Is there really a Russian myth about Solenya, the pickle man?
There are many Russian myths about Solenya, the pickle man.
Due to age and some translation issues, not all of these myths have been fully documented. However, one popular myth is that so long as the sun shines before midnight on New Year’s Day, Solenya will leave a jar of pickles at your doorstep after he finishes ringing in the New Year with his lanterns and walking stick.
The origins of this legend are unknown but it goes back centuries. Some folks say this legend springs from a tradition in which children would put jars outside their house overnight to collect water for drinking on New year’s Morning and if they didn’t see any jars then they were doomed to go thirsty for another year…
