The Fright Before Christmas

Grabbed this on Audible’s cyber Monday deal, and finished it in the same day. As a Christmas tradition based nonfiction (although mythology/folklore and fantasy really blend?), it was a perfect read for me.

The author takes the reader through the history of Christmas, not just its darker creatures, but even the creation of Santa Claus and St. Nick. The historical beats reminded me of Jeff Guinn’s The Autobiography of Santa Claus, at least in the instances where the author takes from what’s known. And the traditions from other places I was not familiar with reminded me of Linda Raedisch’s The Old Magic of Christmas.

A great blend of information I knew, and that that I didn’t, this was a quick and enjoyable read for the holiday season. The author draws on the history of the holiday to explain when and how or even why certain Christmas traditions came and went away. How Krampus was frowned upon, seemingly went away, and then was modernized in the 2015 film. The author even likens the appearance of the Grinch to that of Krampus, and how even when traditions seem forgotten they still hold on.