Tag Archives: Christmas

Yule, Ep. 319

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We mentioned Yule briefly in the History Goes Bump Christmas Special in 2015, but we’ve never just focused on this set of beliefs, practices and traditions. On this episode we are going to peer into the darkness to find the light that will lead us into Spring. Because that is really what Yule is about for most people that observe it. This is an opportunity to take the time during the darkest part of the year and focus on the end of the year and what the future holds and to prepare for the rebirth that Spring brings. This is also a festival of rituals for which much of the traditions and practices of Christmas are rooted. Join us as we explore Yule! The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Mitch Riggs and features A Fateful Pair of Shoes and This Month in History features Orville and Wilbur Wright’s first flight.

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Christmas Eve Live 2017

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Every Christmas Eve we follow the tradition of telling scary ghost stories around the fire. This is the audio from our live stream, unedited and lots of fun! So if you weren’t able to join us at Facebook or YouTube for the live stream, you haven’t missed it completely. We share listener’s flash fiction and a story by Vonnie Winslow Crist, “The Return of Gunnar Kettilson.” Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everybody!!

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HGB Christmas Special 2015

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On this year’s Christmas Special, we are joined by special guest Dan Foytik of the 9th Story Podcast, The Wicked Library and The Lift. We discuss some of the history behind Christmas and most importantly, analyze the history of telling ghost stories on Christmas Eve. Most of our Christmas traditions are rooted in Victorian England. Sending Christmas cards and caroling door to door are just a couple of those traditions, but one tradition fell by the wayside and that is the practice of telling ghost stories on Christmas Eve. We are keeping that alive on the History Goes Bump Podcast and The 9th Story Podcast. We told ghost stories last year and we are doing it again this year. Mark Nixon of http://shadowsatthedoor.com joins us to tell one of his own original stories as well!

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Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol, Ep. 91

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Charles Dickens is the author of many classical novels, but probably his most beloved work is “A Christmas Carol.” Christmas would not be Christmas without the tale it would seem in our modern era. Many of us probably never questioned as children why it was that ghosts were sent to teach the angry and obtuse Scrooge the life lessons he must learn. But why did Dickens choose ghosts? Did the idea of telling scary ghost stories originate with him? Join us as we explore the life of Charles Dickens and dive into his beloved classic, “A Christmas Carol, which is obviously quite haunted. Moment in Oddity features Marjorie McCall buried twice and This Day in History features the publication of “A Visit from St. Nicholas.

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The Legend of Krampus, Ep. 87

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There are Christmas trees and reindeer and candy canes, but Santa Claus is probably one of the most familiar images intertwined with Christmas. Most of us as kids were raised with the warning that you better be good, for goodness sake, or you would end up on Santa’s naughty list and thus receive coal in your stocking. But as we trace back the various traditions associated with the holiday season, we come upon a character that has been around longer than good old St. Nick and the warnings that came with him, were far more dire. On this episode, we will explore the origins, history and terror that are a part of the legend of Krampus. Moment in Oddity features the Dragon’s Triangle and This Day in History features the abandonment of the Mary Celeste.

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Christmas Special 2014

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Come gather round the cyber fire as we share a most wonderful holiday tradition! We are sharing ghost tales as we wait for the arrival of Santa Claus! We share a brief history of the Christmas tradition of telling “scary ghost stories” and then two classic creepy ghost tales are read. The first is M R James “Canon Alberic’s Scrapbook” and the second is H. Russell Wakefield’s “The Red Lodge.” Grab your cocoa and eggnog and join us!