. It's why we call 'em the Holi-daze. Expectations, pressure, commercial nonsense, etc.
So it runs in your family then, tink? The pastel-painting? :-)
How nice.
And yeah, re Christmas. It's not just the stress... it's the ... ohhh.... I'm vocabularily challenged lately... can't think of the right word. What's that word that means forced, .. it starts with a "p" I think. Perfunctory! That's it. Christmas is so perfunctory. As are all holidays and birthdays.
Spontaneous fun is best!
As a matter of fact, Lucy you've reminded me that it was my brother who suggested that I give pastels a try! He's a wonderful artist. I wish he lived closer so that I could get some tips. :o)
I completely understand the perfunctory. You named it perfectly!
Hello,
I'm German, and I've never heard of this tradition...neither have my parents...lol
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