This Is What It Means When You See a Spider Ornament on a Christmas Tree

While we may think of spiders as a symbol specific to Halloween, the eight-legged creatures actually come into play as Christmas symbols. When we reported on the meaning of the pickle ornament, some readers shared that they also practice the tradition of the Christmas spider, and we were curious to learn more.

Another folk tale from Europe, the history of spiders at Christmastime has been attributed to various countries, most often Ukraine and Germany. In one version of the story, a widowed mother is too poor to decorate her Christmas tree, so friendly spiders spin elaborate webs on the evergreen. When the mother and her family wake on Christmas morning, they open the curtains and sunlight hits the webs, turning them silver and gold (this tale is sometimes said to be the origin of tinsel). The family had good fortune from then on. Other iterations claim it was Santa Claus or Jesus himself who transformed the webs so that they wouldn't upset the mother.

It's likely the legend is linked to the idea that spiders are lucky, but whatever the real reason, several sources, including the Evening Standard, report that Ukrainians decorate their Christmas trees with spider-shaped ornaments (often made of beautiful beads) to this day. Shop these striking spider ornaments to start the tradition in your own home this year.