The Christmas pickle is an American tradition that was once believed to have originated in Germany, which seems plausible given that so many other holiday customs have found their way to the United States that way. In actuality, the Christmas pickle was most likely the result of a marketing gimmick. In the 1880s, Woolworth stores received imported German ornaments shaped like pickles — glass-blown fruits and veggies were commonplace — but they needed to find a way to sell these particular, peculiar baubles. American salesmanship got to work, and an origin story emerged: Parents would hide the green glass ornament within the tree on Christmas Eve, and the first child to find it would either get to open presents first or receive a special treat. Just like that, they were out of their pickle — and Christmas pickles became a pretty big dill.
