An old Belarusian legend tells of a mother and father walking through the forest with their children, looking for just the right Christmas tree. A fairy appeared holding a beautifully decorated tree covered with ornaments representing all the colors of the rainbow. Alinka, their young daughter, excitedly called out to her mother, “Here is our jalinka.” The delighted family told their neighbors, and the news of this miracle soon spread throughout the country. To replicate the fairy’s tree, people began constructing geometric shapes from straw dyed in an assortment of colors. Today, ubory (the making of straw ornaments) is an art form, which takes a great amount of skill and patience to master.
Here is a guide to the symbolism of such ornaments:
