Phantoms of Christmas Past: Festive Ghost Hoaxes, Ghost Hunts and Ghost Panics

by Paul Weatherhead

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, ghost hoaxes (dressing in a white sheet or a more elaborate costume) and scaring people were rife but seldom studied or written about. These hoaxes frequently led to impromptu ghost hunts by hundreds, sometimes thousands of often drunk vigilantes (and hysterical panics) as rumours of the supposed ghosts would spread round the community. Many of these ghost scares occurred during the Christmas and New Year periods, and this book explores twelve little-known episodes. Comical but sometimes dark and tragic with entertaining elements of horror and the bizarre, these true Christmas ‘ghost’ stories combine spooky local legends, mischievous hoaxes, and comical ghost hunts. At the same time, dour psychic investigators compete with whimsical spiritualists and ghost flashmobs. A unique Christmas book, this is an ideal holiday gift for those interested in ghosts and other fortean phenomena, as well as weird histories and social panics.

200 pages, Paperback

Published September 2, 2025

Reviews

[Dave Musson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is undoubtedly well-researched and the writing is very accessible, driven by an obvious enthusiasm and zeal for the subject matter from the author.

The stories are quirky and a little weird, but disappointingly un-scary. And the hook to Christmas in the title is something of a stretch; I was drawn to request a review copy of this book as I thought o would get something akin to Dickens’ famous festive tale, but these stories all could have happened at any time of year. It’s not very Christmassy, I guess that’s my point, which is a shame as festive ghost stories are such a strong tradition here.

Still, it’s an interesting read and could make for a fun festive stocking filler for the spooky nerd in your life. Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

[Sarah Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: Phantoms of Christmas Past: Festive Ghost Hoaxes, Ghost Hunts and Ghost Panics by Paul Weatherhead

Paul Weatherhead’s Phantoms of Christmas Past is a meticulously researched and engaging exploration of a neglected niche in social history: the festive ghost hoaxes and mass panics that swept through 19th- and early 20th-century communities. Focusing on twelve little-known episodes, Weatherhead deftly balances humor, horror, and historical analysis, revealing how seemingly frivolous pranks—like white-sheeted specters—spiraled into chaotic vigilante hunts and collective hysteria. The book situates these events within broader cultural frameworks, touching on folklore, psychology, and the era’s fascination with spiritualism, making it a valuable resource for scholars of weird history, social psychology, and Victorian/Edwardian popular culture.

Weatherhead’s prose is accessible yet academic, weaving primary sources (newspaper accounts, court records) with vivid storytelling. Standout chapters reveal the darker consequences of these panics, including injuries and mob violence, while others highlight the absurdity of drunken ghost-hunting mobs clashing with earnest paranormal investigators. The seasonal focus adds novelty, positioning the book as both a scholarly work and a perfect fireside read for enthusiasts of Forteana or classic Christmas ghost stories.

How I would describe this book:

- A revelatory dive into the chaos of Christmas ghost scares—equal parts hilarious and haunting.
- Perfect for fans of Weird Calderdale and The Ghost: A Cultural History—a fresh take on festive folklore.
- Weatherhead unearths the stranger-than-fiction tales of ghost hoaxes that terrified entire towns.
- Ideal for historians, paranormal buffs, and anyone who loves a macabre twist on holiday cheer.

Acknowledgments:
Thank you to Collective Ink Limited for providing an advance review copy of this captivating work. Weatherhead’s blend of rigorous research and storytelling flair makes Phantoms of Christmas Past a standout contribution to both academic and popular literature on the supernatural.

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me be clear, this is not a book of ghost stories. These are true stories of fake ghosts. Like, actual events where people dressed up in terrifying costumes, scared the bejeezus out of their neighbors, and accidentally triggered full-blown manhunts, moral panics, and spiritual turf wars. Picture Victorian townsfolk whispering about phantoms by candlelight while their kids pelt a guy in a sheet with turnips. It’s both absurd and deeply fascinating.

