Episode 349: In the 8th Christmas episode of the Dark Poutine podcast, we once again dive into the shadowy side of holiday traditions that often go unnoticed amidst the festive cheer. This episode will explore the dark origins of some Christmas customs, such as mummering, a practice steeped in mystery and community engagement, where masked individuals visit homes to entertain and sometimes frighten.

We will also recount the chilling tale of Isaac Mercer, who met a tragic end at the hands of mummers in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland, in 1860.

Additionally, we’ll dig into the age-old custom of telling ghost stories during Christmas, which has deep roots in ancient traditions. This custom entertains and serves as a poignant reminder of mortality amidst the holiday festivities, adding an intriguing layer to our understanding of Christmas celebrations. We’ll share some chilly Canadian ghost stories along the way.

Sources:

Saturnalia | Celebration, Sacrifice, & Influence on Christmas | Britannica

The Wild Holiday That Turned Ancient Rome Upside Down

The Fright Before Christmas by Jeff Belanger

Mummers, Murder and Mayhem

Archival Moments: An Act Outlawing Mummering

Celebrate Christmas the old-fashioned way: with drunken mayhem | CBC News

Ep079 The Isaac Mercer Mummer Murder Case. | MUN

Statutes of Newfoundland, 1861

The Christmas Tradition With A Dark Side | The Murder Of Isaac Mercer | Youtube

Any Mummers ’Lowed In?: Christmas Mummering Traditions in Newfoundland and Labrador by Dale Jarvis

The dark side of mummering: What you may not know about a beloved tradition | CBC News

The Isaac Mercer Mummer Murder Gate | Carved by the Sea

Victorian Christmas Ghost Storytelling Traditions in Montreal

Rousing ghost of Mount Royal

The Coffin Surfing Ghost

Montreal’s Duggan House built on a foundation of the uncanny

The long journey for a body's burial

10 famously spooky Canadian ghost tales

Mysteries in Canadian History

7 Spooky Stories from Across Canada

Augustus John Peers (1848-1901)

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