Every year, goblin-like creatures called Kallikantzaroi stop sawing through the World Tree, crawl up from the underworld, and spend the twelve days of Christmas stealing babies, destroying homes, and terrorizing anyone unlucky enough to cross their path, pooping all over the place while they are at it.

IN THIS EPISODE: If your kids think Elf on a Shelf is creepy – just tell them that kids in Greece and its surrounding countries are terrorized each Christmas for a full twelve days by nocturnal goblins that like to defecate all over your home! (The Defecating Christmas Goblins of Greece) *** The ghost of Mary, Queen of Scots makes her presence known on Christmas Eve, 1900… or does she? (The Tower of London’s Christmas Eve Ghost) *** A serving of poisoned Christmas pie causes the death of Captain David Paye on Christmas day, 1882. But who had a motive? (A Christmas Poisoning) *** People worldwide have been celebrating Christmas for hundreds and hundreds of years – but not all of those years were joyous for everyone. For example, those who happened to be black living in America while slavery was still legal. What was Christmas like for them? (Christmas As a Slave In America) *** In that song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” there is the line “there will be scary ghost stories”… why on earth would a Christmas song have a line like that? We’ll look at that song – and other Christmas songs – that are a lot darker than you might know. (The Darker Side of Christmas Carols) *** We’re all familiar with the classic Christmas ghost tale, “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens – but before that novel, there was another ghost story of Christmas, a purportedly true story. (A Ghost Story of Christmas) *** In 1897, Dr. Philip O'Hanlon was asked by his young daughter whether Santa Claus was real. His suggestion for her to find an answer has resulted in something so famous, it has practically become a meme. (Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus) *** December 16, 1965… Gemini 6 and 7 have just completed the first ever manned rendezvous between spacecraft, making history. But they were about to achieve another first in space exploration… and a first for Christmas! (The 1965 Gemini 6 UFO Christmas Prank) *** (Originally aired December 20, 2021)
SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…
“The Defecating Christmas Goblins of Greece” by A. Sutherland for Ancient Pages:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3kydv38f
“The 1965 Gemini 6 UFO Christmas Prank” by Rob Scharz for Stranger Dimensions: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p9x2w3z
“The Tower of London’s Christmas Eve Ghost” from the Victorian Book of the Dead: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/bdm47kt7
“A Christmas Poisoning” by Robert Wilhelm for Murder by Gaslight: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ya5m7wfd
“Christmas As a Slave In America” by Farrell Evans for History.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5n8nedeh, and William Loren Katz for the Zinn Education Project: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5n6me3hw
“A Ghost Story of Christmas” by Paul Brown for Singular Discoveries: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/muuxt5z3
“There Will Be Scary Ghost Stories” by Mike Wilton for All Hallows Geek: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckjkerd
“The Darker Side of Christmas Carols” by Erin McCann for Ranker: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8wcpwp“Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus” by Troy Taylor: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p83k7m3
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