Christmas Pickle!!!!

The legend of the Christmas pickle is said to have originated out of old world Germany even though many Germans cannot place it.

It is said that there are two other versions of the origins of the Christmas pickle. "One is a family story of a Bavarian-born ancestor who fought in the American Civil War. A prisoner in poor health and starving, he begged a guard for just one pickle before he died. The guard took pity on him and found a pickle for him. The pickle by the grace of God gave him the mental and physical strength to live on.

The other, perpetuated in Berrien Springs, MI, is a medieval tale of two Spanish boys traveling home from boarding school for the holidays. When they stopped at an inn for the night, the innkeeper, a mean and evil man, stuffed the boys into a pickle barrel. That evening, St. Nicholas stopped at the same inn, became aware of the boys' plight, tapped the pickle barrel with his staff, and the boys were magically freed."

Regardless of the actual origin it is still said to bring good fortune to the one who finds it beneath the branches of the tree and is given a special gift.

This is our first Christmas as newlyweds and as a special gift, Raymond's parents sent us our very own pickle. To be honest I had never heard of the tradition until I spent my first Christmas with the Zellners. With German ancestry in my blood I knew that this would make for a fun tradition to begin with our new family someday.

Here's to the Christmas Pickle!



Love,
Alicia