“If you want to live and thrive, let the spider run alive.” ~American Quaker Saying
Garden spiders are one of my favorite inhabitants in the garden. They spin and weave beautiful orb webs and take up residence amongst the plant life that thrives there. They are as beautiful as they are fascinating and all dressed up in black and yellow they bring to the garden an element of mystique and eccentricity. I like that. I like different. That is why I added a spider to my Christmas tree.
I found my beautiful spider ornament at a local arts and craft show. There is a legend that originates from German folklore that came with it. The story goes like this:Once upon a time in Germany, long ago, a gentle mother was busily cleaning the house for the most wonderful day of the year. Not a speck of dust was left on the day when the Christ Child was to come and bring the gifts of Christmas Eve. Even the spiders had been banished from their cozy corner in the ceiling to avoid the housewife's busy cleaning. They finally fled to the farthest corner of the forgotten attic.
'Twas Christmas Eve at last! The tree was decorated and waiting for the children to see it. But the poor spiders were frantic, for they could not see the tree, nor be present for the Christ Child's visit. The oldest and wisest spider suggested that perhaps they could peep through the crack in the door to see Him. Silently, they crept out of their attic and across the floor to wait in the crack in the threshold.
Suddenly, the door opened a wee bit, and quickly the spiders sneaked into the room. The tree towered so high they couldn't see the ornaments on top. In fact, their eyes were so small they could see only one ornament at a time. They scurried up the trunk, out along each branch, filled with a happy wonder at the glittering beauty. Every place they went they left a trail of dusty, grey web. When at last they had inspected every bit of the Christmas tree, it was shrouded in a dusty grey of spider webs.
The Christ Child smiled as He thought of the happy spiders seeing His tree. But He knew the mother would not feel the same way and that she would be broken hearted. So He reached out His hand and touched the webs and blessed them. They all turned to shimmering, sparkling silver and gold. The tree glistened in greater beauty than ever before.
Ever since that time, we have hung tinsel on the tree, and according to the story, it has become a custom to include a spider among the decorations on the tree.
'Twas Christmas Eve at last! The tree was decorated and waiting for the children to see it. But the poor spiders were frantic, for they could not see the tree, nor be present for the Christ Child's visit. The oldest and wisest spider suggested that perhaps they could peep through the crack in the door to see Him. Silently, they crept out of their attic and across the floor to wait in the crack in the threshold.
Suddenly, the door opened a wee bit, and quickly the spiders sneaked into the room. The tree towered so high they couldn't see the ornaments on top. In fact, their eyes were so small they could see only one ornament at a time. They scurried up the trunk, out along each branch, filled with a happy wonder at the glittering beauty. Every place they went they left a trail of dusty, grey web. When at last they had inspected every bit of the Christmas tree, it was shrouded in a dusty grey of spider webs.
The Christ Child smiled as He thought of the happy spiders seeing His tree. But He knew the mother would not feel the same way and that she would be broken hearted. So He reached out His hand and touched the webs and blessed them. They all turned to shimmering, sparkling silver and gold. The tree glistened in greater beauty than ever before.
Ever since that time, we have hung tinsel on the tree, and according to the story, it has become a custom to include a spider among the decorations on the tree.
Every creature on earth has a purpose, including spiders. Spiders are ultimate exterminators and help to control insect populations. God, like the spiders, weaved all of creation together in a web of cooperativeness that works to create a balance in nature and promotes harmony. How appropriate that he would give us yet another example in the spider of how his work is accomplished.
“The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.” – Proverbs 30:28
I do know that spiders are good, but they still creep me out. If they are outside, that's fine, but found in the house, that's a different story.
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