The Christmas Pickle Tradition: Why We Make an Ornament (and Where It Came From)

If you grew up hanging a pickle ornament on the tree the night before Christmas, you already know the tradition: hide it deep in the branches, and whichever kid finds it first on Christmas morning gets an extra gift or good luck for the year ahead.

Where did it come from?

The exact origin is fuzzy — some trace it to German-American families, though the tradition is more popular in the U.S. today than in Germany itself. Wherever it started, it's become a beloved bit of holiday whimsy in households across the country.

Our take on it

We make two versions: the classic Christmas Pickle Ornament, and a playful blush toy version with glasses, a mustache, or a scarf for anyone who wants their tree pickle to have a little personality.

Building a pickle-lover's holiday

Pair an ornament with something from our Holiday & Christmas Gifts collection for a stocking stuffer that actually gets used, not just hung on a tree once a year.

Whether you're starting the tradition for the first time or keeping it going, it's a small, funny way to make Christmas morning a little more interesting — and a lot more pickle-flavored.