Christmas Around the World, Week 3: Ukraine!

While we are on the fourth week of Advent, this is only the third stop on our journey, as last week’s all-music service was a spectacular replacement for the stamp on our Christmas passport. This week, we travel to Ukraine, where spider webs are not something to be brushed away, but a treasure to delight in.

According to Ukrainian legend, a widow and her children, unable to afford decorations for their tree, woke up on Christmas morning to beautiful silvery webs gleaming in its branches. The spiders who lived in their home had woven the delicate, sparkling webs in answer to the children’s cries. It is said that the widow never again felt poor, but was instead grateful for all of the gifts she already had in her life.

There is a beautiful version of this story here. As we did during today’s service, we invite you to read the story with your own family and create your own spider webs to hang on your tree, like they do in Ukraine. The simple, DIY version handed out to those who attended today calls for a small paper plate, about five feet of silver twine, a pair of scissors, and some tape. Cut six slits in the edges of the plate, tape one end of the twine to the back, then bring the twine forward through one of the slits and across the plate to another slit. Continue criss-crossing the twine across the front of the plate until you run out of twine, then tape the other end to the back of the plate. Punch a hole near the edge for an ornament hanger or paperclip, and hang it on your tree! You might like to cut out the center of the plate before you begin weaving your web, so the silver threads will stand out even more. While not quite what we made today, First Palette has an example that is similar to what your finished product might look like.

As you hang your webs, these glittering symbols of good luck and gratitude, give each person an opportunity to share a blessing they already have in their life. Perhaps you’ll notice yourselves entering Christmas with a focus on your abundance, rather than anything you feel you lack – and maybe the next time you see a spider web, you won’t be so quick to brush it away.

Which of your blessings have the spiders reminded you of? Share with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!