Ghost Bites

Ghost Bites

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Ghost Bites episodes

  • HH04 Belsnickel: The Fur-Clad Judge of Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas

    Today on Ghost Bites, Mike and JT venture into the folklore of southwestern Germany and the American tradition of the Pennsylvania Dutch to meet Belsnickel. Mike details Belsnickel's unique role as a pre-Christmas judge who travels alone, dressed in ragged furs, wielding both

    a switch and pockets full of treats. Mike also covers the elaborate "Belsnickling" rituals and the character's eventual decline. JT hilariously critiques the sheer psychological terror of the Belsnickel's moral test (especially the "candy scramble"), questions why a figure of moral accountability looks like a runaway woodsman, and analyzes the extreme chaos of a holiday tradition based entirely on the fear of a gentle swat.

    Sources

    ●    Uncharted Lancaster. (2024,

    December 6). The Belsnickel: A
    Mischievous Spirit of Christmas Past. Retrieved from https://unchartedlancaster.com/2024/12/06/the-belsnickel-a-mischievous-spirit-of-christmas-past/

    ●    VisitPAAmericana. (2019, December

    18). What - or Who - is Belsnickel?.
    Retrieved from https://www.visitpaamericana.com/blog/post/what-or-who-is-belsnickel/

    ●    Wikipedia. (n.d.). Belsnickel. Retrieved October 9, 2025,

    from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belsnickel

    ●    WITF. (2023, December 20). Who is Belsnickel in Pennsylvania Dutch

    Christmas tradition? [The Spark]. Retrieved from https://www.witf.org/2023/12/20/who-is-belsnickel-in-pennsylvania-dutch-christmas-tradition/

    ●    Woot & Hammy. (n.d.). Krampus, Santa's Other Little Helper, and

    Perchta, Christmas Terrors. Retrieved from https://wootandhammy.com/blogs/news/krampus-perchta-the-christmas-terrors

    Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Linktree ⁠

    Copyright & Licensing Notice: This podcast adheres to all applicable copyright laws. The music and sound effects featured in this production have been explicitly licensed for use. Permission for the broadcast, synchronization, and distribution of these audio elements has been secured through active licensing agreements with Epidemic Sound and Suno AI. All rights reserved by their respective copyright holders.


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    10 min
  • HH03 Perchta: The Belly-Slitting Christmas Goddess

    Today on Ghost Bites, Mike and JT venture into the chilling, pre-Christian folklore of the Alpine regions to confront Perchta (or Frau Berchta), the dual-natured winter goddess. Mike details her terrifying role as the "Belly-Slitter," who roams the countryside during the Twelve Days of Christmas to enforce social and domestic order. Perchta's punishment for the lazy is grotesque: she cuts open their stomachs, removes their guts, and replaces them with straw and pebbles. JT critiques the sheer insanity of using organ-removal as a domestic punishment, questions the logistics of the

    required traditional meal of fish and gruel, and analyzes the extreme measures the Catholic Church took to demonize a goddess who was just a little too focused on tidiness and spinning.


    Source

    ●    Morris, S. (2014, December 22). Perchta and the 12 Days of Christmas (Part

    2). Stephen Morris, author. Retrieved from https://www.stephenmorrisauthor.com/perchta-12-days-christmas/

    ●    Myth Perchta. (n.d.). Perchta.Tirol. Retrieved October 9,

    2025, from https://perchta.tirol/myth.en.html

    ●    Smithsonian Magazine. (2024,

    February 28). Before the Yule Lads
    Evolved Into Icelandic Versions of Santa Claus, They Terrorized Children Into
    Following the Rules. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-the-yule-lads-evolved-into-icelandic-versions-santa-claus-they-terrorized-children-into-following-rules-180948162/

    ●    VICE. (2018, December 20). Meet Christmas Goddess Perchta, a

    Belly-Slitting, Half-Woman Demon. Retrieved from https://www.vice.com/en/article/perchta-christmas-goddess-demon-woman/

    ●    Wikipedia. (n.d.). Perchta. Retrieved October 9, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perchta

    Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Linktree ⁠

    Copyright & Licensing Notice: This podcast adheres to all applicable copyright laws. The music and sound effects featured in this production have been explicitly licensed for use. Permission for the broadcast, synchronization, and distribution of these audio elements has been secured through active licensing agreements with Epidemic Sound and Suno AI. All rights reserved by their respective copyright holders.



