Pickles for Christmas

Seems we had a pickle themed Christmas holiday. 

I gave my Mother a large pickle jar of kosher dill pickles.  She not only loves to eat pickles but she uses a jar of pickles to hold open her pantry door during the day and to block it at night so that her little dachshund, Tinker, can not get into mischief.

I wrote about how much our family loves Pickles especial Bread and Butter Pickles in a past blog article.
My Mother then surprised me by giving me a pickle Christmas ornament! 

The story is that when Mom's hairdresser heard the story of me making a Halloween costume and entering a contest as a giant jar of pickles she thought it was pretty funny and it made an impression on her.  When she was out shopping this season she saw pickle ornaments and thought of me.  She bought it and gave it to my mother.  I was just tickled to open the package and see the pickle.  Thank you Joan for thinking of me and thank you Mom for the present.  What a perfect ornament for a frugal canner who happens to love pickles!

I just found out that the 2-1/2 inch glass, shiny green pickle ornament is the center of a very old German Christmas tradition.

Legend says that the pickle, a symbol of good luck, was the last ornament to be placed on the tree. The first child to find the pickle on Christmas morning was rewarded with an extra gift left by St. Nicholas.

The tradition encourages children to appreciate all of the beautiful ornaments on the tree, rather than rushing first to the presents that Santa has left them

I didn't know that until my friend Margie wrote to me saying she thought there was something special about a pickle on the Christmas Tree.  I google it and there it was.  What did we do before search engines to find out silly little facts that make blog articles so interesting?

Did you know the English last name Pickle originated from a person who lives near a hill, a stream, a church or a certain tree?