Oct 24

Christmas Ghosts Stories

Why are Ghost Stories associated with Christmas?

By Lillee Allee

 

This is a question that many people have asked, and the answer goes farther than Charles Dickens, though his may arguably be the best ghost story for Christmas of all. In the song “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Edward Pola and George Wyle, and recorded by Andy Williams in 1963:

“ . . . There’ll be scary ghost stories


And tales of the glories
of

 Christmases long, long ago…”

What would families do today without the help of recorded music, the Christmas log on a cable channel, or the plethora of great Christmas specials and shows for the season. How would you entertain guests? Looking at the fire in the fireplace is nice, but this was not a special event back then but simply a way to keep the family from freezing. There are three theories as to how ghost stories ended up as a part of the Christmas tradition: the pagan theory, the Dickens theory, and the Victorian theory.

The pagan theory involves pre-Christian traditions and beliefs. Yule was the darkest night of the year, and oral stories were shared. In Northern Europe, it was called the dark half of the year, and other than taking care of the animals, farming was at a standstill. It was time to explain why it was so cold and the sun disappeared so early. With the dark, may have come the stories of ghosts and ghouls as this was the dead season in so many ways. Scholars cannot make a definite connection, so this remains a theory at best.

The Dickens theory is that Charles Dickens first created the Christmas Ghost Story, and while this is the popular opinion, it is not accurate. He remains, however, the best known and most loved Christmas ghost story. Even towns across America commemorate Dicken’s story with actors on the streets.

Victorians loved their “penny dreadfuls,” their new technologies and became interested in death and communication with those who have passed. While this is a romantic idea, it is not going far enough into the history.

In the end, it may be a combination from all of the above and more. Researchers have found that Christmas scary stories appeared as early as the 1500s by Christopher Marlowe, from Shakespeare in the 1600s and even other writers such as H. P. Lovecraft, Edgar Alan Poe, Joseph Glanvilll and Washington Irving. At present, Christmas ghost stories can be traced back definitively to the 16th century, but many wonder if such stories appeared earlier than that.

 

Sources

Christmas Ghost Stories: The Ghost of Christmas Past goes back farther than you might realize. Retrieved October 11,2015 from http://www.gothichorrorstories.com/classic-gothic-ghost-stories/christmas-ghost-stories-the-ghost-of-christmas-past-goes-further-back-than-you-might-realize-2/

Christmas Ghost Stories. Retrieved October 11, 2015 from http://www.thisishorror.co.uk/features/christmas-ghost-stories/

Christmas Spirits Part I: The Origin of Ghost Stories at Christmas. Retrieved October 11, 2015 from http://www.hypnogoria.com/html/ghoststoriesforchristmas.html

Lillee Allee

Lillee Allee

Representative at National Paranormal Society
Lillee Allee has studied religion, spirituality and paranormal investigation for over 40 years. She is the widow of John D. Allee, an internationally known dark magician. She continues to consult in paranormal investigation. Her specialties include: Marian and cultural spiritual phenomena/apparitions, spiritual support to teams and clients who want spiritual counseling after investigation, evp work and old school audio, the accuracy and research of past life regression and seance, and spiritual protection. Lillee was also one of the first to incorporate trained canines into paranormal investigations. She hosts a radio program on the para-x.com network, Happy Mediums, with Debra Ann Freeman, who also consults with paranormal investigative teams in Southern New England. Lillee is a published author and journalist, and legal clergy with degrees in psychology and mass communication. Lillee walks on the middle path sees learning as a life-long endeavor and is looking to make a difference and contribution to this field before she too will be heard on someone’s EVP. Lillee is always available to educate and consult and continues to enjoy guesting on other’s radio and television programs.
Lillee Allee

Latest posts by Lillee Allee (see all)

Lillee Allee

Lillee Allee has studied religion, spirituality and paranormal investigation for over 40 years. She is the widow of John D. Allee, an internationally known dark magician. She continues to consult in paranormal investigation. Her specialties include: Marian and cultural spiritual phenomena/apparitions, spiritual support to teams and clients who want spiritual counseling after investigation, evp work and old school audio, the accuracy and research of past life regression and seance, and spiritual protection. Lillee was also one of the first to incorporate trained canines into paranormal investigations. She hosts a radio program on the para-x.com network, Happy Mediums, with Debra Ann Freeman, who also consults with paranormal investigative teams in Southern New England. Lillee is a published author and journalist, and legal clergy with degrees in psychology and mass communication. Lillee walks on the middle path sees learning as a life-long endeavor and is looking to make a difference and contribution to this field before she too will be heard on someone’s EVP. Lillee is always available to educate and consult and continues to enjoy guesting on other’s radio and television programs.