Hello Nelda: I have no idea what region of Germany this custom would have originated, but here is the text from a small card included in the box in which the pickle arrived, a gift from my daughter-in-law when I first found out about our Hessian ancestor. "In Germany, the pickle is considered a symbol of good luck. Traditionally, on Christmas Eve, parents decorated the tree, hiding the pickle amongst the branches. The lucky child who found the pickle was rewarded with an extra gift. May this ornament be the start of a new Christmas tradition in your family". It sounded like a fun thing so I started this new tradition right away and we have enjoyed it ever since. Our other ancestry is overwhelmingly French and Scottish, so this was a nice change from these other traditions, although I have no idea if our Hessian ancestor ever participated in such a tradition. Alice Garner