Nowadays our Christmas stories are mainly warm and cozy. They’re about reunions and homecomings. Romances and magical journeys and visits from St. Nicholas. But not so very long ago, and especially for the Victorians, Christmas stories could also send chills down your spine and make you think twice about things that go bump in the night. 

In this episode, professor Tara Moore tells Brian about this creepy part of Christmas history. Plus, Brian reads the ghost story, The Strange Christmas Game.

Links

The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories, by Tara Moore

Music in this episode

• "The Snowgarden" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Nouvelle Noel" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
• "Relaxing Piano Music" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
• "Undercover Vampire Policeman" — Chris Zabrieski, via Free Music Archive
• "Dance for One" — Dexter Britain, via Internet Archive

Connect with Me

• Links to all the things https://christmaspastpodcast.com/links
• Email: [email protected]

Books

Of Christmases Long, Long Ago: Surprising Traditions from Christmas Past (2025, Lyons Press and Recorded Books) It's Christmas as you've never seen it before, and it makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life.

Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions (2022, Lyons Press and Recorded Books)