Today I am working on sugar cookies (recipe long overdo will be posted tomorrow), cooking up presents in the kitchen and working on some ornaments.
My children are big on traditions, just as the daily rhythm of our lives keeps their world feeling just as it should, the rhythm of our traditions does the same. They however are not big on changes to our traditions but this year I am pulling a fast one on them. For a few years I have wanted to add the tradition of hiding a Christmas pickle in the tree. It is the last ornament to be put in the tree on Christmas Eve and the first child to find it in the morning gets a little extra surprise. I am thinking that would be a little handmade toy or a sweet.
The tradition of hiding a pickle is a medieval tale of two Spanish boys traveling home from boarding school for the holidays. When they stopped at an inn for the night, the innkeeper, a mean and evil man, stuffed the boys into a pickle barrel. That evening, St. Nicholas stopped at the same inn, became aware of the boys’ plight, tapped the pickle barrel with his staff, and the boys were magically freed.
I could not find a pattern that looked like a pickle much to me so I made this one and though it does not look exactly like a pickle it works for me. I have not tested it so if you find any mistakes please let me know. You can make one of these in about 20 minutes so perfect for last minute new traditions : )
Christmas pickle pattern
I used a chunky wool blend yarn and a size I crochet hook. You also need a stitch marker to mark the beginning of each row.
Row 1: Make a magic ring, 5 sc in ring
Row 2: 2 sc in each st around
Row 3 to 8: 1 sc in each st around
Row 9: sk 1st st, sc in next st, sk next st, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, sc around to last st, 2 sc in last st of row
Row 10: repeat row 9
Row 11 to 14: sc in each st around, stuff with wool or fiberfill, bits of yarn or whatever
Row 15: sk next st, sc in next, repeat around
Row 16: repeat row 15 until the hole at the top is closed, ch 8, sl st to next st. Fasten off and weave in end. Hide your ornament until Christmas Eve then hide is really well in the tree and don’t forget to have a little something to give the child who finds it.
