One of my quirks, is that I love spiders, regularly make friends with yellow jackets, will toss stink bugs outside if I find them in the house (like just two days ago, in December, here in the Okanagan!!!) and only hang fly tape when too many house flies move in or the fruit flies come out. One year when my son was just a baby and my daughter was not yet born, the bedroom window did not have a screen. An orb weaver spider created a web across that window, and all summer long, not a single bug got into that room! The spider got big and fat and I was sad to see her go when the cold weather hit.

My daughter bought me some "Christmas spiders" as we call them, during halloween season one year. As much as I hate that holiday, commercially-speaking it's the only time of year when we find decent spider decorations. Most of the time we don't buy them, but a couple years ago, Ashley bought me a set of spiders to put up at Christmastime. Their colours were too cheery for halloween, but that's when they were set out for purchase. This year, I had a little fun with one, making it look like she was trying to help me decorate and got tangled in the garland.

Every time I see a spider, I am reminded of the verse in Proverbs where Solomon observes them even living in the palace. I hope this Christmas spider's attempt at decorating brings you a smile as it does me.

Merry Christmas!