No. 348 - Prune People

Two weeks ago when the calendar flipped to December, I knew that the completion of my 365 Things Blog was in sight. Over 90% done -- less than 10% to go. Back in the spring and summer, there was no end in sight. Just a daily ritual to learn something new and post about it.

Today I realized how close I am to finishing, and posted as my Facebook status this morning: 19 posts to go. What can you teach me today?

The sole response as of Noon:  Prune People (a Christmas Tradition in Nuremburg)

I learned that Prune People are strange little figures made of dried fruit and nuts that are among the top sellers at the Nuremburg Christmas Market. The arms and legs are made of prunes threaded on a wire. The body is composed of dried figs and the head is a painted walnut. They are dressed as men and women in a wide variety of costumes. A sign over one of the stalls in the market selling prune people offers this advice: You will never be without gold and happiness, if you have a prune person in your house.

It is said that these figures were created in the 17th century when a poor man had a tough time bringing his family through a harsh winter. The idea came to him to produce plum figures in the way that his grandmother had taught him, and he sold these figures at the Nuremberg Christmas Market with incredible success!