Spiders and their webs represent good luck for Ukrainians. “Pavuchky” are the most common motif found on pysanky and are common in Ukrainian folk art in general. Spider motifs generally have a centrifugal or complex net-like composition, resembling the outline of a spider and its web. In some Ukrainian folk beliefs, the earth was suspended on a warp spun by a spider. The spider and its web were also associated with fortune telling, the fulfillment of wishes, protection, perseverance, and love. Based on their appearance, ethnographers consider them sun symbols.
Acceptance of spiders in the home, as with many other Ukrainian traditions, originates in a legend. Now a Christmas story I was told was that..
“There once was a widow living in her cramped, cold hut with her children. One day, a pinecone dropped from the tree outside and took root. The children, excited by the prospect of a tree for Christmas, tended the seedling and made plans about how they would decorate the tree. Poverty was a way of life for the small family, and when Christmas approached, the widow knew that they would not be able to decorate the tree. The children and the widow accepted their fate and went to bed on Christmas Eve, the tiny tree branches bare. But the household’s spiders heard the children’s sobs and spun intricate webs on the tree. Early on Christmas morning, the children cried, “Mother, mother wake up and see the tree. It is beautiful!” The widow rose to find that during the cold night a spider had spun its web around the fragile branches. As the rays of the sun crept along the floor and silently climbed the tree, the glow touched the threads of the web turning each one into silver and gold, and, as the story goes, from that day forward the widow never wanted for anything. To remember this miracle, Ukrainians still decorate their trees with artificial spider webs to this day to usher in good luck and fortune for the coming year. So, next time a spider decides that your home is warm and cozy, think twice before fetching a broom to sweep the webs away.”
What is very strange is that Christmas Trees were not used until recently in Ukraine. I believe the above story and the web in the tree are related to The Sacred Straw Spider Talisman. This handmade geometric straw mobile was traditionally made during the winter and Christmas. They were suspended from the ceiling by long horsehair strands and were believed to trap negative energy. They also brought prosperity, blessings and protection to the home.
These intricately woven, airy structures, and web-like forms are made from harvest straw. They reflect the interconnectedness of community and the cycles of life. They are found all over Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Norway, Russia, and many other countries.
I believe that the Christmas tree ornament we see in this story replaced the traditional Pavuk with the Ukrainian Diaspora. This could be due to the harsh living conditions in the “New World”. Perhaps they had no time to make the old world straw decorations and this became the replacement?
Want to build your own? Check out our Sacred Straw Spider Talisman Kit!
