Does anyone know why the chimney sweep with ladder & cloverleaf and the pig figurine are on the German chocolates & candies that we order in to Canada. My DH is German and says it's for Good Luck for the New Year. I've done a quick search & read where a Chimney Sweep saved a King so has always been considered good luck since, even if you just get to touch them throughout the year.....Does anyone have any links or "inside" info that I could enjoy reading, thanks!

I can ask my German friends

Here is a link about the German Christmas pickle

http://mymerrychristmas.com/2005/pickle.shtml

Weihnachtsgurke
http://german.about.com/library/blgermyth11.htm

Pigs are lucky all year long because you may eat them and sell them. Prosperity. Of course, you can still use it, famously, as an insult and combine it with dog. lol There is a hard candy pig you can smash for New Year's luck but I think I'll stick with Hoppin' John and a jelly donut.

Caro said they are all good luck symbols and find them on stuff around the new years.

They mix up three symbols that dont "belong" together. But all of them stand for luck and prosperity.
The chimney sweeper prevented with his work that the chimneys cut fire and destroyed whole towns in old days. So each chimney sweeper seen in the neighbourhood meant good luck.
The four leaved clover is seen as symbol of the christian cross or the only thing eve took with her at the time she had to leave paradiese.
And the pig was always a sign of prosperity.

Granny

4-leaf clover is considered as a symbol of luck because it is not common. (3-leaf is the common variety).

Chimney sweep as a symbol of luck dates back to ordinances that "forced" home owners to have their chimneys swept regularly. If their house caught on fire they were still "lucky" and didn't get any additional trouble because they had followed the rules and had the chimney taken care of.

The pig was a symbol of fertility and prosperity and therefore desired as lucky.

I have never heard of a pickle on a Christmas tree. I still think it is an American folk tale. I have heard of the plum (or prune) which is a derivative from an altered song (Am Weihnachtsbaume da haengt 'ne Pflaume....) A prune hangs from the Christmas tree.....

Thanks for your thoughts everyone.