Crochet Christmas Pickle Ornament FREE Pattern

If you’re looking to add a bit of festive cheer to your holiday decorations, this crochet Christmas Pickle pattern is just the project for you! This quirky pickle, complete with a little red Santa hat, makes an adorable addition to any Christmas tree or gift topper.

Crocheted with worsted weight yarn, this amigurumi pickle sits approximately 3 inches tall. This Christmas pickle will bring a smile to anyone’s face.

This free crochet pattern works up quickly, making for a perfect last-minute gift, or as a unique piece of holiday décor. You can also easily whip up a batch of these for your next holiday market!

This amigurumi pickle is crocheted primarily using single crochet stitches with bobble stitches added throughout to create iconic bumps that give pickles their distinctive texture. The bumpy texture makes this pickle extra charming and gives it that recognizable look.

Read on to discover the origin of the Christmas pickle tradition and to get inspired with creative ways to display and use this crochet pickle ornament.

The Tradition of the Christmas Pickle

You might be wondering, “Why a pickle for Christmas?” To be honest with you, I only started hearing about this Christmas pickle tradition a few years ago.

From my research, this tradition has an air of mystery and folklore around it! Legend has it that a Christmas pickle ornament is hidden in the branches of the Christmas tree decorated with Christmas baubles, and on Christmas morning, the first person to find it receives good fortune or a special gift.

While some believe this quirky custom has German roots, there isn’t a lot of concrete evidence to prove this. Many German families aren’t familiar with the Christmas pickle, and it’s thought the tradition may have actually gained popularity in the United States in the 19th century.

One popular version of the story tells of a soldier who was imprisoned during the Civil War and received a pickle as a Christmas Eve gift from a guard, which helped him survive. In gratitude, he began hiding a pickle in his Christmas tree each year.

Whether this story is fact or fiction, it’s easy to see why the Christmas pickle brings an element of excitement and playfulness to Christmas morning. For families who adopt the tradition, finding the pickle often comes with a special treat, making the hunt extra rewarding.

Learn to make your own from this crochet pickle ornament pattern below!

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Amigurumi Pickle Christmas Ornament FREE Crochet Pattern

This crochet pattern is available for FREE on this website. If you'd like an ad-free, printable PDF version, you can purchase it for a small fee from my Ravelry shop.

What You Need / Materials

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• Worsted weight yarn in the following colors:
• Green (try using Brava Worsted in Avocado)
• White (try using Brava Worsted in White)
• Red (try using Brava Worsted in Red)
• 3.25 mm Crochet Hook
• Safety Eyes (I used 6.0 mm)
• Poly-fil or any Polyester Stuffing of your choice
• Yarn / Tapestry Needle
• Stitch Markers
• Scissors

Stitches & Abbreviations

• st/sts - stitch/stitches
• ch - chain
• sc - single crochet
• sc-inc - single crochet increase, 2 single crochets in one stitch
• sc-dec - single crochet decrease, single crochet 2 stitches together
• bbl - bobble stitch
• Yarn over and insert the hook into the next stitch. Yarn over and pull through. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops. Repeat until you have 4 loops on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all of the loops on the hook. Push the bobble stitch forward towards you when you sc into the next stitch.
• FLO - front loop only

Notes

• This pattern is written in US crochet terminology.
• I made this amigurumi pickle using the "Yarn Under Single Crochet" technique. This technique makes the stitches tighter and appears more aligned.
• Crochet in continuous rounds. Do not join at the end of each round. Use a running stitch marker to keep your place when crocheting in rounds.
• Use the ultimate finish to close up the back of the amigurumi pickle.
• Use invisible decreases when making single crochet decreases for a nicer finish.
• Optional: invisible increase

• Finished measurements: approximately 7.5 cm (~3 inches)
• Gauge is not super important for this project as long as you keep your tension consistent.
• You can change and use a different yarn weight/category and appropriate hook size for this project to make it bigger/smaller.

Crochet Pattern Instructions

Pickle

Using a 3.25 mm crochet hook and green yarn...

Round 1: Magic Ring with a base of 7 sc (7 sts)

Round 2: Sc-inc in each st around (14 sts)

Round 3: [Sc, sc-inc] x 7 times (21 sts)

Round 4: 3 sc, bbl, sc in the remaining sts around (21 sts)

Round 5: 11 sc, bbl, sc in the remaining sts around (21 sts)

Round 6: 18 sc, bbl, sc in the remaining sts around (21 sts)

Round 7: Sc in each st around (21 sts)

Round 8: 6 sc, bbl, sc in the remaining sts around (21 sts)

Round 9: 15 sc, bbl, sc in the remaining sts around(21 sts)

Round 10: 2 sc, bbl, sc in the remaining sts around (21 sts)

Round 11: Sc in each st around (21 sts)

Round 12: 12 sc, bbl, sc in the remaining sts around

Round 13: Sc in each st around (21 sts)

Find an area to put your safety eyes on. I inserted my safety eyes between rounds 10 and 11 approximately 3 sts apart. Stuff the amigurumi before decreasing.

