The Tradition of Tinsel - the Legend of the Christmas Spider
The story of the Christmas Spider appears in many different versions throughout central and eastern Europe. In all of them the spiders' webs, spun on Christmas Eve, turn to silver and are seen as the beginning of the beautiful tradition of hanging sparkling tinsel on your Christmas tree. The tinsel symbolizes a Christmas miracle from long ago.
And, the Christmas Spider legend beckons us to give thanks to the industrious spiders by hanging a spider ornament in a special place on our trees.
In Germany, the legend has it that a poor woman was unable to provide the traditional decorations for the Christmas holiday. A spider, who had narrowly escaped the dust mop, made his home in her tree and began to spin beautiful webs. On Christmas morning, the first light of the day struck the cobwebs, turning them to silver. When the woman awoke, she found the tree covered with silver treasure - the spider had brought good fortune! And the tradition of hanging tinsel on one's Christmas tree was begun.
This Christmas, pair the Christmas Spider ornament from Inge-Glas with one of these two delightful children's books as a charming addition to your Christmas traditions.
Cobweb Christmas: The Tradition of Tinsel by Shirley Cimo with illustrations by Jane Manning -
and
The Spider's Gift: A Ukrainian Christmas Story by retold by Eric A. Kimmel with illustrations by Katya Krenina
There is nothing more special than adding a touch of folklore with a piece of Inge-Glas folk art to your Christmas.
Enjoy our Pinterest Board on Inge-Glas - here
Wendt and Kuhn 2023 figures
WENDT & KÜHN ELEGANT LIMITED EDITION MADONNAS WITH CHILD INTRODUCED IN 2020
Wendt and Kühn has introduced two exquisite Limited Edition Madonnas with Child.
These figurines are masterpieces made exclusively to order. They are available by SPECIAL ORDER (see the details below) and are 16-1/2" tall. Each year Wendt and Kühn will create only 100 pieces. The label on the underside of the base will show its number out of 100 together with the year it was made. My Growing Traditions is offering them at a savings of $300.00.
The two Madonnas offered are very different in appearance. While the Madonna in the dark-blue richly painted dress exudes elegance, the one with the pale-blue robe touches us with her gentle demeanor. Regardless of which version you choose, the skill and artistry that has gone into their painting means these impressive large figurines represent the master craftsmanship of the Wendt and Kühn workshops like no others.
To order please call My Growing Traditions at 1-877-831-6077 (Eastern Time).
Each extraordinary Madonna will be produced exclusively to order, one by one. These pieces require a very high degree of craftsmanship from the skilled craftsmen and women at the Wendt and Kuehn workshops.
A $750.00 non-refundable deposit will be required. Once ordered this item cannot be canceled, it is limited to 100 pieces per year and if not available it will come the next year. In placing your order you agree to wait for delivery.
Brunette or Blonde hair color may be requested, but is not guaranteed.
It is not known whether Grete Wendt was interested in the Virgin Mary in a religious sense or if she took a more humanistic view of the Madonna as a depiction of a mother and child. What we do know is that she was very taken with a particular painting of the Madonna, the “The Virgin and Child with a Pear”
by Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), a German painter. A reproduction of this work hung on the wall of her living room.
In the coming years Wendt and Kühn intends to select with great care, and at regular intervals, a number of genuine treasures from their extraordinary treasure trove of designs.
Brück and Sohn Advent Calendars - European Cities and More - Limited Supplies Available
Brück and Sohn (Printers in Meissen, Germany 1793-2018) celebrate European cities and culture with their exquisite Advent Calendars. After honoring their 225th anniversary in October 2018, the 7th generation, Annette and Helmut Brück, retired, closing their doors. An era has come to an end.
My Growing Traditions has scavenged where we could and replenished our inventory in hopes of being able to make them available to you as long as possible. We do have limited supplies available.
Here we present a few customer favorites -
The Brücks continue to memorialize the history of their company and offer a small museum and postcard archive which are preserved in Meissen and which are open to the public by appointment.
Given our limited supplies we recommend you secure yours now. You can click on the photos and titles above, or click here: to find the entire collection
A new annual Special Edition Series from Wendt and Kühn to Celebrate Advent and Saint Nicholas Day
Wendt and Kühn is creating a new annual special edition series, meant to be a small, perfect, yet precious gift for Advent or Saint Nicholas Day (December 6).
For 2019 they give us a charming Angel on a Star at 2" tall. The Angel is similar to the legendary Angel 28 designed by Grete Wendt even before Wendt and Kühn was founded. The Angel has a special label on the underside of its base with the words "Zum Weihnachtsfest 2019" (For Christmas 2019) and comes in the Green and Gold Wendt and Kuehn presentation box.
From Wendt and Kühn - Small Grünhainichen Angel in Celebration of the Erzgebirge
New for 2018, Wendt and Kühn brings us this Small Grünhainichen Angel in Toy Village. Two-inches high the Grünhainichen angel brings to life the toy-making tradition of the Erzgebirge. 
The Angel holds a traditional splinter box on its lap filled with treasures. In it are stored the Angel's favorite toys: a house with a red roof, a little green tree, and a small wooden horse with even smaller ears. All are reminders of the wonderful, world-famous toys that are created in Wendt and Kühn's home, Germany's Toy Villages, in the Erzgebirge that bring happiness to children all around the world.
A very special piece for all of us who love the Erzgebirge's wonderful folk art.
