The legend of the Christmas spider is a folktale, primarily from Eastern Europe, about a poor family who could not afford to decorate their Christmas tree. That night, a mother spider and her babies spun beautiful webs all over the branches. When the first light of the Christmas sun hit the webs, they turned into shimmering silver and gold, bringing the family good fortune and a happy life. This story explains the origin of tinsel on Christmas trees and why placing a spider ornament on the tree is said to bring good luck.
