Ghost Stories

By Brittany B.

The concept of a Christmas Story has taken on a variety of roles over the centuries, even within the last couple of decades. In the 21st century, when we talk about Christmas stories we think of inspirational tales and heart warming romances. That hasn't always been the case. The concept of sharing spooky stories by candlelight got its start in the Victorian era. The Victorians loved some spooky stories.

The Victorian era gave us a lot of our modern concepts of Christmas: the Christmas goose (though we've substituted for roasts, hams or turkeys), the modernization of gift giving, sending Christmas cards, caroling, traveling to see family, the Christmas tree, and even Santa Claus. Just to name a few. One tradition that did not quite survive the annals of time were yuletide ghost stories. The Victorians loved their yuletide ghost stories. The most famous of these stories being A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Perhaps it is time to revive this tradition. This Christmas, revive the telling of spooky tales with a few of these otherworldly novels.

• The Girl Who Died by Ragnar Jonasson
• The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street by Karen White
• Murder at Midnight by Katherine Schellman
• The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson
• Once upon a Seaside Murder by Maggie Blackburn
• The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley