Legend of the Christmas Spider facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Legend of the Christmas Spider |
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A Ukrainian spider web ornament from the Christmas Around the World 2007 exhibit of the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
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| Folk tale | |
| Name | Legend of the Christmas Spider |
| Data | |
| Country | Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia |
| Region | Europe |
Have you ever wondered why we put shiny tinsel on our Christmas trees? The Legend of the Christmas Spider is an old folktale from Eastern Europe. It tells a story that explains where the idea of tinsel came from. This story is very popular in Western Ukraine. There, people often hang small spider-shaped ornaments on their Christmas trees.
Contents
The Christmas Spider Story
This heartwarming folktale begins with a poor but hardworking widow. She lived in a tiny hut with her children. One summer day, a pine cone landed on the dirt floor of their home. Soon, it began to grow roots.
The children were so excited! They carefully looked after the little tree. They dreamed of having a beautiful Christmas tree when winter arrived. The tree grew bigger and bigger. But when Christmas Eve finally came, the family was too poor to buy any decorations for it.
Sadly, the children went to bed and fell asleep. Early the next morning, they woke up to a wonderful sight. The tree was completely covered in delicate cobwebs! When they opened the windows, the first rays of sunlight streamed in. As the light touched the webs, they magically turned into sparkling gold and silver. The widow and her children were filled with joy. From that day on, they never had to live in poverty again.
Different Versions of the Story
There are a few different ways this story is told. In some versions, the sunlight isn't what changes the webs. Instead, a miracle happens from a special Christmas visitor. This visitor might be Father Christmas, Santa Claus, or the Child Jesus.
Other versions of the tale focus more on the spiders themselves. They tell the story from the spiders' point of view. These spiders really wanted to see the Christmas tree decorated.
Where the Legend Comes From
No one knows exactly where the Legend of the Christmas Spider started. Many people believe it came from either Germany or Ukraine. In these countries, and also in Poland, finding a spider or a spider's web on your Christmas tree is thought to bring good luck.
Ukrainians have a special tradition. They make small Christmas tree ornaments shaped like spiders. These are called pavuchky, which means "little spiders." They are usually made from paper and wire. People also decorate their Christmas trees with artificial spider webs. This tradition is said to be the reason we use tinsel on Christmas trees today.
According to Lubow Wolynetz, who is a folk art expert at the Ukrainian Museum in New York City, this tradition is definitely Ukrainian. She says it started in the late 1800s or early 1900s. The story might also be connected to an older European belief. This belief says that spiders bring good luck. However, in Germany, black spiders were not considered lucky. Another old belief is that it's bad luck to destroy a spider's web before the spider has safely moved away.
See also
- Cultural depictions of spiders
- "The Fir-Tree", Hans Christian Andersen tale about a Christmas tree
- Ukrainian folklore
