Ghosts of Christmas Past
by majean
“A sad tale's best for winter: I have one of sprites and goblins.”
― William Shakespeare, The Winter's Tale
Many of our European ancestors spent the cold, dark nights of winter huddled together around a fire, cozy in the warmth and light, sharing stories. And everyone knows the best fireside stories are ghost stories.
Charles Dickens was far from the only 19th century author penning spectral tales. M.R. James is perhaps best remembered for his ghost stories, and his "Dinner for One" is included in the modern collection Ghosts of Christmas Past. Other Progressive Era authors included in the anthology are E. Nesbit ("This Beautiful House") and Jerome K. Jerome ("The Ghost of the Blue Chamber").
But there are some recognizable modern names as well, such as Neil Gaiman ("Nicholas Was") and Kelly Link ("The Lady and the Fox"), proving that the tradition of winter tales told with a supernatural element still endures. What better way to spend our dark evenings than curled up with a book?
Is it the blustering wind giving you chills...or something else entirely? (Pro-tip: It's never just the wind.)
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