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Legend of the Christmas Spider

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For the species of Australian spiders commonly called "Christmas spiders", see Austracantha minax.

Legend of the Christmas Spider
A Ukrainian spider web ornament from the Christmas Around the World 2007 exhibit of the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
Folk tale
NameLegend of the Christmas Spider
CountryUkraine, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia
RegionEurope

The Legend of the Christmas Spider is an Eastern European folktale which explains one possible origin of tinsel on Christmas trees. It is most prevalent in Western Ukraine, where small ornaments in the shape of a spider are traditionally a part of the Christmas decorations.

Story

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A poor but hardworking widow once lived in a small hut with her children. One summer day, a pine cone fell on the earthen floor of the hut and took root. The widow's children cared for the tree, excited at the prospect of having a Christmas tree by winter. The tree grew, but when Christmas Eve arrived, they could not afford to decorate it. The children sadly went to bed and fell asleep. Early the next morning, they woke up and saw the tree covered with cobwebs. When they opened the windows, the first rays of sunlight touched the webs and turned them into gold and silver. The widow and her children were overjoyed. From then on, they never lived in poverty again.[1][2]

Variants

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Other versions replaces sunlight with a miracle from Father Christmas, Santa Claus, or the Child Jesus, and tells the story primarily from the perspective of the spiders who wished to see the Christmas tree.[3][4][5][6]

Origins

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The origins of the folk tale are unknown, but it is believed to have come from either Germany or Ukraine.[7][8][6][9] In Germany, Poland, and Ukraine, finding a spider or a spider's web on a Christmas tree is considered good luck.[10] Ukrainians also create small Christmas tree ornaments in the shape of a spider (known as pavuchky, literally "little spiders"), usually made of paper and wire. They also decorate Christmas trees with artificial spider webs.[11] The tradition of using tinsel is also said to be because of this story.[3][2][12]

According to Lubow Wolynetz, folk art curator at the Ukrainian Museum, New York City, the tradition is Ukrainian and dates back to the late 1800s or early 1900.[13]

It may be based on an older European superstition about spiders bringing luck (though not black spiders in Germany),[8] or conversely that it is bad luck to destroy a spider's web before the spider is safely out of the way.[3]

Fictional works

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The Christmas Spider has been retold and adapted in works of fiction:

  • In 2001, Shirly Climo wrote "Cobweb Christmas: The Tradition of Tinsel" with illustrations by Jane Manning.[14][15][16]
  • In 2011, Trinka Hakes Noble retold the story in her book, "A Christmas Spider's Miracle.".[17][18][19]
  • In 2014, the story was told by Angela Yuriko Smith and Robin Wiesenthal as "The Christmas Spiders."[20][21][22]
  • The story was retold in 2020 as "Tinsel the Christmas Spider" by author Pamela K. Pfertsh, illustrated by Fina Tedesco.[23]
  • In 2020, Faith McDowell told the story as "The Christmas Spider."[24]
  • In 2021, Miriam Monette told the story as "The Christmas Spider: the Nativity Story Retold for Children" featuring the Christmas Spider as a visitor to Bethlehem.[25]
  • In 2022, Andrew Gorman told the story as "The Legend of the Christmas Spider."[26][27][28]
  • In 2023, Sarah Copeland wrote "The Christmas Spider" featuring a spider rejected by its family.[29]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light: Slovenia to Wales". Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago.
  2. ^ a b "The Ukrainian Tradition of Spider Webs and Christmas". Ukraine.com. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  3. ^ a b c DeeAnn Mandryk (2005). Canadian Christmas Traditions: Festive Recipes and Stories From Coast to Coast. James Lorimer & Company. pp. 56–57. ISBN 9781554390984.
  4. ^ "Legend of the Christmas Spider". Spider Wisdom. 19 December 2010. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  5. ^ Julia Goralka (11 December 2011). "A Christmas tree, Jesus, and a spider". Washington Times. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Tabletop Trees: Tinsel Tree". Martha Stewart Living. December 2001. Archived from the original on 4 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  7. ^ Orysia Paszczak Tracz (31 December 2006). "A spider for Christmas?". The Ukrainian Weekly. 74 (53).
  8. ^ a b Barbara Klumb (20 December 1978). "Spider Tale Spins a Web of Holiday Yore". The Milwaukee Journal: 1, 3.[dead link‍]
  9. ^ "What Is A Christmas Spider And Where Did The Tradition Come From?". Southern Living. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  10. ^ Arlene Erlbach (2002). Merry Christmas, Everywhere!. Millbrook Press. p. 42. ISBN 9780761319566.
  11. ^ "The wonderful and weird Christmas traditions around the world". Punchline. 11 December 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  12. ^ "Ukrainian Christmas Spider Ornaments". Solovei Magazine. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  13. ^ https://www.today.com/home/spider-ornaments-christmas-trees-symbolize-good-luck-t120335[full citation needed]
  14. ^ Climo, Shirley (2 October 2001). Cobweb Christmas: The Tradition of Tinsel. Jane Manning (Revised ed.). HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-029033-7.
  15. ^ "Cobweb Christmas: Shirley Climo and Jane K. Manning: Hardcover: 9780060290337: Powell's Books". www.powells.com. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Cobweb Christmas: The Tradition of Tinsel". Learning Through Literature®. 18 November 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  17. ^ September 2011, Reviewed on 23. A Christmas Spider's Miracle.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ "A Christmas Spider's Miracle". Trinka Hakes Noble ~ Author and Illustrator. 4 May 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  19. ^ A Christmas Spider's Miracle.
  20. ^ Noble, Barnes &. "The Christmas Spiders|Paperback". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  21. ^ Smith, Angela Yuriko (29 November 2014). The Christmas Spiders. Robin Wiesneth. EMBER PRESS. ISBN 978-0-692-34745-4.
  22. ^ "The Christmas Spiders, ISBN 9780692347454 - Better Read Than Dead Bookstore Newtown". www.betterread.com.au. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  23. ^ Pfertsh, Pamela K. (16 December 2020). Tinsel the Christmas Spider. Fina Tedesco. The Waterspout Press. ISBN 978-0-578-82254-9.
  24. ^ McDowell, Faith B. (9 June 2020). The Christmas Spider. Whiff of Lilac, F.B. McDowell. ISBN 978-1-7350404-1-7.
  25. ^ Monette, Miriam (23 November 2021). The Christmas Spider: The Nativity Story Retold for Children. Cassandra Hicks, Jarom Jenkins. White Lake Press.
  26. ^ Gorman, Andrew (20 December 2022). The Legend Of The Christmas Spider. Christian Faith Publishing.
  27. ^ Noble, Barnes &. "The Legend Of The Christmas Spider|Paperback". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  28. ^ Publishing, Christian Faith. "Author Andrew Gorman's newly released "The Legend of the Christmas Spider" book tells the story of how people decorate their Christmas trees in this day and age". PRWeb. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  29. ^ Copeland, Sarah M. (21 November 2023). The Christmas Spider. Tellwell Talent. ISBN 978-0-2288-8942-7.
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