Good morrow, honoured guest! We hope you slept well, and weren't kept awake by too many bumps in the night?

For on today's episode of the Three Ravens Christmas Feast we're convening in the Haunted Library with one of the most exciting British folk bands working today.

Lunatraktors, a.k.a. Carli Jefferson and Clair Le Couteur, have been making music together for over half a decade, releasing four ground-breaking albums and an E.P. that have earned them widespread acclaim, critical praise, and a passionate cult following.

Yet how did the pair get started on their musical journey? And how do they feel, as dedicated pagans, when the world turns dark and churches fill up with people singing songs about Jesus?

Because, as the pair explain, the kinds of festive music they like to sing and make speaks to something beyond religion, offering light in a gloom that can feel oppressive in its abundance, though rich with magic, mystery and half-forgotten traditions.

Featuring thrilling versions of The Holly and the Ivy, Remember The Poor, Lully Lullay, Wassail and their brand new single, Yarrow, settle in for a journey through Christmas music both past and present - not to mention in that strange place in between, where room sounds guide rhythms, feet stamp, and voices soar like wild shaman wailing at the wind...

We really hope you enjoy it, and to see you tomorrow in the Raven Tower for our Ghost Story for Christmas Eve, after which, on Christmas Day, we will be serving up a three course menu of episodes 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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