The Strange Legend of the Christmas Pickle

As the legend goes, the Christmas Pickle is an old German custom that started with parents hiding a pickle-shaped green ornament deep in the boughs of the Christmas tree after the children had gone to bed on Christmas Eve. Then on Christmas morning before presents were opened, the children would search for that hidden pickle on the tree and whoever found it first, would get an extra gift. (One flaw with this German tradition story is that children in Germany open gifts on Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day.).

So, where and how did this strange quirky legend start?

One origin story goes back to the American Civil War (1861-1865) and a Bavarian-born soldier Private John C. Lower. He was enlisted in the 103rd Pennsylvania Infantry, captured in North Carolina in April 1864 and sent to the prison in Andersonville, Georgia (also known as Fort Sumter) where by August 31 there were over 31,000 prisoners. According to the Lower family history, by Christmas Eve he was starving, weak, and near death when he asked the guard for a pickle, which the guard provided. Miraculously, John recovered and credited the pickle with saving his life. After the war ended in 1865, he returned to his family in Pennsylvania and began a Christmas tradition of hiding a real pickle on the Christmas tree each year, with the first person to find it being assured of good fortune in the coming year.

Another tale is set in the Middle Ages (some versions say Victorian Era) when two Spanish children were returning home from boarding school, stopped to stay at an inn, and the innkeeper put them in a barrel of pickles. St. Nicholas happened to pass by, tapped the barrel with his wand, and set them free

CLEAN HOUSE

 

Insurance Companies

   The company who holds my house mortage has always provided my house insurance and I never complained about the cost until recently.  Last year the insurance went up to $500 a year and I thought it was too high so I decided to bundle my homeowners and car insurance thru All-State and try to save some money.  It seemed too good to be true!  The insurance payment went down to 1/3rd of what it had been and I was happy.  Then All-State decided our property wasn't clean enough.  There were tree branches over the yard that they felt should be picked up, our wood pile wasn't stacked properly, our lawn furniture wasn't put away...the list went on, so they cancelled our homeowners insurance.  Our house is on a clearing in the woods.  There is only 1 access to our house from the paved road and the back of our house has been used as garden and wood pile till now.  We do not allow access around the house because of the placement of the septic tank.  The back of our house is not even viewable from the front of the house or the road! 

   I contacted Progressive Insurance and inquired about bundling homeowners and car insurance thru them.  The price was lower than it was thru All State so I cancelled my car insurance and signed up with Progressive.  I was surprised to get a refund from All State!  But I was shocked to get a bill from them for cancelling my auto policy. That's where we are right now. More to follow.