S3 Ep3: Making Merry: Night of the Living Christmas Decorations

12/20/21 • 33 min

December is often called the most wonderful time of the year. But did you know that the Winter Solstice, which happens during December, is the second most haunted time of the year too? Samhain, or Halloween, is the first. The hauntings that happen during Halloween aren’t the same as the ghosts that come to visit during the Christmas season/Winter Solstice, though. Samhain ghosts are more the dead in general coming back, whereas Yule hauntings are much more Dickens-esque. Like Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, Winter Solstice hauntings have a purpose and some link to the season’s death/rebirth theme. And while telling scary stories is a popular activity commonly associated with Halloween, it’s also an ancient Yuletide tradition.
One that we partake in in this episode.
"Making Merry: Night of the Living Christmas Decorations,” is a short fiction story I wrote once upon a Christmastime long, long ago. It's not exactly a ghost story, but it does have some horror elements to it, so it does fall into the scary story realm.
And because it's a tale of merriment, mischief, judgment, redemption, and love set during the Christmas season, it's definitely appropriate for the Yule season.
Storyline
Teenagers Kyle and Justin come to regret their decision to get into some spirited mischief by vandalizing and sabotaging all of the Christmas decorations in their neighborhood. Especially when the decorations seek retaliation and retribution --and not even Santa can help them.
Listener Discretion Advised
There aren't a lot of bad words in this story, but there are a few, so it's not appropriate for younger listeners.
Also, Santa Spoiler Alert! (His true identity is discussed.)
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Music Christmas Magic by Frank Schröter Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7112-christmas-magic License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license The Snow Queen by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4511-the-snow-queen License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Ghost Processional by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3804-ghost-processional License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license The Escape by Euan Ford Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6872-the-escape License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Dramatic Riser by Rafael Krux Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5401-dramatic-riser- License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license An Upsetting Theme by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3362-an-upsetting-theme License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Gnarled Situation by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3810-gnarled-situation License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Urban Gauntlet by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5012-urban-gauntlet License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Christmas Angel Fly With Me by Horst Hoffmann Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/8625-christmas-angel-fly-with-me License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license The House of Leaves by Kevin MacLeod Link:

Previous Episode

S3 Ep2: Best Places to Find the Ghosts of Christmases Past

These places deck the halls in a major way for the holiday season. However, in addition to conjuring the Christmas spirit, they’re also great places to find restless spirits too.
In this episode, we explore:

The connection between Legend of Sleepy Hollow author Washington Irving, the Bracebridge Dinner at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park, and the possible ghost of Mary Curry Tresidor, one of the hotel's former operators.
The haunted happenings at the Tinker Swiss Cottage in Rockford, Illinois.
How they celebrate the spirit of Christmas past in Mystic, Connecticut.
A Victorian Christmas in Cape May, New Jersey, where they know a thing or two about paranormal tourism which among their holiday tours they even have a Ghost of Christmas Past trolley tour.
What Christmas in historic Colonial Williamsburg has to offer. But warning, picking only a few haunted places to talk about was hard!
The southern hospitality of Christmas in the Holy City, Charleston, South Carolina. Again, Charleston overflows with haunted places so it was a challenge to narrow down which ones to discuss.
The grandeur of Christmas past amongst the Millionaire Cottages and the Jekyll Island Club in Jekyll Island, Georgia. Speaking of the "cottages," Jekyll may hold a record for most haunted mansions all in one place!

