Want a little more German in you?

Here are a couple of pictures from my recent trip to the Christkindlemarket in downtown Chicago. I walk by it all the time since it is on the way to and from work. The plaza is filled with little kiosks that are supposed to resemble a German village...inside a mall. I find it hilarious what German's consider traditional holiday items. Okay, I am almost 75% German and I've NEVER seen this stuff.
First, you hide the pickle. Yeah, I totally giggled about that one too. You hide a pickle Christmas ornament in the tree, and the kid that finds it gets a prize. I browsed an ornament store and they had dozens of different pickles (long, fat, skinny, green, clear, etc.) and I originally thought "hey those Germans sure like their pickles...insert sexual innuendo here".
They also have good luck pigs...yes pigs! Is the delious taste of bacon so overpowering that they must worship the swine? My favorite is a good luck pig with a chimney sweeper riding astride it. I have no idea what bonkers trandition that stemmed from, but I am willing to guess it involves lots of acid.
Holiday food is known to cause weight gain. At least this cake, Butter Stollen, is up front about it. Made with a lot of butter...now where is that pig.