The Christmas Pickle

This Christmas Eve, when Fred the 'Elf on the Shelf' heads home to the North Pole, he will leave with us a little gift. A fun, new tradition called the 'Christmas Pickle'. Yes, I did say pickle.

When I was away at a conference earlier this year, I met up with my cousin for a day of lunch and shopping. We were looking at some trinkets in a store, when I jokingly made a comment about a pickle hanging on one of their decoration trees. 

My cousin quipped back, "What Sam... you don't have a Christmas pickle?"

I thought she was joking, but she wasn't. 

She then went on to explain about how she came to have a Christmas pickle and why it wasn't just a food hanging on your tree.

"According to German tradition, the pickle brings good luck and was the last ornament placed on the tree. On Christmas morning, the first child to find the pickle was rewarded with an extra little gift by St. Nicholas. This tradition encouraged the children to appreciate all the ornaments on the tree, rather than hurrying to see what St. Nicholas had left for them."

Who knew?

So I bought the 'Christmas pickle', because someday this whole 'Elf on the Shelf' and Santa thing will lose its magic... and we'll still have a fun little tradition that helps decide who opens the first gift!

Do you have a Christmas pickle?