Down with Christmas Ghosts; Up with Christmas Fairies! An 1880s rant against unwholesome Christmas ghost story horrors with a surprising suggestion for a supernatural substitute.
As Spiritualism’s star waned after the horrors of the First World War began to fade, and as the 20th century advanced, “channeled” revelations often took on the guise of messages from the heavens, reminiscent of later pronouncements from Our Space Brothers, Cosmic Masters, and astral councils of advanced Beings. In 1919 a Toronto physician and astronomer received a message from the stars.
Looking for inspiration for truly memorable holiday presents? Turn to the past for gifts they’ll never forget–like radium particles, a dismembered corpse, a hamper of poisonous snakes, and strips of human skin.
Since today is St. Nicholas’s Day and I do not wish to dwell on his companion, Krampus, let us look ahead to Christmas and some historic cribs of the Infant Jesus.
The Christmas ghost story was a holiday tradition in the magazines and papers of the 19th century. Dickens popularized it; hacks hackneyed it; M.R. James brought it to the pitch of paranormal perfection. But by the time of this humorous piece, every possible change had been rung on the Christmas ghost story clichés.