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    9 min
  • HH02 The Tomte: Tiny Protector, Enormous Fury

    Today on Ghost Bites, Mike and JT take a deep dive into Scandinavian folklore to examine the Tomte (or Nisse), the diminutive, yet fiercely powerful, homestead spirit. Mike details the Tomte's essential job—protecting the farm and livestock—and his simple, non-negotiable

    demand: a single bowl of porridge with butter. JT critiques the Tomte's
    high-stakes payment contract, analyzes the absurdity of his extreme vengeance (which involves everything from killing livestock to crushing farmers over bad manners), and tracks his career evolution from a homicidal gnome to the modern, jolly Jultomten. It's a hilarious look at a traditional myth that proves the cost of a clean barn might just be your life.


    Sources

    ●    Hafstein, V. (2018). The Tomte/Nisse. In The Oxford Encyclopedia of Scandinavian Literature and Mythology.

    Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199580471.001.0001/acref-9780199580471-e-0498

    ●    Nordiska museet. (n.d.). Tomten i folktron. Retrieved October 9,

    2025, from https://www.nordiskamuseet.se/arets-händelser/jul/tomten-i-folktron

    Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Linktree ⁠

    Copyright & Licensing Notice: This podcast adheres to all applicable copyright laws. The music and sound effects featured in this production have been explicitly licensed for use. Permission for the broadcast, synchronization, and distribution of these audio elements has been secured through active licensing agreements with Epidemic Sound and Suno AI. All rights reserved by their respective copyright holders.

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    10 min
  • HH01 Iceland's Troubling Trolls: The 13 Yule Lads

    Description

    Today on Ghost Bites, Mike and JT take a festive, yet deeply unsettling, trip to Iceland to explore the folklore of the 13 Yule Lads (Jólasveinar). Mike details the Lads' evolution from child-eating trolls to modern gift-givers, and introduces their cannibalistic mother, Grýla, and the giant, garment-obsessed Yule Cat. JT dissects the sheer absurdity of their crimes—from Spoon Licking to Skyr Gobbling—and critiques the administrative chaos of having thirteen Santas. It's a hilarious look at a holiday tradition that proves sometimes, the best way to get children to behave is still a credible threat of a rotten potato.


    Sources

    ●    Arctic Portal. (n.d.). The thirteen Icelandic Yule Lads.

    Retrieved from https://arcticportal.org/education/quick-facts/people-and-culture/3469-the-thirteen-icelandic-yule-lads

    ●    Arctic Portal. (n.d.). Icelandic Yule Lads. Retrieved from https://arcticportal.org/x-mas

    ●    Gale, T. (n.d.). The Yule Lads History. Retrieved from https://icelandicyulelads.com/yule-lads-timeline/

    ●    Icelandair. (n.d.). Christmas in Iceland: The Yule Lads.

    Retrieved from https://www.icelandair.com/blog/the-yule-lads/

    ●    Icelandic Christmas folklore.

    (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved October
    9, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_Christmas_folklore

    ●    Nordic Visitor. (n.d.). Christmas in Iceland with the Yule Lads.

