About this episode
From Krampus and Belsnickel to ancient pagan festivals, Abby and Alan discuss the dark origins of Christmas mythology and monsters. Get Lunatics Merch here. Join the discussion on Discord . Listen to the paranormal playlist I curate for Vurbl , updated weekly! Check out Abby's book Horror Stories . Available in eBook and paperback. Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep. SOURCES Smithsonian Magazine Article by Kat Eschner - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-do-ghost-stories-go-christmas-180961547/ All Things Interesting Article by Morgan Dunn: The Story Of Yule, The Raucous Pagan Celebration Of Winter That Inspired Christmas An article called The Legend of La Befana by Debra Thimmesh, on ItaliaRail.com Santa Claus: Real Origins and Legends on History.com English Heritage article by Tom Moriarty: The History of Father Christmas Atlas Obscura Article by Sarah Elizabeth Troop: The Monsters of Christmas Smithsonian Magazine Article by Colin Dickey: A Please to Resurrect the Christmas Tradition of Telling Ghost Stories Support your favorite podcast by wearing some haunting and highly specific clothing. Check out our merch store here. Consider joining our Patreon for bonus episodes, spooky literature and deep dives into horror and history. Click here to learn more. Follow us on TikTok , X , Instragram and YouTube. Join the conversation on Discord. Support us on Patreon . Support the show