The Fright Before Christmas by Jeff Belanger

Step into the dark roots of Christmas past where the Krampus punishes the bad boys and girls.

Christmas time is truly the darkest and creepiest time of the year filled with devilish creatures lurking in the shadows waiting to get us. Best known is the Krampus who has been the subject of films and songs. There was a time in the late 1800s when people sent Krampus cards, not holiday greetings. There are other violent and dangerous monsters from all over northern climes who have been hunting naughty children for centuries. From shapeshifters to mountain trolls, to elves, to heavy-handed cohorts of Saint Nicholas, the Christmas holiday has been filled with ghosts and monsters ready to dole out punishment to those who need it.
The Fright Before Christmas  will delve into the folklore of Krampus and his friends with the elf-like Tomten and the goblinesque Karakoncolas. The Belsnickel is ready to hit us with his switch of sticks and Gryla may drag you back to her mountain lair. And watch out for the Yule Cat ready to pounce! These are just a few of the yuletide beasties coming for us in The Fright Before Christmas in the hope they can save us from ourselves.  

The folklore roots of Christmas under its many other guises (Yule, the Winter Solstice, Saturnalia) is examined in a different, darker light. The Winter Solstice is a time to be afraid. It’s the shortest day of the year. The longest night. In some parts of the world, the sun doesn’t rise at all. It’s dark, and we have to wonder if the sun will ever come back at all. Christmas has always been creepy and with  The Fright Before Christmas you'll see the other side. This is a book for everyone who loves a little darkness around the holidays.

Be good or the Krampus will get you!

Just a super quick review today because I'm still on a break.

The Fright Before Christmas by Jeff Belanger is a well-researched, entertaining, and informative look at the history of Christmas, Santa, Krampus, Belsnickel, The Yule Cat, and more. It includes the traditions, beliefs, and origins of Christmas trees, wreaths and several winter time creatures that I was not familiar with. I quite enjoyed it.

This is a must read for anyone who loves folklore as well as Christmas. I never knew where the tradition of hanging garlands came from or why we kiss under the mistletoe. I learned this and so much more in this fascinating and educational book. The illustrations are spectacular too!

5 out of 5 stars

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About the author

Twelve Days of Christmas Horror Volume 3 by Rick Wood

 

The third Christmas horror anthology from horror master Rick Wood...

Featuring such stories
- Santa Vs Krampus
- Charades With a Side of Rage
- Carolling With Killers
- Christmas in Hell
- Christmas Night of the Living Year Two
(and much more...)

It's time to bring a little horror to the festivities...

Having enjoyed the first two volumes of Twelve Days of Christmas Horror I looked forward to this final installment. 

Unfortunately for me, this did not live up to my expectations. Some of the sarcastic wit is still present but the dark humor that I so loved in the previous volumes was not up to par. 

There were only two stories that I enjoyed. The majority of this book was more flat than fearsome. 

Also, I don't know if it was done purposely or if there was a mishap at the printer but my copy has no page numbers until you get to 104 and then they end at 114 even though the book continues on for several more pages. It just added to the feeling that not much effort was put into this volume.

You may enjoy it more than I did, but this one was just not for me.

2 out of 5 stars

About the author

 

Best Horror of 2023

Another year of great books has gone by and I have been privileged to have a front-row seat for some fabulous reading. These are my picks for the Best Horror of 2023. The title links will take you to the book synopsis, review, author information if available on Goodreads, and Amazon page. If you're looking for something spectacular to read allow me to recommend any or all of these twelve books.

DMV by Bentley Little       All Hallows by Christopher Golden      

Lone Women by Victor LaValle       The Broken Places by Blaine Daigle      

The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca     

Wasps in the Ice Cream by Tim McGregor

Conjuring The Witch by Jessica Leonard  Guests by Kealan Patrick Burke

Nestlings by Nat Cassidy  Nightmare Abbey 3    The Dead Pennies by Robert Ford

Riding The Nightmare by Lisa Tuttle

Appalachian Winter Hauntings: Weird Tales from the Mountains

 Appalachian Winter Hauntings includes eleven bone-chilling accounts-penned by many of the preeminent storytellers in the business-that are appropriate to the Appalachian region and relative to the heart of the holiday season. This anthology, edited by Michael Knost and Mark Justice, is designed for cozying up close to a blazing fireplace on the coldest of winter nights. Contributors include: Ronald Kelly, Brian J. Hatcher, Patricia Hughes, Steve Vernon, S. Clayton Rhodes, Steve Rasnic Tem, Sara J. Larson, Scott Nicholson, J.G. Faherty. EmmaLee Pallai, and Elizabeth Massie. The texture is gritty and the stories are moving. Think Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" turned up a notch with a ghostly Appalachian backdrop. So, pour yourself a mug of hot cocoa, wrap your favorite blanket around you, and brace yourself for ghostly stories and weird encounters that take place in the shadows of snowy hilltops or along icy mountain trails. Family friendly.

This was a case of "Don't judge a book by its cover" but that is what I did. I saw this gorgeous cover and expected some terrifying tales. Had I read the description down to the very bottom I would have noticed the "family friendly" part at the end. I believe that may be the reason this book has so few reviews. The cover may have caught the eye of horror fans like me while turning off its target audience, which would be people of all ages who like ghost stories. 

These tales are not gory horror. and there is nothing particularly scary. They are more in tune with the classic style of  "Ghost Stories for Christmas."

Most of the stories are heartwarming, poignant, and bittersweet.

There is some Christmas cheer but I'm not sure I would recommend this book to anyone who struggles with depression at this time of year. There is much poverty, sadness, grief, and loss in these wintery tales, more than a few of which left me feeling quite melancholy even though some of the ghosts offered solace to the living. A couple of these stories had me close to tears. 

All of the stories except The Peddler's Journey by Ronald Kelly were new to me. I had read that one in a different collection. It's one of my favorites about a spirit with unfinished business.

A Sky Full of Stars and a Big Green Forever by Steve Vernon is a lonely tale of a man spending another Christmas on his own.. I think the message conveyed was not to let grief steal what's left of your life.

A man returns to his childhood home after the death of his parents in Smoke In A Bottle by Steve Rasnic Tem. Clearing out the house brings back childhood memories that look a bit different through the eyes of an adult.

The Nativity Tray by Sara J. Larson is one of the stories that had me close to tears. A grief-stricken woman who has lost her family to tragedy prepares for her lonely Christmas Eve until she is interrupted by a visitor.

Apple Head Dolly by Scott Nicholson was closer to the type of story I was expecting to find here.  No ghosts in this one, just a boy who is resentful of his sister when his financially struggling parents spend more on her Christmas presents than his,

The Christmas Letter by Emmalee Pallai is another story that had me a little misty eyed. A boy who lost his dad when he was too young to remember him gets an unforgettable Christmas gift that he will always cherish.

Beggars at Dawn by Elizabeth Massie is about a man at the end of his rope, who finds a reason to hold on a little longer.

So bottom line, I would recommend this anthology to anyone who likes ghost stories, but not for someone specifically in search of a scary read.

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