During the Christmas Season it is always interesting to investigate how insects play a part in Christmas legends and folklore. One interesting story has to do with the legend of the Christmas Spider.
The Christmas Spider originates as a German or Ukrainian story. In its simplest form, it is a story of a poor woman and her experience every Christmas Eve when the Christ Child would appear and bless her house. On that day, the house had to be spotless. Even the spider webs would need to be removed.
But one Christmas Eve, the spiders came down and formed their webs all over the Christmas tree covering every branch and twig. When the Christ Child came to see the house and bless it, He saw the webs and their beauty. When the Christ child touched the webs, they turned into silver and gold.
Since that time, we have enjoyed tinsel as a decoration that is hung on Christmas trees in remembrance of the Christmas spiders’ webs.
Insects are many times used in storytelling to explain supernatural events. There are many Christmas stories worldwide that include different insects.
The Christmas season is a perfect time to examine some of these stories and continue to pass them down through the generations.
