The Christmas Pickle: Where It Comes From and How to Play
When it comes to Christmas traditions, there's no shortage of odd ones. Alongside hanging baubles and decking the halls with boughs of holly, many families hide a pickle in the Christmas tree. But where did the Christmas pickle come from? And how do you play?
Where does the Christmas pickle come from?
Nobody knows for sure. The tradition is usually called German, and pickle ornaments are often sold under the name Weihnachtsgurke ("Christmas pickle"). The trouble is that most Germans have never heard of it: in a 2016 YouGov survey of 2,057 Germans, 91% didn't know the custom, and only 2% actually hid a pickle in their tree.
The likeliest explanation is American. German glassblowers were exporting fruit- and vegetable-shaped ornaments to the United States in the late 1800s, and by the 1890s the five-and-dime chain Woolworths was selling them by the thousand. A quaint "old German tradition" may simply have been a good way to sell more pickles.
Other stories have done the rounds too. One credits a Bavarian-born soldier in the American Civil War who, starving as a prisoner, begged a guard for a pickle and believed it saved his life. Another, from Berrien Springs, Michigan (which calls itself the Christmas pickle capital of the world), tells of St Nicholas rescuing two boys trapped in a pickle barrel. Neither has any evidence behind it, which hasn't slowed the pickle down one bit.
How to hide the pickle
Whatever its origins, the game is a fun addition to Christmas morning. On Christmas Eve, a small pickle or gherkin ornament is quietly tucked somewhere in the branches. The little green shape, camouflaged among the other ornaments, lights and tinsel, can be surprisingly hard to find. For smaller families, one person hides the pickle while another spins the tree away, so that no one sees where it lands.
Christmas morning: the hunt
On Christmas morning, it's time to go pickle hunting! The whole family gathers around the tree, checking each branch for a glimmer of green. The first to spot it wins a small bonus gift, as well as the ultimate honour: first rights to open their presents. It's a wholesome family activity that adds an extra bit of excitement to the day, for kids and big kids alike.
Edelglas glass gherkins
While the tradition may have started with real pickles, glass gherkins are a lot more practical! At Edelglas we have pickle ornaments in all shapes and sizes, from minis that are a real challenge to find to large, sparkly options for families with smaller children. Mouth-blown and hand-painted, they're made with the same craftsmanship as the rest of our glass ornaments.
As you decorate your tree this year, try adding a pickle to continue (or start) the tradition in your own family. And if you like your Christmas with a side of folklore, meet the lucky Christmas mushroom and the lucky Christmas pig, or read about more traditional European ornaments.
Updated November 2026