Tell Ghost Stories Tonight

Resurrect this Victorian Christmas tradition!

On Christmas Eve, my family lights a bonfire outside (weather permitting) and gathers around with our warm(ing) beverages to tell ghost stories. Some of these stories are personal accounts, some are old tales passed down orally, and some we read to each other. It is one of the best holiday traditions we have, in my opinion.

Winter and Christmas have always had a close relationship with ghosts and the uncanny. While horror is always enjoyable and fun at any season, winter is where I believe it to be at its most devastating. There are the primal dangers of barren landscapes and harsh weather conditions, and then there are the mental dangers of depression and restlessness. It is regarded as a time when the veil is thin, when the living sit closer to the dead. Humans have always celebrated this time in one way or another.

My mom is a fellow librarian and a fantastic storyteller, so my siblings and I were raised more or less in a storytelling tradition. We are a spooky people, and anytime we can make something scary, we try. Even when it doesn’t really make sense, we try. Even when other people don’t want anything to do with spookiness, we try. But for Christmas, it’s already in the sauce.

Colin Dickey (known for his non-fiction explorations of horror, ghost stories, and folklore) published a short write-up in Smithsonian Magazine in 2017 digging into the ghostly Christmas traditions of the Victorians, emphasizing how Christmas was always considered the time when the veil was thinnest, and it wasn’t until the modern era that Halloween dethroned Christmas in this regard.

It didn’t take any convincing at all for my family to adopt this tradition. It felt tailor made for us. And I’m here today to encourage you to give it a try this year. You don’t need the bonfire, some candles will do. Get your snacks, pick your story, and settle in for a spooky time.

You don’t need to be a storyteller or have a personal ghost story to share. You can read a short story out loud instead (but I do suggest a practice read first). Here are some suggestions!

• Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark written by Alvin Schwartz and illustrated by Stephen Gammell (1981), ‘84, ‘91): While I don’t recall any of these stories being set during the winter, these are absolutely perfect for reading around a Christmas fire. They’re short, snappy, and absolutely terrifying.

• “Dark Christmas” by Jeanette Winterson, published in The Guardian (2013): A modern classic of the genre! Jeanette Winterson is a master, and this festive ghost story should be on your reading list every year.

• “The Kit-Bag” by Algernon Blackwood (1908): I’m not going to say any details about this story. It’s more fun if you go in not knowing anything. This is a classic ghost story for winter, and I cannot recommend it enough. It will make you think twice before borrowing luggage from a friend, that’s for sure.

• “The Shadow” by E. Nesbit (1907): This is another classic and was a pick of my brother’s one Christmas Eve when it was his turn to tell the story.

• “Good Deeds” by Jeff Strand in Hark! The Herald Angels Scream edited by Christopher Golder (2018): Proceed with extreme caution! This is one of the funniest stories I’ve ever read in my life, and it was a huge hit when I read it to my family a few years ago on Christmas Eve, but it is brutal. The humor is callous, so you need to have a family who appreciates darkness of all kinds. Literally the funniest thing I’ve ever read though.

• “The Weeping Lass at the Dancing Place” in Twelve Great Black Cats and Other Eerie Scottish Tales by Sorche Nic Leodhas (1973): This is a sad and spooky Scottish ghost story that my mom picked for her Christmas Eve reading one year. I feel like this is a story my mom has been telling us versions of my whole life. I love this one. I couldn’t find it for free in full online, but you can easily get your hands on a copy of this collection, either used or through your library.

• “The Phantom Coach” by Amelia Edwards (1864): Another pick of my brother’s! This one is a journey and really emphasizes the winter of it all. It’s a long one, but you can also listen to the audiobook version on YouTube!

• Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories (volumes 1-5) from Valancourt Books: This multi-volume set contains every appropriate ghost story you could imagine for the season. Be sure to pick them up!

Happy Christmas Eve! I hope you all start a new tradition with your friends and family and pets this year. The veil is thin, and we must respect that.