They fear the Calicontsaroi, nocturnal goblins that emerge during the 12 days of Christmas and cause mischief, including defecating in homes and breaking furniture.
The Calicontsaroi are believed to be linked to the winter festival of Dionysus and are described as half-human, half-animal monsters with grotesque features.
They caused mischief such as urinating in flower beds, spoiling food, breaking furniture, and even trying to kill people by choking them in their beds.
They used Christian precautions like scratching crosses on doors, burning incense, and keeping fireplaces lit to scare the goblins away.
Astronauts aboard Gemini 6 played a prank by reporting a fake UFO and then playing
The prank was met with laughter from Gemini 7 and Mission Control, and it became the first musical performance in space.
On Christmas Eve 1900, an officer in the Tower of London heard wailing and footsteps, which were attributed to the ghost of Mary, Queen of Scots, a sign of impending death for a royal.
The ghost was believed to appear before the death of a crowned head, and it caused alarm as Queen Victoria was mourning the death of her close friend, Lady Churchill.
Captain Paye was poisoned with arsenic in a pie, likely by his wife Mary, who had motive due to their tumultuous relationship and her alleged infidelity.
Enslaved people often had a brief break from work and received gifts, but the holiday could also be dangerous due to fears of rebellion and the separation of families through sale or hiring out.
Christmas provided a rare opportunity for relaxation, family gatherings, and sometimes even resistance, such as plotting escapes or asserting cultural independence.
Ghost stories were part of Christmas traditions because winter nights were long and dark, making them ideal for spooky tales, and the tradition carried over from pagan solstice celebrations.
Charles Dickens popularized Christmas ghost stories with his novella
The song was written by Irving Berlin, who associated Christmas with melancholy due to the death of his young son on Christmas Day, and it became a symbol of sentimental grief during World War II.
The song was written during the Cuban Missile Crisis, with the
In 1897, a young girl named Virginia O'Hanlon asked if Santa Claus was real, and the editor of The Sun, Francis Church, wrote a philosophical response affirming the existence of Santa Claus as a symbol of faith and joy.
Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version. https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate)Info on the next LIVE SCREAM event. https://weirddarkness.com/LiveScream)Info on the next WEIRDO WATCH PARTY event. https://weirddarkness.com/TV)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)Visit our Sponsors & Friends: https://weirddarkness.com/sponsors)Join the Weird Darkness Syndicate: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate)Advertise in the Weird Darkness podcast or syndicated radio show: https://weirddarkness.com/advertise)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. 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