[POLL] Do You Have a Pickle Ornament on Your Christmas Tree?

Many homes have a pickle ornament on their Christmas tree, especially in Central New York. Do you partake in the tradition?

I've been living in Central New York for three years now, and I just learned about the pickle ornament tradition last year. I had never heard of it before, and honestly, when I was first told about hanging a pickle ornament on a tree, I thought it was a joke.

Apparently, I was wrong. The tradition is believed to have began in the late 1800s (although some will say it's even earlier). The idea is to hang a pickle ornament in your tree, and the person who finds it will have good luck in the new year. Some families even let the person who finds the pickle open an extra gift, or let them open the first gift.

A big "Thank You" to Miss Reitz, a teacher at Barringer Road Elementary School in Ilion. She was the one who heard I didn't know about this tradition, and her and her class bought me a pickle ornament and shared the story with me.

But something I've noticed... Most people in Central New York know what I'm talking about when I talk about the pickle ornament, and most know how it works. Not everyone participates in it, but they at least know about it. Out of curiosity, I started asking some friends around the country if they know about the pickle ornament tradition. To my surprise, the majority of them had no idea what I was talking about.

So, now I'm wondering; Is it more of a Central New York tradition? Do more people know about this tradition in our area compared to most other places around the US? That's why I'm doing this little test. Please vote in the poll below and let us know whether you knew about the tradition, take part in it, or if it's completely new to you.

Let's find out (unscientifically) if the pickle ornament is more of a Central New York thing (or even New York thing).