<p>Season’s greetings, travelers! &nbsp;In this holiday-inspired episode of The Enchanted Path, we’ll be exploring the history of Yule traditions and a host of colorful characters unique to this magical time of year. &nbsp;We begin with a little backstory on how the significance of Yule and the midwinter season came to be. &nbsp;From there, we kick off this episode's journey in Italy with the legend of La Befana, the kindly Christmas Witch. &nbsp;Then, we'll head to the Alpine heart of Austria and dive into the rich folkloric heritage of St. Nikolaus, Krampus, and the Perchten. &nbsp;Our final stop is an adventure to the South of Wales, to unveil the details surrounding the mysterious tradition of the Mari Lywd. &nbsp;I had a lot of fun with the research for this one, and especially enjoyed writing and recording the musical arrangements. &nbsp;May a light burn brightly through the darkness of this winter season, and guide you to days of merriment and joy!</p> <p>The Enchanted Path: A Travel Podcast is a production of The Adventures of Jessie and The Grumpy Gnome, LLC. &nbsp;Original music, transcripts, research, and production by Jessie Howe. &nbsp;All resources and episode transcripts are available on my website,<a href="https://jessieandgrumpygnome.com/"> <u>https://jessieandgrumpygnome.com</u></a>. &nbsp;Please consider supporting the show by joining our Patreon, for fun travel-inspired content, monthly gift boxes, and early access to episodes!</p> <p><strong>Show Notes:</strong></p> <p>Our Website:</p> <p>https://jessieandgrumpygnome/the-enchanted-path-home</p> <p>Our Patreon:</p> <p>https://www.patreon.com/jessie_and_grumpygnome</p> <p><strong>BOOKS:</strong></p> <p><em>The Krampus and The Old, Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil, </em>by Al Ridenour</p> <p><strong>Resources:</strong></p> <p><a href="https://stores.renstore.com/history-and-traditions/yule-history-and-origins"><u>https://stores.renstore.com/history-and-traditions/yule-history-and-origins</u></a></p> <p><a href="https://nerdist.com/article/yule-curious-past-and-present-day-importance/"><u>https://nerdist.com/article/yule-curious-past-and-present-day-importance/</u></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/Welsh-Christmas-Traditions/"><u>https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/Welsh-Christmas-Traditions/</u></a></p> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/YU5pk-Hc758"><u>https://youtu.be/YU5pk-Hc758</u></a></p> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/oKZjFH_PEas"><u>https://youtu.be/oKZjFH_PEas</u></a></p> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/bqW8ioL-Ik8"><u>https://youtu.be/bqW8ioL-Ik8</u></a></p> <p><a href="https://rhinwedd.cymru/blogs/news/the-story-of-mari-lwyd"><u>https://rhinwedd.cymru/blogs/news/the-story-of-mari-lwyd</u></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/the-strange-legend-of-the-swedish-yule-goat"><u>https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/the-strange-legend-of-the-swedish-yule-goat</u></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6290300"><u>https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6290300</u></a></p> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/9VFZqFehsZ8"><u>https://youtu.be/9VFZqFehsZ8</u></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.aroadretraveled.com/la-befana-festival-in-urbania-italy/"><u>https://www.aroadretraveled.com/la-befana-festival-in-urbania-italy/</u></a></p> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/AcvvWcDLagY"><u>https://youtu.be/AcvvWcDLagY</u></a></p>