Long before Dickens penned A Christmas Carol, our ancestors gathered around midwinter fires to tell tales of spirits and monsters lurking in the darkness. Tonight, we explore why Christmas and ghost stories have been intertwined for thousands of years — then share true accounts that prove the tradition is very much alive. #HolidayHorrors<br /><br />IN THIS EPISODE: Earlier this month I shared some true reports of people seeing Kris Kringle – or what appeared to be Kris Kringle – in real life. But there are many more of those strange sightings to share! (More Real Santa Sightings) *** Christmas has been celebrated for centuries, and gift-giving has been around in America since well before the Civil War. But how we celebrate and what we give changes depending on the time. We’ll take a look at what Christmas was like for American pioneers in the 1800s. (Christmas in The Old West) *** At a Christmas party the revelers heard a horrifying scream from outside. They rushed out to hear the screams were coming from the sky, at least above the rooftops. But how could that be? It was then that they learned Oliver Lerch had disappeared – never to be seen again. (The Christmas Disappearance of Oliver Lerch) *** Nothing says Christmas like a poisonous weed! Well… you explain mistletoe! We’ll look at why we’re supposed to kiss under this deadly plant during the holidays. (A Kiss Under the Mistletoe) *** A horrible fire breaks out at an Oklahoma school during the holidays of 1924 – and the ghosts of the children still linger at the site. (Ghosts of the Babbs Switch School Christmas Fire) *** You might be celebrating Christmas like a viking and not even realize it. From the holiday ham to the evergreen in your living room, we’ll look at how the pagan celebration of Yule influenced modern Christmas traditions. (How To Celebrate Christmas Like a Viking) *** Kids in America anxiously await the arrival of Santa Claus bounding down the chimney with gifts and candy for the good little boys and girls. But that’s America. What comes down the chimney of Irish and Scottish kids may not be so jolly, plump, and loving. Some Gaelic children have to watch out for the Bodach. (Beware the Bodach at Christmas) *** It’s something we’re trying to revive here on Weird Darkness… the lost tradition of telling ghost stories at Christmas. (The Lost Tradition of Telling Ghost Stories) *** (Originally aired December 16, 2021)<br />SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…<br />“The Lost Tradition of Christmas Ghost Stories” from Conspiracy Journal: <a href="https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/36dxj4kt" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/36dxj4kt</a>, Sally O’Reilly for Ancient Pages: <a href="https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2mfh29mk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2mfh29mk</a>, YourGhostStories.com: <a href="https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p93r34c" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p93r34c</a>, LiveAbout.com: <a href="https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/539cmfv6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/539cmfv6</a><br />“The Christmas Disappearance of Oliver Lerch” from AnomalyInfo.com: <a href="https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/59t2mysv" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/59t2mysv</a><br />“How To Celebrate Christmas Like a Viking” by Morgan Dunn for All That’s Interesting: <a href="https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p88mev7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p88mev7</a><br />“More Real Santa Sightings” by Rob Schwarz for Stranger Dimensions: <a href="https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yvdt2ww6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yvdt2ww6</a><br />“Ghosts of the Babbs Switch School Christmas Fire” by Troy Taylor: <a href="https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/dnmhehha" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/dnmhehha</a><br />“Beware the Bodach at Christmas” by Ellen Lloyd for Ancient Pages: <a href="https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p85afxx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p85afxx</a><br />“Christmas in The Old West” by Kathy Weiser for Legends of America: <a href="https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/bddzbyfk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/bddzbyfk</a><br />“A Kiss Under the Mistletoe” by Troy Taylor: <a href="https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2jv3u98a" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2jv3u98a</a><br />Visit our Sponsors &amp; Friends: <a href="https://weirddarkness.com/sponsors" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://weirddarkness.com/sponsors</a><br />Join the Weird Darkness Syndicate: <a href="https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate</a><br />Advertise in the Weird Darkness podcast or syndicated radio show: <a href="https://weirddarkness.com/advertise" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://weirddarkness.com/advertise</a><br />= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =<br />Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music provided by Alibi Music Library, EpidemicSound and/or StoryBlocks with paid license. Music from Shadows Symphony (<a href="https://tinyurl.com/yyrv987t" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://tinyurl.com/yyrv987t</a>), Midnight Syndicate (<a href="http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ</a>) Kevin MacLeod (<a href="https://tinyurl.com/y2v7fgbu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://tinyurl.com/y2v7fgbu</a>), Tony Longworth (<a href="https://tinyurl.com/y2nhnbt7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://tinyurl.com/y2nhnbt7</a>), and Nicolas Gasparini (<a href="https://tinyurl.com/lnqpfs8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://tinyurl.com/lnqpfs8</a>) is used with permission of the artists.<br />= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =<br />(<i>Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.</i>)<br /><br />= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =<br /><br />"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46<br /><br />= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =<br /><br />WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.<br /><br />= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =<br /><br />https://weirddarkness.com/ChristmasGhostStories<br />ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all things strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.<br />#WeirdDarkness #ChristmasGhostStories #TrueScaryStories #HolidayHorror #VictorianGhostStories #ParanormalStories #YuletideHorror #GhostStories #ChristmasTradition #HauntedChristmas