Over lots of phone calls and HeyTell messages, Erin and I talked about tons of traditions that each of our families do, traditions we share and traditions we want to start for our children. It hit me today that it’s the first of December (Can you believe it?) and I have not told you about any of my family’s traditions on our list.
The Christmas Pickle tradition is one of ours and we love it. It’s easy, it’s fun and you can find pickle ornaments at most major retailers. I found one this year for Erin at Hobby Lobby for $4.99. And you may very well be able to win one on my blog next week, I’m not promising anything but you’ll want to visit on Monday to see!
The tradition of the Christmas Pickle says the pickle is to be hidden deep in the branches of the tree on Christmas Eve. The first child to find it on Christmas morning will get an extra gift. The first adult to find it will have good luck for the next year.
Growing up Santa always brought a “family gift” to our family in addition to our individual gifts. Most of the time, the family gift was game of some sort for us all to play together. So at our house, the person that found the pickle got to open the “family gift.”
Get creative with your traditions. Make them your own. That’s the great thing about traditions, they are all yours for your family to enjoy together and pass on to future generations!
A few ideas for the Christmas Pickle gift:
- Check the dollar bins at your local Targets and/or Michaels stores.
- Wrap up a candy bar.
- Tie a ribbon around a candy cane.
- Handmake a ticket to be the first person in line for Christmas breakfast.
- Board games work really well because everyone in the family enjoys it together.
Here are a few links to pickle ornaments online:
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I love this! My family has been doing the pickle ornament for as long as I can remember. My mom did it growing up because her mom is Swedish. Such a fun tradition! I can’t wait for Hudson to be old enough to start.
I’ve heard of this but haven’t been a part of it. So silly and fun!
We always do the pickle too!! It’s so fun. I can’t wait to do it when I have my own family. My parents did the “compliment box ornament” for a while, but my brother and I are too sarcastic for that one. It’s a box ornament and you’re suppose to put nice things about your family. My brother and I just couldn’t do that one. It was funny though!
I love this tradition. This is one that we have been doing in our family for as long as I can remember. Such a fun one!
We have the same tradition in my family. I almost made a pickle cookie to go along with my ornament cookies but I wasn’t sure that anyone else would understand it.
I love this tradition! My family always played this game. I’ve never met anyone else who did this every Christmas! We’ve got so much in common.
p.s. I will never forget the look on my husband’s face when I innocently asked him if his family ever played “Hide the Pickle” on Christmas. Doesn’t sound as innocent as it really is! LOL!
I love the pickle tradition, I saw the pickle ornament for the first time in the Yankee Candle Store in Williamsburg, VA and knew that once I have kids of my own it’s a tradition I’ll be starting….that and the elf on the shelf….so fun!!!
I must live in a hole because I have never heard of this!! Sounds so fun though! I think we may have to start this tradition when we have kids.
We do the pickle ornament, too!!!
We do the Christmas pickle as well, but the adult who finds it gets a bottle of wine.
I can’t wait until our baby girl can participate in our traditions and start some new ones for her.
My family has always done the Christmas pickle. Now that I have my own apartment (and my own tree!), I have my own pickle. Though I have no one to search for it haha, instead I just make my sister try to find it before I’ll give her a present! xo, LP
I’ve seen pickle ornaments for years and never knew the “meaning” of them… what a fun tradition! We may have to bring on one more into our house. Thanks for sharing a fun family idea!
I had never heard of the pickled tradition until Design Sponge mentioned it on Twitter. She said it had German origins I think? Our tradition was to all go climb into my parents bed until we (kids, parents, and dogs) were all there. Momma would get up and make breakfast. After breakfast we could finally open presents. I loved getting that cherished time together!
I just learned of this tradition yesterday during my weekly Dollar Tree run. Incredibly cute and kid friendly pickle ornaments can be purchased there for (you guessed it) a dollar!
I have a pickle hanging on our tree too. We never had one growing up and mom my gifted me the ornament a few years back simply for the reason that I love pickles. Some day when we have kids I will hide it for them to find.
Hey Nina! I’m playing catch up in my reader today, wanted to stop by and say hey. I love all the Christmas link ups activity, and I, sorry I missed out on the fun. Hope you had a great Christmas!
My family has the pickle ornament tradition too!
Cheers,
Waspy