Paul Weatherhead comes in with that chaotic historian energy I love. He’s not here to spook you with jump scares. He’s here to dig up forgotten Christmas chaos and serve it with the slightly exasperated tone of a man who cannot believe this actually happened. Which, same. One minute you’re reading about a harmless prank. The next, there’s a stampede, a courtroom, and a psychic duel happening behind the pub. Every chapter has that delicious “you will NOT believe what they did next” energy, but all filtered through the meticulous, slightly sarcastic lens of someone who lives for folklore-fueled drama.

And yes, it does give Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark vibes if instead of childhood nightmares, it was tailor-made for adults who have a secret crush on footnotes and a love-hate relationship with 19th-century spiritualism. It’s got the creepy fog, the lurking figures, the escalating fear. But instead of monsters under the bed, it’s just regular humans being deeply weird in the name of tradition, pranks, or low-grade seasonal madness.

Weatherhead’s structure is delicious. Twelve chapters, like the twelve days of Christmas. Which makes this the most unhinged advent calendar I’ve ever read. You could read one a night leading up to the holidays or just binge it in one sitting while softly muttering “What the hell, England?” to your cat.

Is it spooky? Occasionally. Is it funny? Repeatedly. Is it weird? Constantly. And yet, there’s real substance behind the absurdity. Weatherhead connects the dots between mass hysteria, folklore, early media influence, and the desperate human need to assign meaning to every creak in the floorboards. The fact that some of these hoaxes ended badly isn’t just a plot twist, it’s a pointed reminder that fear is contagious, and sometimes the scariest part of the ghost story is the people who believe it.

Four stars, because it fully commits to its bizarre little niche and delivers on all fronts. If you’re the kind of person who reads historical plaques and immediately Googles “haunted Victorian court cases,” this one’s your jam. Bonus points if you’re into cozy horror, sociological chaos, and holiday stories that go hard on the mayhem and light on the cheer.

Merry Mayhem Prize: For Turning “Guy in a Bedsheet” Into the Main Villain of Christmas Past

Huge thanks to Collective Ink Limited and NetGalley for the ARC of Phantoms of Christmas Past. I had an absolute blast spiraling into historical chaos and festive ghost drama.

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, ghost hunting & spiritualism was perhaps at its peak in popularity, & it will come as no surprise that some people, perhaps wishing to cash in on the popularity of ghost hunts meaning easy pickings for pickpockets, or even just the momentary attention, perpetuated hoax hauntings. This book looks at 12 hauntings where the evidence & witness statements are examined more closely & suggest that the ghostly figures were of a more earthly origin.

This was a quick & fascinating read looking at local UK legends & ghost sightings. I really enjoyed the one about Sir Geoffrey Mandeville who met his demise in the struggle for the throne between Stephen & Matilda in the 12th century. The author has a wry turn of phrase & the light-hearted aspect is very much to the fore, although one can't help but feel sorry for the poor man who was beaten by a mob when suspected of being a prankster but turned out to be an innocent man hurrying between jobs. I will say that although many of these seemed to occur during the Christmas period, none of them were particularly festive, although celebratory libations may explain some of them. An interesting read but not everything can be neatly explained in all cases.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Collective Ink Limited/6th Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

This is a collection of stories about hoaxes and not real ghost stories. The book was very entertaining and most of the stories, though not all, had connection to Christmas. I really liked how the author broke the tales into different accounts from witnesses. Overall it was a fun read but not as festive as I hoped.

*I received this advance copy for review. All opinion are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for this ARC.*

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read and I liked the theme but it got a bit repetitive. The ghost stories were different and from different locations but overall played on the same repeated themes. It was seasonally appropriate for Christmas though and had some humorous bits.

[Thebruce1314 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quirky little book of little-known Christmas ghost hunts. Purchased from my favourite local book seller, who specializes in the unusual. Enjoyable stories, though a bit repetitive (e.g., at least four are posited incidents of night paralysis), and could have benefited from one more proofread.