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Christmas Traditions

Janey Deal
Genealogist/North Carolina Room

            I am a little confused. One of my coworkers, Jan Knotts, said she had an okra pod on her tree.  I asked her what she meant by that. She said, when she moved down here she was told she had to have an okra pod on her tree for good luck. I told her I was born in the South and I had never heard of that. We began looking for the reason behind this tradition and could not find it.  We just received a new book titled THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SUPERSTITIONS here at Hickory Public Library, so I looked through it to see if it would answer our questions, but it was no use.
Then, I asked Jan what about the peppermint pig. Going on line we found what we were looking for at the Vermont Country Store site. It seems this is a tradition what started in Saratoga Springs, NY back in the 1880s. A pig, revered as a symbol of good health, happiness, and prosperity was made from hard peppermint candy. After a holiday supper, the pig was broken in a cloth bag then shared by all in the hopes of good fortune for the coming year. They sell this “good fortune pig”. It comes in a red velvet bag and with a metal hammer to start your own holiday tradition.
            Then, I got to thinking about the Christmas Pickle ornament that people hang on their trees. Jan did not know the origin of this tradition, but said she has a friend who had a pickle ornament and special gift under the tree each year.  We searched, and believe it or not, found the site on the Internet called “The Pickle Ornament”. Legend says that an ornament shaped like a pickle is a sign of good luck. Dating back to Germany, the pickle ornament was always the last one to be placed on the tree. Then on Christmas Eve, the first child to find the pickle would receive a special gift.
            So, there is the pig and the pickle, but what about the okra pod? If anyone out there knows the “whys and what-fors” concerning this tradition please let me know.
            Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays from all of us here at Hickory Public Library. Visit us at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library, 375 3rd St NE and at Ridgeview Branch Library, 706 1 St. SW. We will be closed some over the Holidays so call 828.304.0500 or 828.345.6037.