Spider's Christmas Gift: A Children's FolkTale and Polish Holiday Traditions

It's the night before Christmas. All the woodland animals are making gifts for the newborn King. But poor Spider doesn't have a gift. What will she do? A traditional Yule tale from Poland, as told to me by my father.

Also included is information on the Yule holiday in Poland as well as recipes for holiday food and ornaments.

Most stories of the Yule spider take place indoors. This one connects Jesus with the light of the Sun and the magical night of Wiglia (Vigil Night - Christmas Eve) when, according to Polish folk tales, the animals are said to speak as humans.