Christmas Pickles - cooking recipe

Ingredients

gallon jar of whole pickles
4 Tbsp. salt
8 Tbsp. pickling spice
4 Tbsp. alum
4 c. vinegar

Preparation

To jar of pickles add salt, pickling spice, alum and vinegar; fill with cold water and put lid on (do not need to refrigerate). Shake occasionally for a few days.
This can be done whenever pickles are ripe.
Before Thanksgiving or Christmas, drain water and rinse out spices.
Cut pickles in 1/2-inch rings.
Add 6 cups sugar and 8 tablespoons water.
Refrigerate.
Shake occasionally. Will keep in the refrigerator a long time.