During the end of the year in Eastern Europe, especially in Ukraine, it is common to see spiders and cobwebs hanging from Christmas trees. These decorations can be gold, silver, or a wide range of other colors, but they seem to be something that is pretty consistent throughout the festivities.
These artistic arachnids, in turn, are not repurposed Halloween decorations, but rather a holiday tradition that began in the region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But how could something so peculiar take over the culture of a country? According to the researchers, the answer can be found in the literature.
Spiders at Christmas
According to historians, the origin of Christmas spiders lies in a folktale from the region, often called The Legend of the Christmas Spider. The story tells of a poor widow and her children, who were trying to decorate a pine tree growing in their garden after a pine cone fell there.
However, due to the lack of money to purchase typical Christmas tree decorations during the holiday season, the family needed to find an alternative. Then, one fine day, the spiders living in the house heard the family crying because they couldn’t follow the Christmas traditions seen in the rest of the world.
For this reason the arachnids then decided to decorate the branches with their webs. The next morning, her silk creations appeared to the family, shimmering gold and silver in the sunlight. The family’s joy for the gifts of the creatures was so great that the void created by the lack of money soon disappeared.
Create a tradition
The legend of the spider gifts became so popular in the region that it came to be known in various parts of the world. So, what was once just a Ukrainian custom ended up spreading to other parts of Eastern Europe, forcing thousands of families to hang cobwebs without their Christmas trees to this day.
The story also inspired a work titled The Christmas spider, performed annually by the American Opera Project. In Ukraine, spiders are often associated with good luck, similar to what ladybugs represent to some people in Brazil. For this reason it has become customary not to remove cobwebs during the holidays.
Ukrainians believe this is a way to bring good luck for the coming new year. Not chasing away the spiders also serves as a symbol of gratitude for the local population, representing the appreciation that the family in the folktale felt for the generous action of the arachnids that lived in their residence.
And you, have you ever wondered if this trend will also catch on where we live? Maybe this is the time for you to start treating the spiders you encounter along the way better!
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
