Happy Halloween, everybody! And more than that: welcome to another season of Christmas Past.

Yes, it’s still Halloween. But that’s the perfect time to kick things off, because it gives us a chance to honor the classic Christmas tradition of sharing a ghost story. Our Victorian forebears really loved their ghost stories — for all occasions, but perhaps especially for Christmas. Many magazines of the era published ghost stories specifically for the Christmas season. The stories didn’t necessarily involve Christmas; but they were meant to be enjoyed on Christmas Eve, adding a little extra chill to a cold winter’s night.

Though the tradition has faded, it’s not gone altogether. And that’s thanks in part to my friends at Biblioasis publishing. Every year, they publish a series of classic ghost stories beautifully illustrated by the acclaimed artist known only as Seth. It’s become a yearly tradition here on Christmas Past to start the season off with a story from their current series.

In today’s story, when a group of tourists visits the deserted island of Podolo, one wants to rescue a feral cat they find there, and the others reluctantly agree. Unfortunately, the rescue proves more difficult than they expect — and they soon discover they’re not alone on Podolo.

Music in this episode

• “Didion” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• “Frequency of Sleep Meditation” — Leigh Robinson, via Pixabay
• “Endless” — MildRelaxation, via Pixabay

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Book

Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday’s Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Here in America, the day after Christmas is simply that: the day after. The party’s over. But in England, it’s an official holiday. December 26 — Boxing Day — is the Christmas afterparty you’ve been missing out on. What’s the story? And what does it have to do with boxing? Paul Kerensa joins Christmas Past to…unpack the box.

Mentioned in this Episode

• Paul Kerensa
• Hark! The Biography of Christmas, by Paul Kerensa

Music in this Episode

• “Good King Wenceslas” — U.S. Army Band, via Wikimedia Commons
• “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” — DJ Williams, via Youtube Audio Library
• “In the Bleak Midwinter” — Julius H., via Pixabay
• “Emotional Piano Improvisation” — Alexander Nakarada, via Film Music
• “Holiday Gift” — Kai Engel, via Free Music Archive

Section from A Christmas Carol read by Peter John Keeble, courtesy of Librivox

For many families, the Christmas Eve feast is a so-called “meatless meal.” It’s a tradition of European Christian roots that has gone on to take many forms.

Mentioned in this episode

Plating Grace

Music in this Episode

• “Italian Trip” — wildsound159, via Pixabay
• “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” — Don Maue, shared directly by the artist
• “First Snow” — Scott Buckley, via ScottBuckley.com.au
• “Silent Night” — DJ Williams, via Youtube Audio Library
• “Mortality” — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive

In the late nineteenth century modern postal systems were still coming into their own. Around the turn of the century, many countries, including England, began issuing Christmas themed postage stamps. You might think that America would have been among them, but boy would you be wrong.

In fact, America was one of the last countries to get on board. American Christmas stamps are only a few decades old. And the story there has to do with simple economics and America’s system of government.

Mentioned in this Episode

Christmas Philatelic Club

Music in this Episode

• “Christmas Jazz” — Denys Kyshchuk, via Pixabay
• “Running Waters” — Audionautix, via Youtube Audio Library
• “Noel” — Audionautix, via Youtube Audio Library
• “Acoustic Guitar 1” — Audionautix, via Youtube Audio Library
• “Dreamland” — Aakash Gandhi, via Youtube Audio Library
• “Wish Background” — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

For a bread that’s short, its history is long. Exactly how long, and the particulars of how it all came about, though, are unclear. But one this is clear: shortbread is an essential — and delicious — part of the festive season.

Mentioned in this Episode

• Tasting History Youtube Channel
• Tasting History, book by Max Miller

Music in this Episode

• “Hush Ye, My Bairnie” — Trygve Larsen, Pixabay
• “Drops of Melting Snow (after Holst, Abroad as I was walking)” — Axletree, via Free Music Archive
• “Soft Piano” — Agnese Valmaggia, via Film Music
• “Auld Lang Syne” — Trygve Larsen, Pixabay
• “Angels We Have Heard on High” — Don Maue, shared directly by the artist

Colorful, glossy, enticing. For generations of children, the annual department store Christmas catalog was a field guide, a treasure map, and the fuel for hearts desires and letters to Santa. And then, one day, they were gone.

Mentioned in this Episode

Wish Book Web

Music in this Episode

• “Jingle Bells Relax Piano” — Oleg Kirilkov, via Pixabay
• “Merry Christmas Everyone Piano” — 23117649, via Pixabay
• “Christmas is for Kids” — Juan Sanchez, via Pixabay
• “Wish Background” — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

The mostly warm, fuzzy, cozy, sanitized Christmas is mainly a product of 19th and 20th century American influence. In earlier times, Christmas had a spooky side — one example of which is the Welsh tradition of the ghostly gray mare: the Mari Lwyd.

Mentioned in this Episode

• Jeff Belanger
• The Fright Before Christmas by Jeff Belanger

Music in this Episode

• “John Barleycorn” — Julius H., via Pixabay
• “Dread Lake” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• “Mile Marker 323” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• “Relaxing Acoustic – Noel” —Oleksii Kaplunskyi, via Pixabay
• “Dramatic Uplifting Cinematic Piano” — Yevhen Onoychenko, via Pixabay
• Additional sound effects via Freesound

These days, the Christmas season is the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Way back when, it was the period beginning on Christmas Day, and included 12 days of merrymaking and mischief. The Twelve Days of Christmas aren’t really part of our modern Christmas celebration — except for the song lyrics and the odd reference here and there.

What are the twelve days of Christmas? And what happened to them? Are we missing out on anything by forgetting them? Well, if feasting, cross dressing, upending social hierarchy, and having a raucous good time sound at all interesting to you, then…yes. Yes we are!

Mentioned in this Episode

Why We Kiss Under the Mistletoe: Christmas Traditions Explained, by Michael Foley

Music in this Episode

• “Twelve Days of Christmas” — Inner Splendor, via Feels Like Christmas
• “Miracles” — Tom Parkin, via Mega Monkey Music
• “Contemplation” — Maarten Schellekens, via Free Music Archive
• “Careless Morning” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• “Always With Me, Always With You” — Daddy S Music, via Pixabay