    Retrieved from https://www.nordicvisitor.com/blog/the-13-yule-lads-of-iceland/

    ●    WorldStrides. (n.d.). Iceland's 13 Yule Lads. Retrieved from https://worldstrides.com/en-us/teachers/how-it-works/blog/icelands-13-yule-lads

    Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Linktree ⁠

    Copyright & Licensing Notice: This podcast adheres to all applicable copyright laws. The music and sound effects featured in this production have been explicitly licensed for use. Permission for the broadcast, synchronization, and distribution of these audio elements has been secured through active licensing agreements with Epidemic Sound and Suno AI. All rights reserved by their respective copyright holders.

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    10 min
  • Ghost Bites Haunted Holidays Announced!

    Starting December 8th and running through January 1st, Ghost Bites: Haunted Holidays. It's an absolute nightmare.

    That's eight episodes of pure, unadulterated yuletide terror! We're talking Belsnickel, we're talking Icelandic Yule Cats, and MUCH more!
    Copyright & Licensing Notice: This podcast adheres to all applicable copyright laws. The music and sound effects featured in this production have been explicitly licensed for use. Permission for the broadcast, synchronization, and distribution of these audio elements has been secured through active licensing agreements with Epidemic Sound and Suno AI. All rights reserved by their respective copyright holders.

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    3 min
  • 15 The Exorcism of Roland Doe (Season Finale)

    This week on Ghost Bites, Mike and J.T. confront one of the most chilling and controversial cases in paranormal history: the exorcism of "Roland

    Doe." This 1949 case, which inspired the infamous novel and film The Exorcist, chronicles the terrifying ordeal of a young boy believed to be possessed by a demonic entity. From unexplained phenomena in his home to the violent and disturbing events that unfolded during the exorcism rites, this story is a grim reminder that some hauntings are more than just bumps in the night. Join us as we explore the real-life events that blurred the line between psychological torment and supernatural horror.


    Sources

    ●    "The Exorcism of Roland

    Doe." St. Louis Magazine.

    ●    "The Real Story Behind The

    Exorcist." The Washington Post.

    ●    "The Exorcist: The True Story

    Behind the Film." Smithsonian
    Magazine.

    ●    "The Exorcist: The Real-Life

    Case." All That's Interesting.


    Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Linktree ⁠

    Copyright & Licensing Notice: This podcast adheres to all applicable copyright laws. The music and sound effects featured in this production have been explicitly licensed for use. Permission for the broadcast, synchronization, and distribution of these audio elements has been secured through active licensing agreements with Epidemic Sound and Suno AI. All rights reserved by their respective copyright holders.

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    11 min
  • 14 Ghosts of the White House

    This week on Ghost Bites, Mike and J.T. get a presidential haunting as they explore the spooky stories of the White House! From Abraham Lincoln's restless spirit wandering the halls to Abigail Adams doing laundry in the East Room, it seems the nation's most famous residence has some very distinguished, and eternally present, past occupants. Join us as we

    uncover the spectral secrets of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and wonder if living with dead presidents is part of the job description, or just really awkward for dinner parties.


    Sources

     ●    "The Most Famous Ghost in the

    White House." The White House
    Historical Association.

    ●    "Ghosts of the White

    House." White House Museum.

    ●    "The White House's Most

    Famous Ghosts." National Geographic.

    ●    "Churchill's Ghostly

    Encounter with Abraham Lincoln." History
    Channel.

    ●    "The Story of Abigail Adams’

    Ghost." The New York Times.

    ●    "The Ghosts of the White

    House." The Washington Post.


    Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Linktree ⁠

    Copyright & Licensing Notice: This podcast adheres to all applicable copyright laws. The music and sound effects featured in this production have been explicitly licensed for use. Permission for the broadcast, synchronization, and distribution of these audio elements has been secured through active licensing agreements with Epidemic Sound and Suno AI. All rights reserved by their respective copyright holders.

