People enjoy giving and receiving unique Xmas ornaments, and there is a variety from which to choose. Many of these decorations come with some kind of folklore that has been carried down through the centuries. Some are more well-known than others, like the Christmas pickle. It seems another commonality among them is that they originate from Germany or the Ukraine. The origins are often debated, but much of their stories seem to follow some of the same lines, even through time and translation.
One of the most unique Xmas ornaments is the Christmas spider. The story tells of a poor woman that lives in the woods with her family. It is Christmas Eve night, and her children are tucked into bed. She brings in a tree from outside and hurriedly cleans her cottage. Amongst the hustle and bustle, a spider and her babies scurry into the attic and watch this woman tidy her home and decorate her tree before bed. With everyone asleep, the spider and her babies crawl down from the attic and ascend the tree with curiosity. They traveled up and down the tree’s trunk and branches, leaving fragile webbing behind. The story goes on to say that the Christ child comes to the home to leave a blessing and sees what the spider has done. As to not upset the woman and all the hard work she put into cleaning, he touched the webs, and they turned to shimmering strands of gold and silver. This is where the story not only gives us an antidote as to why trees are decorated with tinsel, but also why so many people have a spider ornament hanging proudly on their tree.
