Comments on: Felted knit and crochet pickles with patterns (Christmas in July) http://felting.craftgossip.com/2009/07/15/felted-knit-and-crochet-pickles-with-patterns-christmas-in-july/ Felted Crafts news and reviews Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:39:56 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Linda Lanese http://felting.craftgossip.com/2009/07/15/felted-knit-and-crochet-pickles-with-patterns-christmas-in-july/comment-page-1/#comment-5894 Linda Lanese Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:33:52 +0000 http://felting.craftgossip.com/?p=2083#comment-5894 You made me look deeper and you are right and i thanks you. This Christmas pickle story, with a few minor variations, can be found all over the Web, in printed ads, and inside the ornament package. It says that Germans hang a pickle-shaped glass ornament on the Christmas tree hidden away so it’s difficult to find. The first child to find it on Christmas morning gets a special treat or an extra present. Of course, anyone familiar with German Christmas customs can see the flaws in this version of the “legend.” First of all, the German St. Nick doesn’t show up on Christmas Eve. He arrives on the 5th or 6th of December. Nor do German children open their presents on Christmas morning. That happens on Christmas Eve (Heiligabend) in Germany. (See our German Christmas Guide for more about German Christmas customs.) But the biggest problem with the German pickle (saure Gurke, Weihnachtsgurke) tradition is that no one in Germany seems to have ever heard of it. Over the years this question has repeatedly come up on the AATG (German Teachers) forum. Teachers of German in the U.S. and in Europe have never been able to find a native German who has even heard of the pickle legend, much less carried out this Christmas custom. It may have been some German-American invention by someone who wanted to sell more glass ornaments for Christmas. Or could the Weihnachtsgurke be an obscure regional custom that few people are aware of? You made me look deeper and you are right and i thanks you.
This Christmas pickle story, with a few minor variations, can be found all over the Web, in printed ads, and inside the ornament package. It says that Germans hang a pickle-shaped glass ornament on the Christmas tree hidden away so it’s difficult to find. The first child to find it on Christmas morning gets a special treat or an extra present.

Of course, anyone familiar with German Christmas customs can see the flaws in this version of the “legend.” First of all, the German St. Nick doesn’t show up on Christmas Eve. He arrives on the 5th or 6th of December. Nor do German children open their presents on Christmas morning. That happens on Christmas Eve (Heiligabend) in Germany. (See our German Christmas Guide for more about German Christmas customs.)

But the biggest problem with the German pickle (saure Gurke, Weihnachtsgurke) tradition is that no one in Germany seems to have ever heard of it. Over the years this question has repeatedly come up on the AATG (German Teachers) forum. Teachers of German in the U.S. and in Europe have never been able to find a native German who has even heard of the pickle legend, much less carried out this Christmas custom. It may have been some German-American invention by someone who wanted to sell more glass ornaments for Christmas. Or could the Weihnachtsgurke be an obscure regional custom that few people are aware of?

]]> By: kim http://felting.craftgossip.com/2009/07/15/felted-knit-and-crochet-pickles-with-patterns-christmas-in-july/comment-page-1/#comment-5892 kim Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:51:06 +0000 http://felting.craftgossip.com/?p=2083#comment-5892 these just made me laugh :D too cute! these just made me laugh :D too cute!

]]> By: pedilu http://felting.craftgossip.com/2009/07/15/felted-knit-and-crochet-pickles-with-patterns-christmas-in-july/comment-page-1/#comment-5891 pedilu Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:52:23 +0000 http://felting.craftgossip.com/?p=2083#comment-5891 I love your pickles! But it is not a German tradition at all. I never ever heard about that. I guess it is a funny marketing gimmick of American Christmas decoration producers. Good idea! pedilu from Germany ;.) I love your pickles!
But it is not a German tradition at all. I never ever heard about that.
I guess it is a funny marketing gimmick of American Christmas decoration producers. Good idea!

pedilu from Germany ;.)

]]> By: Shalana, the funky felter http://felting.craftgossip.com/2009/07/15/felted-knit-and-crochet-pickles-with-patterns-christmas-in-july/comment-page-1/#comment-5888 Shalana, the funky felter Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:20:38 +0000 http://felting.craftgossip.com/?p=2083#comment-5888 great pickles!! so unique :) great pickles!! so unique :)

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