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    11 min
  • 13 The Flying Dutchman

    This week on Ghost Bites, Mike and J.T. set sail into the eerie legend of The

    Flying Dutchman, the ghostly apparition of a ship doomed to sail the oceans forever, unable to make port. With tales of phantom sails, spectral crews, and ominous encounters stretching back centuries, this is one maritime mystery that truly gives you chills, and maybe a touch of seasickness. Join us as we navigate the fog-shrouded history of this legendary ghost ship and wonder if its crew just really hates land, or if they're stuck with the worst eternal
    commute ever.


    Sources

    ●    "The Flying Dutchman."

    Britannica.

    ●    "The Flying Dutchman: Legend

    of the Ghost Ship." Maritime Museum.

    ●    "The Flying Dutchman: Legend

    and Lore." Folklore and Mythology.

    ●    "The Fata Morgana

    Mirage." National Geographic.

    ●    "The Flying Dutchman Sighting

    by King George V." Royal Museums Greenwich.


    Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Linktree ⁠

    Copyright & Licensing Notice: This podcast adheres to all applicable copyright laws. The music and sound effects featured in this production have been explicitly licensed for use. Permission for the broadcast, synchronization, and distribution of these audio elements has been secured through active licensing agreements with Epidemic Sound and Suno AI. All rights reserved by their respective copyright holders.

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    9 min
  • 12 The Tucker Telephone

    This week on Ghost Bites, Mike and J.T. delve into a truly horrifying piece of history: the Tucker Telephone. Not a phone at all, but a barbaric torture

    device allegedly used at Arkansas's Tucker State Prison, this contraption
    delivered electric shocks to... let's just say "sensitive areas."
    Join us as we uncover the grim details of this inhumane device and the abuses within the prison system, reminding us that sometimes the most terrifying monsters aren't ghosts, but the ones behind bars, both literally and figuratively. Prepare yourselves, because this one isn't just spooky, it's
    stomach-churning.


    Sources

    ●    "The Tucker Telephone."

    Encyclopedia of Arkansas.

    ●    "Justice: Too Cruel for the

    Cruel." TIME Magazine.

    ●    "The Dark History of the

    Arkansas Prison and the Tucker Telephone." Audible.in.

    ●    "Almon Brown Strowger."

    Wikipedia.

    ●    Holt v. Sarver, 309 F. Supp. 362

    (E.D. Ark. 1970).


    Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Linktree ⁠

    Copyright & Licensing Notice: This podcast adheres to all applicable copyright laws. The music and sound effects featured in this production have been explicitly licensed for use. Permission for the broadcast, synchronization, and distribution of these audio elements has been secured through active licensing agreements with Epidemic Sound and Suno AI. All rights reserved by their respective copyright holders.

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    10 min
  • 11 The Mystery of Number Stations

    This week on Ghost Bites, Mike and J.T. tune into a different kind of haunted broadcast—the mysterious world of number stations. These shortwave radio transmissions, featuring eerie, computer-generated voices reciting cryptic strings of numbers, have been baffling listeners for decades. Are they messages to spies? Are they some kind of "dead hand" signal? Or is it just a really bad radio show that needs to be taken off the air? Join us as we try to decode the bizarre history of these broadcasts and wonder why the government can't just send a spooky text.


    Sources

    ●    "The Spooky World of Numbers

    Stations." Atlas Obscura.

    ●    "The Buzzer: The mysterious

    Russian shortwave radio station." BBC News.

    ●    "Numbers stations: The voice

    of espionage." The Guardian.


    Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Linktree ⁠

    Copyright & Licensing Notice: This podcast adheres to all applicable copyright laws. The music and sound effects featured in this production have been explicitly licensed for use. Permission for the broadcast, synchronization, and distribution of these audio elements has been secured through active licensing agreements with Epidemic Sound and Suno AI. All rights reserved by their respective copyright holders.

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    10 min

About Ghost Bites

From the publisher's feed

Ghost Bites is a weekly podcast from Mike and J.T. of Brew Crime, for quick dives into the haunted, spooky, and paranormal. Get your weekly dose of all things creepy, served with a side of laughs.…