The Weihnachtsgurke, or Christmas Pickle, is supposedly a
classic German tradition, but may not be as German as some
believe. Legend has it that when Germans decorate their
Christmas tree, the very last ornament they hang on it is a
pickle or pickle ornament. On Christmas Eve, the first child to
find the pickle hidden in the branches is said to get good luck
for the year to come, as well as an extra present.
If you ask someone from the American Midwest, they will most
likely be able to tell you all about the German festive custom.
Germans, on the other hand, may have no knowledge of the custom.
One story is that a captured German-American soldier in the
civil war became seriously ill and asked for a pickle as his
last meal. After eating it, he was restored to health and from
then on always hung a pickle on his tree each year.
According to another legend, St. Nicholas (not Santa) discovered
that a shop keeper had murdered three boys and hidden them in a
barrel of pickles. He prayed for the boys and his faith
miraculously brought them back to life. Supposedly, from then on
the pickle has been linked to St. Nick and consequently to
Christmas.
Recently, the Christmas Pickle has made its way back across the
pond and is beginning to rise in popularity in Germany.