Round 14: [Sc, sc-dec] x 7 times (14 sts)

Round 15: Sc-dec in each st around (7 sts)

Cut and fasten off with the ultimate finish.

Christmas Santa Hat

Using a 3.25 mm crochet hook and red yarn...

Round 1: Magic Ring with a base of 4 sc (4 sts)

Round 2: Sc in each st around (4 sts)

Round 3: [Sc, sc-inc] x 2 times (6 sts)

Round 4: [Sc, sc-inc, sc] x 2 times (8 sts)

Round 5: [3 sc, sc-inc] x 2 times (10 sts)

Round 6: [Sc, sc-inc] x 5 times (15 sts)

Round 7: [Sc, sc-inc, sc] x 5 times (20 sts)

Round 8: [3 sc, sc-inc] x 5 times (25 sts)

Round 9-10: Sc in each st around (25 sts)

Change to white yarn...

Round 11: Sc in each st around (25 sts)

Round 12: Sc FLO in each st around (25 sts)

Round 13: Sc in each st around (25 sts)

Cut and fasten off with the invisible finish.

Fold up the white part of the Santa hat along the line created by crocheting in the FLO.

Pom-Pom

I made my fluffy pompom using a fork and some acrylic white yarn.

If you made your amigurumi Christmas pickle with chunky yarn and it ends up in a larger size, you can try one of these pompom makers to make the pompom on the end of the Santa hat.

Alternatively, you can crochet your pompom using white yarn.

Round 1: Magic Ring with a base of 6 sc (6 sts)

Round 2: Sc-inc in each st around (12 sts)

Round 3: [Sc, sc-inc] x 6 times (12 sts)

Round 4: Sc-dec in each st around (6 sts)

Cut and fasten off with the ultimate finish.

Sew the pompom to the top of the Santa hat.

Ideas for Displaying and Using Your Crochet Pickle Ornament

Once you’ve crocheted your Christmas pickle, there are so many creative ways to display and use it! Here are a few fun ideas to help you get started:

Traditional Christmas Tree Ornament

Of course, the classic way to display this crochet pickle ornament is on your Christmas tree. Place it among other ornaments or hide it in the branches if you want to continue the tradition of the Christmas pickle search on Christmas morning. The small size of this ornament makes it easy to nestle between branches, creating an element of surprise for whoever finds it.

Gift Topper

Make your gifts extra special by using this Christmas pickle ornament as a gift topper. Attach it to the ribbon on a wrapped present for a handmade touch. This way, it becomes an extra gift that the recipient can keep and use in future holiday décor.

Mantel Décor

If you’re looking for a unique way to display your crochet Christmas pickle, consider placing it on your holiday mantel. You can add it to a garland of greenery, hang it from stocking hooks, or even create a small display with other holiday crochet ornaments.

Wreath Accent

A wreath can be a lovely backdrop for your Christmas pickle. Simply attach it with a bit of yarn to the wreath or tuck it into the foliage. This adds a touch of whimsy to your door décor, and it will surely bring a smile to anyone who notices it.

Place Setting Surprise

For a holiday dinner with family or friends, you could make multiple crochet pickle ornaments and place one on each plate as a surprise for your guests. It’s a fun icebreaker, especially if you share the tradition behind the Christmas pickle, and guests can take their ornaments home as a keepsake.

Mini Garland

If you love the look of garlands, consider crocheting several pickles and stringing them together to create a mini pickle garland. This can add a quirky touch to your tree, mantel, or even around your dining table.

Did you make your own Crochet Christmas Pickle Ornament? I'd love to see it! Please share it with me on Instagram and/or use the #onceuponacheerio hashtag.

This is an original crochet pattern written by Juli Anne of Once Upon a Cheerio. Please do not claim this crochet pattern as your own. If you wish to share this crochet pattern, you may link to this blog post, but please do not reprint it on your site. You may keep a copy for personal use, but please DO NOT sell or distribute the crochet pattern.

You may sell products made from this crochet pattern, but please clearly credit the design to me, Juli Anne of Once Upon a Cheerio and provide a link to my blog www.OnceUponaCheerio.com. Permission is NOT granted for mass production or factory manufacturing of any kind. Thank you for understanding!