So hop in our sleigh for haunted destinations steeped in history, mystery, and ghost stories that also include a healthy dose of Christmas magic!
Reference:
https://www.hauntjaunts.net/best-places-to-find-ghosts-of-christmas-past/

https://q985online.com/experience-ghosts-of-christmas-past-at-one-of-northern-illinois-most-haunted-places/

https://www.hauntedrockford.com/tinker-cottage-one-of-rockfords-most-haunted-places/

https://www.ctvisit.com/events/lantern-light-village-0
https://www.ctvisit.com/events/ghosts-christmas-past-stroll
https://www.capemay.com/calendar/

https://bestofnj.com/features/holidays/halloween/haunted-nj-cape-mays-ghostly-hotspots/

https://www.capemaymag.com/the-ghosts-of-congress-hall/

https://www.southernmansion.com/blog/cape-may-haunted-mansions

https://www.hauntjaunts.net/the-christmas-tree-ship/

https://patch.com/new-jersey/oceancity/cape-may-home-among-most-haunted-houses-america-report-says

https://www.visitwilliamsburg.com/blog/williamsburgs-seasonal-splendor

https://colonialghosts.com/kings-arms-tavern/ https://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/jekyllghosts.html

https://www.draytonhall.org/is-drayton-hall-haunted/

https://www.southernspiritguide.org/doing-the-charleston-a-ghostly-tour/

https://www.southernspiritguide.org/doing-the-charleston-a-ghostly-tour-north-of-broad/

https://www.poogansporch.com/our-story/

https://www.southernspiritguide.org/doing-the-charleston-a-ghostly-tour-charleston-environs/

https://chstoday.6amcity.com/most-haunted-places-in-charleston-sc/
Virginia’s Haunted Historic Triangle: Williamsburg, Yorktown, Jamestown & Other Haunted Locations by Pamela K. Kinney.
Haunted Places: The National Directory by Dennis William Hauck <...

Next Episode

S3 Ep4: Spirited Places to Ring in the New Year

The ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future paid Scrooge a visit. We borrow that concept of three as we embark in search of haunted bars, ghost stories and energy centers with a New Year's Eve and/or New Year connection.
Places we explore this episode include:

Sydney, Australia - We check out two haunted hotels in the Rocks: The Australian Heritage Hotel and the Russel Hotel. Both aren't far from the Circular Quay, a great place to watch New Year's Eve fireworks in Sydney.
London, England - We briefly examine the story of a ghost who some say jumps from Westminster Bridge as Big Ben rings in the New Year. Some even say it's Jack the Ripper... (Though that's doubtful.) Speaking of the infamous serial killer, we briefly check out a haunted pub he may have a connection to, The Ten Bells. We also visit the Grenadier, one of London’s oldest and many say most haunted pubs.
Edinburgh, Scotland - It wouldn't be a proper New Year without checking out Hogmanay and a pub that proclaims itself Edinburgh's most haunted, the Banshee Labyrinth.
New York City, New York - For NYE travelers, Times Square is often a priority destination. One of NYC's most luxurious and storied hotels is not far from Times Square, the Algonquin. NYC Ghosts shared that the Algonquin conducts a mini exorcism every New Year’s Eve where staff dim the lights and march through the building banging pots and pans to try and ward off sinister spirits.
Nashville, Tennessee - This booming city is an up-and-comer NYE travel destination. Hank Williams Sr. died on New Year's Day. Not in Nashville, and years before Tootsie's Orchid Lounge ever opened. But some say the ghosts of the honky tonk's proprietor, Tootsie Bess, and the country music legend haunts the Broadway bar.
Chicago, Illinois - Legend has it that a woman jumped from the 10th floor of the Drake Hotel on New Year's Eve. Some believe that may be the woman in red thought to haunt the hotel.
Anchorage, Alaska - Another tormented woman who took her life on New Year's Eve can be found in the last stall on the left in the women's bathroom at the Captain Cook Hotel. Except, for her peace of mind and those using the facility, the possessive potty poltergeist's stall has been bolted shut from the inside to try and appease her restless --and sometimes expressive-- manifestations.
Energy vortexes around the world - For those interested in ushering in the New Year with good vibrations, a visit to an energy vortex might be just the thing. We mention eight: Sedona, Arizona; Mount Shasta in California; Maui's Haleakalā Volcano in Hawai; Glastonbury and Stonehenge in England; Es Vedra off Ibizia's coast in Spain; the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt; and the Mayan Ruins in Tulum, Mexico.