The Pickle Ornament Origin Story Is Still a Major Mystery to This Day

Ever spotted a pickle-shaped ornament in a Christmas tree? Lucky you!

At first glance, a glass pickle looks ridiculous among classic red and green baubles and silver tinsel. But as Wide Open Country writes, it's said to be part of an Old World holiday tradition. So, there are a few variations, but the story goes that the first child to find the pickle Christmas ornament not only gets with the first present, but an extra present (!!!), or the job of handing out the presents. On top of allll that, the child is said to be granted good fortune for the year. If you're feeling bitter about your parents not hiding a pickle ornament in your tree growing up—don't worry—you're not alone.

While the quirky custom known as Weihnachtsgurke, or Christmas Pickle, supposedly has its roots in Germany, most Germans have ~apparently~ never heard of it. In fact, the New York Times reported that out of 2,057 Germans polled, YouGov determined 91% were unaware of the legend. The pickle ornament tradition is actually most popular in the Midwest, says the publication. Perhaps the large number of German immigrants in the region, including in Berrien Springs, Michigan, a German settlement and the self-proclaimed "Christmas Pickle Capital of the World," has something to do with that. Berrien Springs even hosts an annual Christmas Pickle Festival. Weird flex, but ok.

No one really knows origin of this tradition, either. In one tale, a villainous innkeeper trapped two boys in a pickle barrel, and St. Nicholas himself set them free, according to Tampa Bay Magazine. Others say a Civil War soldier (and German immigrant) being held captive in Georgia begged for and was given a pickle, which ended up sustaining him. Yikes. But a third theory suggests it was all likely a marketing scheme. Ah, good ol' capitalism. In the 1840s, German glass blowers made ornaments shaped like fruit and nuts, so pickles might have been a possibility, and by the 1880s, F. W. Woolworth Company (the American five-and-dime store) started importing them to sell, paired with the story. Fascinating!

Want to try the tradition with your own family? Or maybe you know just have an intense craving for pickles? Either way, take your pick of these pretty pickles: