I have to thank Sheila Renee Parker for sharing a post about the Legend of the Xmas Spider. I mean how did I not know that spiders were a part of xmas!
The Eastern European folktale tells the story of a poor family who cannot afford to decorate their xmas tree. During the night, spiders spin webs, weaving them around the tree branches. When the family awake on xmas day, their tree is shimmering with sliver webs. The story has a few variations but the basic theme is of a poor family whose xmas tree is decorated by helpful spiders.
In honour of the spiders it is traditional in some parts of the world to hang spider ornaments on the xmas tree which serve as reminders of the act of charity performed by the spiders. Spiders on your tree – whether real or ornamental – are also symbols of good luck. Decorating your tree with tinsel is supposedly inspired by the Legend of the Xmas Spider with the sparkling tinsel taking the place of gossamer spider webs. Will you be adding a little arachnid touch to your xmas tree?
Even though I’ll be celebrating the Summer Solstice, I will pay tribute to the xmas spiders by mixing up one of my favourite summertime drinks – a Spider! Similar to an Ice Cream Float or Ice Cream Soda, you simply add a scoop or scoops of your favourite ice cream into a large glass. Pour over any flavours like syrups, juices or alcohol then top with a carbonated beverage that can be non-alcoholic or alcoholic. The drink will bubble over so it can be messy. The bubbles are supposed to look like spiderwebs. Have fun experimenting with different flavour combinations for your Spiders.
Oh my! Those spiderwebs are so beautiful. Lovely photos. They look like some sort of amazing jewellery that Björk would wear ( or that I would wear, actually).
I hadn’t heard the story of the xmas spideys, either! Noice. I don’t have a tree, ( My kiddo and I are more Solstice-y/ New Year people also) but methinks some gorgeous spiderweb inspired decorations might need to be created here for next year! So purrdy!
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Lol – Björk would totally rock spider web jewellery! I’d like to think we would too. 🙂
There are some interesting xmas legends like the Yule Cat which comes from Iceland (like Björk) and some other scary critters which is making me want to put up a tree next year or maybe for Winter Solstice in six months time. I definitely want to make spider decorations – my mind is spinning with ideas.
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She totally would. And so would we!!
Oooh, the Yule Cat? Cats and spiders….xmas time is starting to look a lot more like Halloween! I approve!
Indeed- my mind is also spinning with the creative possibilities!!!
A merry spider-cat season to you and yours! 🙂
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And a merry Halloween Solstice to you and yours!
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Such beautiful spider webs! They are really fascinating. I love the Eastern Euro folktale.
I have not had an ice cream float in many years. Reminds me of my childhood — root beer and vanilla ice cream 🙂
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I was so happy to discover this myth – especially as it is Eastern European. I haven’t put up a Solstice Tree for many years but next year I will so I can decorate it with spider ornaments and spider web tinsel!
When I was a child, my two favourite ice cream float flavours were root beer and blue heaven. Now I stick to root beer – especially when I can get alcoholic root beer! 🙂
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Haha! I have never heard of blue heaven? A spiderweb solstice tree sounds beautiful. Eastern Europe does have some of the greatest legends…
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Blue Heaven is an Aussie flavour – a mix of raspberry and vanilla with blue food colouring. I loved the colour as well as the taste. 🙂
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What a lovely story about the Christmas spiders, I don’t like spiders but this may change my mind.
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There are a lot of interesting folktales about spiders. Possibly because their webs are so magical.
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