The tradition of trying to find the little ornament shaped like a pickle - hidden deep among the green boughs on Christmas Eve - began many years ago in Laschau, Germany. As the story goes, the lucky child who found the ornament on Christmas morning may have received an extra gift from St. Nicholas. If the family could not afford such extras, the pickle finder was rewarded by being the first to open presents. Production of the blown glass Christmas ornament started in 1890s.

The pickle ornament also represented the opening of the initial jar of pickles made from the previous pickle harvest. Traditionally, the jar was opened during the Christmas Eve feast.