Have a Merry Scary Christmas | Leslie and Stephen Shaw

Our Christmas episode of our Gnostic TV show “Abductions 101: UFOs and the Paranormal Connection” episode 6, “A Merry Scary Christmas,” had special guest John Radtke host of the “Dairyland Frights” podcast.

John did a wonderful Christmas special, “Spooky Yuletide Tales: Exploring Christmas Myths and Creatures with Rissa,” and we brought him on our show to tell us all about the spooky side of Christmas.

One of the worst ones is from Iceland, about a terrible ogress named Gryla who would cook naughty children for she and her husband, and we learned about her 13 children called the Yule Kids or the Yule Lads, and her cat, the Yule Cat who would stalk and kill those who didn’t have any new clothes for Christmas.

We learned about the infamous Krampus, the Christmas demon who punishes naughty children, and Bell'nickel, the cranky enforcer of good behavior. Both Krampus and Bell’nickel beat naughty children with switches.

One of the funniest is the Yule Goat who is a critic of decorations. If your Christmas decorations don’t measure up, he butts you.

I asked him about the Mari Lwyd, a creature looks a bit like a horse or a deer that sings to people in their homes. When it appears at your door, you must always let the Mari Lwyd into your home. Everyone has to let it in, even if it’s a neighbor dressed in a colorful horse skull. The Mari Lwyd starts singing and the residents of the home must carry the tune along taking turns perpetuating the song. If the Mari Lwyd is pleased it will join the party and join in a drink to two.

I just had to ask, and I wish I hadn’t, but I had to know about the Tio de Nadal which is a wooden log that you must feed and care for. This story comes from Spain.

If the log is well cared for it will poop out presents and sweets.

John will have a second Christmas episode coming next week!

Listen to John’s Christmas episode, “Spooky Yuletide Tales: Exploring Christmas Myths and Creatures with Rissa,” at…

https://dairylandfrights.podbean.com/e/spooky-yuletide-tales-exploring-christmas-myths-and-creatures-with-rissa/

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