Christmas is right around the corner. With that, that holiday season can bring a lot of new and old memories; like putting that one special ornament on the tree.

“I have a lot of ornaments,” senior Kailynn Lowrey said. “Most of them are homemade by my grandma, like snowmen or sleds. There really isn’t a story behind them other than my grandma thinking it would be a cute thing that she could give us every year for Christmas, ever since we were born.”

Some even make a game out of ornaments. In Germany, families will hide the “Christmas Pickle” ornament on the tree every year and whoever finds it will either win a prize or good fortune for the year. Many American families also decide to take part in this tradition. 

“When I was a really little kid, my mom heard of the German tradition and bought a pickle ornament herself,” senior Delaney Fries said. “Every year, we hide it in our tree and race to see who can find it the fastest. Whoever finds it first will win the “pickle prize.” My cousins, as well as my grandparents, also participate themselves. Each household in my family has one. It has been a huge tradition for us since my cousin Connor was born in 2002.”

According to German-Way, The Christmas Pickle may have been made for marketing purposes in the 1890s to help deal with the importation of Christmas tree glass decorations from Germany.

Frankenmuth is a popular place to get into the Christmas spirit and create long-lasting memories. Bronner’s, the 320,000 square foot Christmas store in Frankenmuth, is a go-to for many families during the holidays.

“I got the ornament back in 2016 when my grandparents and I went to Frankenmuth,” sophomore Kaylee Elliot said. “I’ve had the ornament for about four years now. Every time I see it, I remember the day when my grandma surprised me with it. I did dance for about five years, and my grandma told me that the decoration actually reminded her of my ballet days.”

Whether it’s decorating the tree with a memorable ornament, making Christmas cookies or singing holiday tunes, this time of year gives people something to look forward to.