A German Pickle to be in...

I don't care if this Christmas Tradition is a "created for Americans only but supposedly originated in Germany" tradition.  I think it is FABULOUS.  I think it is FUN.  Especially for the PICKLE FINDER! 

Our Non-German family, barely American at that, has a different twist on the German Pickle... we leave the German Pickle out for Santa -- along with his cookies and milk.  We ask that Santa hide the Pickle in the tree.  (I believe the American version asks that a family member hide the pickle, but we thought it would be more fun if Santa did!)

So, Santa hides the pickle on our tree on Christmas Eve when he makes it to our house.  When we awake in the morning, whoever finds the PICKLE FIRST on the tree receives an extra present.  Santa has left a special package under the tree with a tag that reads "PICKLE PRESENT". 

"HAPPY PICKLE HUNTING"!

ps  I hope I find the pickle!!

sixty.two.days

1/6 of a year.  8 weeks and six days.  1493 hours. 

Christmas is coming!  Santa is coming!  The Griswolds are coming! 

Halloween is not even over and the Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa decor have hit the store aisles. 

Must start making lists.  Must start thinking about gifts.  Must start making more to-do lists.  UGH.  double UGH UGH.

The children have their lists already started (frankly, since the 26th of December 2008).  And this is a few of their minor requests after much contemplation and collaboration of three little minds:

* piano (since our family is totally ungifted/untalented/unmusical in this area)
* pony (a real live hairy stinky carrot-eating gigantic-dunging mammal)
* hermit crab (only if a pony is out of stock and undeliverable) - with its shell painted pink with green polkadots!
* puppy (preferably not stuffed)
* an art room (because it should not be located in the play room)
* a slide and heater for the pool (so we can swim year round)
* a home school (so we don't have to go to school)

What ever happened to simple gifts from the heart?  Homemade paper dolls?  Handmade skirts?  Hand knitted slippers?  Hand painted boxes?

What ever happened to easy simple gifts of Barbie, Little People, Legos, and Blocks?   The wee ones do get an A+++ for creativity.  I just hope they aren't too disappointed!