>Thump< >Thump<  

Is that the sound of reindeer hooves on the rooftop?  A knock at the door for a surprise appearance from Santa Clause to bring gifts? 

Maaaayyybe.  Or maybe it's Père Fouettard, Belsnickel, or Sinterklaas with his chimney Piets arriving to punish the naughty.  Perhaps Krampus, Gryla, the Yule Cat or Yule Lads, or the Mari Lwyd to take you away or kill you for venturing out in the cold, harsh, dark winter.  

Step in to the dark roots of Christmas with The Fright Before Christmas author Jeff Belanger. From shapeshifters to mountain trolls, to elves, to heavy-handed

 cohorts of Saint Nicholas, the Christmas holiday has been filled with ghosts and monsters ready to dole out punishment to those who need it. The Winter Solstice is a time to be afraid. 

Delve into the folklore of these beings, traditions, and how to make them a part of your holiday practice today. 

Find Jeff on Facebook and Instagram: @exploringlegends

Get the book from your favorite bookseller (like Barnes & Noble), Weiser Books, or online retailer (B&N, Books a Million, etc.)

And for the cool Yuletide Monsters Oracle by Madame Onca I mentioned at the top of the show, order it from her Etsy shop, Madame Onca Studios, and check out our interview on episode 70.

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Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr

Follow my channel on Instagram: @wyrdgifts1 Facebook: @GiftsoftheWyrd

Email: [email protected]

Order The Christmast Oracle Deck created by me and artist Vinnora at https://feniksshop.etsy.com follow FB/IG: @thechristmasoracle

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Music.  Intro: O Come O Come Emmanuel Stinger and Outro: The Night Before Christmas.  Royalty free music from https://www.fesliyanstudios.com  Please do not add this audio content to the YouTube Content ID System. I have used background music which is owned by FesliyanStudios.

Gifts of the Wyrd Logo Created by Xan Folmer. 

Logo based on the Vanic boar created by Vanatru Priestess Ember of the Vanic Conspiracy.

Studio recordings using Zencastr and Audacity.