Welcome, friend, to the Three Ravens Christmas Feast - we're still at 'Meal Prep' stage, but come inside and warm up by the fire!

To begin our six episode Yuletude binge in style we're going to head to the kitchens deep beneath Three Ravens HQ to have a chat with Dr Neil Buttery, the award-winning food historian and host of the British Food History Podcast.

Because what should be included in a traditional English Christmas lunch? As Neil explains, it's not straightforward to work it out, and along the way we discuss why Mince Pies used to have meat in them, what prompted Medieval and Tudor monarchs to start baking absolutely everything in pastry, the surprisingly late arrival of the potato on English dinner plates, and much more besides!

We really hope you enjoy the chat, that you find your bedchamber comfortable, and be sure to meet us in the library tomorrow when we will be chatting all about folk and Christmas music with the amazingly cool British indie band Lunatraktors - who will be sharing five of their versions of traditional seasonal songs!

With our Ghost Story for Christmas Eve to follow on Wednesday, we then have a triple serving of episodes coming out on Christmas morning, featuring:

• Dr Sarah Clegg, author of The Dead of Winter: The Demons, Witches and Ghosts of Christmas
• Taffy Thomas MBE, author of Midwinter Folk Tales and the UK's first Storyteller Laureate
• Tony Walker, author of Christmas Ghost Stories and host of The Classic Ghost Stories podcast

Plus a new Christmas song from us!

We promise spooky and heartwarming tales, weird Christmas history, Ben prancing about in jingly shoes, lots of surprises, and... well, just be sure to wear something loose-fitting, as there will be plenty to go round.

Oh, and don't mind the spectral hands floating about the place.

They're a gift from Baba Yaga...

Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast

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