Description
As winter comes and the hours of darkness overtake the light, we seek out warmth, good food, and good company. But beneath the jollity and bright enchantment of the festive season, there lurks a darker mood - one that has found expression over the centuries in a host of strange and unsettling traditions and lore. Here, Sarah Clegg takes us on a journey through midwinter to explore the lesser-known Christmas traditions, from English mummers plays and Austrian Krampus runs, to modern pagan rituals at Stonehenge and the night in Finland when a young girl is crowned with candles as St Lucy - a martyred Christian girl who also appears as a witch leading a procession of the dead. At wassails and hoodenings and winter gatherings, attended by ghastly, grinning horses, snatching monsters and mysterious visitors, we discover how these traditions originated and how they changed through the centuries, and we ask ourselves: if we can't keep the darkness entirely at bay, might it be fun to let a little in?
Discover the dark side of Christmas in this fascinating exploration of the strange folk tales and arcane traditions still haunt winter and the festive season to this day.
About the Author
SARAH CLEGG has a PhD in ancient history from the University of Cambridge. Her first book, Woman's Lore, was shortlisted for the HWA Non-Fiction Crown. She is a former bookseller and now works in publishing.
Reviews
This is a lively, moving, thoughtful and erudite survey of the more disturbing aspects of the modern world's most important festival. It is probably the best, and certainly the most accessible -- Ronald Hutton
Away from the turkey and tinsel, Sarah Clegg bravely escorts us to the dark side of the festive season, a wintry underworld of witches and demons, sinister customs and strange ancient rites. A fascinating, menacing miscellany -- Malcolm Gaskill, author of The Ruin of All Witches and Witchfinders
Book Information
ISBN 9781803511535
Author Sarah Clegg
Format Hardback
Page Count 208
Imprint Granta Books
Publisher Granta Books
Discover the dark side of Christmas in this fascinating exploration of the strange folk tales and arcane traditions still haunt winter and the festive season to this day.
About the Author
SARAH CLEGG has a PhD in ancient history from the University of Cambridge. Her first book, Woman's Lore, was shortlisted for the HWA Non-Fiction Crown. She is a former bookseller and now works in publishing.
Reviews
This is a lively, moving, thoughtful and erudite survey of the more disturbing aspects of the modern world's most important festival. It is probably the best, and certainly the most accessible -- Ronald Hutton
Away from the turkey and tinsel, Sarah Clegg bravely escorts us to the dark side of the festive season, a wintry underworld of witches and demons, sinister customs and strange ancient rites. A fascinating, menacing miscellany -- Malcolm Gaskill, author of The Ruin of All Witches and Witchfinders
Book Information
ISBN 9781803511535
Author Sarah Clegg
Format Hardback
Page Count 208
Imprint Granta Books
Publisher Granta Books
