Spiders for Christmas? Charlotte would approve!

By Dr. Beth Leermakers

Reindeer may be the best-known Christmas animals, but they aren’t the only stars in Christmas celebrations and traditions around the world. These eight animals also take center stage during the Christmas season: 

Kangaroos in Australia. Reindeer aren’t the only delivery team on Santa’s payroll. Down under, where it’s too hot for Rudolph and his reindeer friends, male kangaroos (boomers) pull Santa’s sleigh. Hopping 15-5 mph, boomers cover 25 feet in a single leap and can jump six feet high. All that quick hopping gives Santa quite a jolt, forcing him to buckle up and hold on tight!  

Yule Goats in Sweden. The Yule Goat is a beloved tradition in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries, with origins tracing back to ancient Pagan festivals. The Norse God Thor was said to ride through the sky in a chariot drawn by two goats. Notice the similarity to Santa?

Throughout time, the Yule Goat became a key figure in Christmas celebrations. Swedes believed it was an invisible spirit that appeared before Christmas to ensure holiday preparations were done correctly. Eventually, the goat took on the role of gift giver and sometimes appears alongside or even instead of Santa.

Today, straw Yule Goats are common Swedish Christmas decorations. Yule goat ornaments are placed under the Christmas tree, and Swedish towns and cities even build large statues to honor this tradition. 

A popular Christmas prank in some regions involved sneaking a straw or wooden Yule Goat into a neighbor’s house without them noticing. The family that received the goat would then have to place it in another family’s home. Perhaps this playful custom inspired the modern “Elf on the Shelf” tradition!

Wrens in Ireland. Wren Day is an Irish custom celebrated on December 26, St. Stephen’s Day. Traditionally, groups of men and boys (“Wren Boys”) would go wren hunting. Hunting wrens is now discouraged, so a stuffed wren replaces a real one for the festivities. Dressed in costumes, the Wren Boys parade through their communities carrying decorated poles or boxes containing the fake wren. They play music and sing traditional songs, often collecting donations from houses they visit. 

The ritual killing of the wren on December 26 represented the death of the old year, ensuring the return of light and the coming of the new year. Called the “king of all birds” in Irish folklore, wrens were considered “druid birds” that carried messages to the otherworld. 

Druids — members of the high-ranking priestly class who were religious leaders, legal authorities and political advisors — studied wren flight patterns for prophecies and omens. 

Spiders in Ukraine. Ukrainians decorate their Christmas trees with artificial spider web ornaments to bring good luck and fortune for the coming year. According to legend, a poor widow couldn’t afford to decorate her Christmas tree. Hearing the children’s sobs, the household spiders spun intricate webs on the tree. On Christmas morning, the sun’s rays touched the threads of the web, turning them into gold and silver. From that day forward, the widow never lacked anything. 

Krampus in Germany. Krampus is a half-goat, half-demon beast with horns, fangs and a long tongue. According to legend, the Krampus knows if children have been naughty or nice. According to German legend, this scary anti-Santa appears every year on Krampusnacht (December 5) to bring bad children to the underworld.   

Llamas in South America. In the Andean countries (Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador and Peru), llamas often replace donkeys, cows and sheep in nativity scene. Llamas are often dressed up and paraded through villages during Christmas in Peru and Bolivia. Llamas play important roles in Andean communities as pack animals and sources of wool. 

Roosters in Spain. In Spain and Spanish-speaking countries around the world, a Misa de Gallo (Rooster’s Mass) is celebrated on or around Christmas Eve, often involving a chicken dish. Celebrating Christmas mass at dawn comes from the belief that a rooster crowed upon Jesus’ birth. 

Household pets in Poland. A Christmas Eve tradition involves sharing a special wafer (oplatki) with family members, wishing everyone good tidings as the wafers are passed around the table. Traditionally, the wafers were shared with farm animals, acknowledging that they were present at Jesus’ birth. Today, because pets are part of the family, many packets of oplatki include a pink wafer for fur babies.

Just as kangaroos, llamas and even mythical goats play unique roles in holiday traditions around the world, our pets bring their own magic to our homes, making the holidays even more special. Let’s include our four-legged friends in the holiday festivities, creating new traditions and memories. After all, the best gift is the unconditional love our pets give us all year round.