Spiderweb Decorations, Ukraine
This particular tradition goes back to a folk tale in which spiders decorated the tree of a family that was too poor to pay for proper yuletide ornaments. When they woke up on Christmas morning, the spider webs woven overnight turned silver and gold. Nowadays, Ukrainian Christmas trees feature spider webs made from various materials such as crystal, paper, metal, and plastic.
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La Befana, Italy
Who is that swooping down the chimney? Similar to Santa Claus, an old witch named La Befana flies around on her broomstick and brings good Italian children treats (and bad Italian children, coal) on Epiphany Eve. According to the Italian Ministry of Tourism, the roots of this legend can be traced back to pre-Roman times, when similar mythical flying women were associated with the harvest, but became connected to the story of the three wise men visiting baby Jesus. The legend is celebrated on January 6 with events across the country, including the Regata delle Befane in Venice, a boat race featuring costumed participants.