by Sherry Law
Though many people may disagree, it appears that the legend of the German Christmas Pickle is another example of what has come to be known as an “urban legend.”

According to several sites spread across the Internet, the German Christmas Pickle is a “very ancient Christmas eve tradition in Germany.” Supposedly generations of German parents would hide an ornament shaped like a pickle somewhere deep within the branches of their Christmas tree after all of the other ornaments had been hung. The first child to find the ornament the next morning got an extra present from St. Nick. If the first person to find the pickle was an adult, they were supposed to have good luck during the course of the next year.

When you look closely at the legend, however, it appears to fall apart. First, children in Germany traditionally open their gifts on Christmas Eve, not Christmas morning and St Nick generally visits on either the 5th or 6th of December. Both of these facts would make it impossible for the first child to see the pickle on Christmas morning to get an extra present from St Nick. But even more importantly is the fact that few, if any, native Germans have ever even heard of the tradition. Those that have apparently learned about it from either Americans or German friends who learned of it while visiting America.

So where did the legend of the German Christmas Pickle come from? One popular story being related across the Internet deals with a Bavarian-born Civil War soldier being captured and sent to prison in Andersonville, Georgia. In poor health, starving and fearing death, he is said to have begged one of the guards for a pickle. The guard found the poor man a pickle, which miraculously revived him and allowed him to live long enough to return to his family. Once there, he is said to have started the tradition of hiding the pickle among the boughs of the Christmas tree each year.

Regardless of whether this is the origin of the German Christmas Pickle or not, the fact remains that Germans do not claim the tradition, and though it is a cute and unusual legend, the German Christmas Pickle tradition appears to be a total fabrication.

About.com says “Urban legends are popular stories alleged to be true which spread from person to person via oral or written communication, “ and that they “tend to arise spontaneously and are rarely traceable to a single point of origin.” The legend of the German Christmas Pickle definitely seems to fall into the category of an urban legend. And like other urban legends, the who and why is probably destined to remain a mystery.

Not long ago, when someone mentioned ‘Christmas cards’, you knew right away what they were talking about – a nice illustration and touching text, all wrapped up in a colored envelope and delivered to your mailbox. That was, of course, before the days of e-cards. Now paper Christmas cards are not always the greeting of choice at Christmas. But they are still the ones we hang onto, craft with, or hang on the walls to give the house a yuletide feeling. They are special.

Finding Christmas cards that say just the right thing can be a hassle. Admit it – standing on that aisle of the store, with other impatient shoppers elbowing you out of the way is not your best Christmas memory. It probably ranks right up there with hanging the lights on the tip-top of your roof in a winter gale. But take heart; there are other places to get paper cards.

Purchase cards online
Yes, Virginia, you can purchase paper Christmas cards online. There are several sites that sell cards from small presses, or that allow you to create your own. Cards are shipped to your home for personalization and addressing. The rest is up to you! Good places to shop online for a wide selection of paper Christmas cards are Gallery Collection, Cardstore.com, Zazzle or comparison shopping sites that can help you find great prices on paper Christmas cards.

Buy paper Christmas cards from a charity
Several charities, such as UNICEF sell paper cards for the holidays. Many are designed by people who use the charity. Contact the organizations you support regularly to find out if they sell cards, or look online for options.

Make your own
If you have children, you can have them draw pictures for the card fronts, and you can write the text and send them off to the printer. Or, better yet, print them on your home set-up. Look online for free Christmas card templates.

Paper Christmas cards not only help you send a note and a hello for the holidays, but they give recipients something to hold onto and look at for the entire season. There’s something about the texture and the smell of paper that cannot be replaced with an e-card or phone call. Ever try to hang one of those on the wall? Go paper.

-Deborah Dyess

The Little Drummer Boy is a popular Christmas song that was also the inspiration for a 1968 animated TV special by the same name. The song, written by Katherine K. Davis and later arranged by Henry Onorati and Harry Simeone, was originally written in 1941, but didn’t become a hit until it was rearranged and released in 1958. It wasn’t released until November of that year, but it still managed to quickly rise to #13 on the holiday charts. It’s been a holiday favorite ever since.

The Little Drummer Boy Lyrics

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That’s fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum