The Scary Book of Christmas Lore: 50 Terrifying Yuletide Tales from Around the World

by Tim Rayborn

You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen…but do you recall the most petrifying Christmas figures of all? Not all children fear just a lump of coal in their stockings. Discover the terrifying Yuletide fables, folktales, and folklore that have horrified kids (and adults) for generations during the holiday season.

He sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness’ sake. This lighthearted song is a bit more ominous in the context of other Christmas traditions. From beasts that threaten to cook children into stew to sinister crones who snatch little ones from their beds, you won’t find any dancing sugar plums here. Outside of the heartwarming Christmas tales we all know and love, there are an abundance of frightening stories to chill all who hear them to the bone. Discover folklore from all corners of the world,

Krampus (Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, and northern Italy), a demonic half-goat monster who drags chains and whips bad children with birch sticks, or stuffs them in his sack to take awayThe Kallikantzari (Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Turkey), goblins who come out during Advent to cause mischief Père Fouettard (France, Belgium, Switzerland), Saint Nicholas’ eternal cannibal manservant who deals with naughty childrenHans Trapp (Alsace-Lorraine, France), who roams the countryside disguised as a scarecrow and goes door to door on Christmas looking for children to feast uponGryla (Iceland), the giant ogre who emerges from her cave on Christmas to hunt children and cook them into stewMari Lwyd (Wales), a creature with a horse’s skull and a long cloak that is followed by a group of chanting peopleFrau Perchta (Austria and Bavaria), who slits the bellies of bad children and stuffs them with straw These tales are sure to leave you wishing for the Grinch. Whether you are a fan of history and folklore, you love learning about different cultures, or you just want to give a holiday gift that will bring the joy of Christmas to that lucky someone (just kidding), The Scary Book of Christmas Lore is for you. ’Tis the season! Is it beginning look a lot like Christmas, yet?

Genres: Horror, Christmas, Nonfiction, Folklore, Holiday, Mythology, History

143 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 27, 2024

About the author

Tim Rayborn is a historian, medievalist, and musician, with an MA and PhD from the University of Leeds in England. He is a writer on a variety of topics in history and the arts, from the academic to the amusing to the appalling. He has written nearly 50 books to date.

A professional musician with a specialty in medieval repertoire, he plays dozens of musical instruments, has appeared on more than 40 recordings, and has performed in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s fine. Fairly repetitive, and I was expecting more actual stories instead of mostly just a listing of different versions of Krampus and pagan winter myths/characters, given that it says 50 Yuletide “tales”. I was also expecting scarier stuff than most of it was.

It IS a good collection of mean characters and superstitions for the wintertime. So if you’re just looking for background info type stuff, this would be 5 stars.

[Dez the Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this a 3.5 star.

This has some interesting facts about some terrifying traditions of holiday demons or scary entities from around the world. We learn where some legends like Krampus or the St. Nick story may have originated from. I had a couple issues with this book however.

There was a whole lot of “may” in this book, which made it feel like I wasn’t sure if I was learning the true history or not.

Then there was the authors attempt at humor or interjecting his own thoughts after providing what the legend is and it just came off as lame and as he was just trying to add more words to the page.

Some of its interesting answers I did n enjoy learning about different cultures and traditions but it could have ultimately been put together better.

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

This little book is composed of fifty chapters, each focusing upon a unique subject of Yuletide folklore. The information is presented in encyclopedic fashion, reminiscent of writer J.W. Oker’s Cursed Objects and Cryptids books. Much of the information presented was new to me and therefore interesting. I wish there were illustrations depicting each topic of lore but then it would be a totally different kind of book! I was left wanting more but I think that’s the intention. It’s like a primer of sorts and not super detailed but makes for a quick and fun holiday read.

[Dave Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but the title and sub header are misleading. These aren’t 50 tales of folklore, implying actual stories, it’s actually more of an explainer of other countries Christmas myths about creatures or beings that aren’t Santa Claus.

The book consists of 50 entries of 2-3 page explainers of each myth and its written pretty bluntly and succinctly which I enjoyed. They are brief but contain mostly relevant info and most of the entries have good artwork to go with it.

Don’t go into this thinking the folklore is actual scary tales; it’s more of a handy pocket guide to Christmas myths around the world. It’s good in this role!

[Carm · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this is certainly not the first book of scary Christmas stories that I’ve read, it is the first to explain to me why Santa Kuroshu (Japanese Santa Claus) is often portrayed as looking like Colonel Sanders from KFC. It also introduced me to Caga Tió, the pooping Christmas log that Catalan children hit with a stick in hopes of relieving its constipation so that it will shit out treats. Bonus points. 🤣

[Creeping Beauty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read, but I wouldn't call it scary or terrifying.
There are some great illustrations, so I give this 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

[Beck]

DNF at 12%.

Author has already used “but that’s confusing” or “the history isn’t clear” multiple times to avoid using any actual references. Language is dry but not informative, with random slang interjected. Reads like someone’s essay outline notes, not a completed document.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoiler alert: it’s Pagan tradition all the way down

[Rainbow Goth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book overall is a quick entertaining read, making it an ideal companion for a cosy evening spent beside a warm fire, with a comforting cup of tea in hand.

However, there were a few aspects that gave me pause, particularly about some repetitive elements within the text. While the book effectively highlights the fascinating ways in which oral traditions have evolved and transformed over time, as well as how they vary across different cultures and regions, I find myself agreeing with other reviewers who suggest that a different organisational structure might have helped minimise some of this repetition.

One of the highlights for me was the inclusion of the Mari Lwyd, a tradition that I find particularly captivating and even though the book leans heavily towards a Eurocentric perspective, it does make an effort to incorporate examples from further afield, including intriguing references to Japanese traditions.

Overall, this book sparked my interest and left me yearning for more depth. As an enthusiast of winter lore, I felt that this work provided only a tantalizing glimpse into a diverse array of cultural traditions.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfect listening while wrapping gifts. A little macabre during all the merriment never killed anyone🤣

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fun to read about the different folktales, though many were similar. I would have preferred this told as stories and not factual.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good compilation of folklore stories. Little repetitive at times. Liked the fact that chapters were short.

[Kevin Donato · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tim Rayburn’s “Scary Book of Christmas Lore” seemed the perfect read to add a chilling twist to the holiday season. With its promise of exploring 50 terrifying Yuletide tales from across the globe, I was ready to dive into a world of eerie folklore. Unfortunately, the book didn’t quite live up to my expectations. While the premise is fantastic, the execution left much to be desired. Instead of being drawn into immersive, spine-tingling stories, I felt like I was reading short Wikipedia entries. The descriptions of each lore were too brief, lacking the depth and atmosphere necessary to engage the reader fully. It felt more like an overview than a deep dive, which left me wanting much more.

Some tales, such as the infamous Krampus or the sinister Gryla, were genuinely intriguing, but most missed the mark. They didn’t captivate or horrify me in the way I had hoped. The pacing also felt repetitive, with many entries blending into a blur by the end. Overall, while the idea behind this book is excellent, the lack of detail and storytelling made it a bit of a slog to get through. If you’re looking for something to give you Christmas chills, you may want to look elsewhere. Two stars.

[Mya ☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a lover of mythology and folklore, I was immediately drawn to this book. Tim Rayborn’s Scary Book of Christmas Lore offers a fascinating exploration of the creatures, monsters, and legends associated with the holiday season across cultures. This collection dives into the darker, more mysterious side of Yuletide lore—stories that are often overlooked yet deeply embedded in tradition.

Rayborn brings together tales from different countries, illustrating the unique ways cultures intertwine fear, celebration, and morality during the holiday season. From Krampus in Alpine folklore to lesser-known winter spirits and monsters such as the Straggele, Belsnickle, and the Nuckelavee (Truly terrifying - look him up). Each entry is both entertaining and informative, shedding light on the origins and meanings behind these stories. I especially love The Yule Cat, The Wild Barbaras, Mari Lwyd, The Schonperchten/Schiachperchten, La Befana and the Christmas Spiders!

The illustrations included in the book are a fantastic addition. They enrich the reading experience, offering visual interpretations of these creatures and enhancing the eerie and whimsical atmosphere of the tales.

Highly recommended for anyone curious about the darker side of Christmas traditions and the fascinating creatures that inhabit them!

[Antoinette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just ok. Agree with other reviewers that this is mis-billed. It's more of a mini-encyclopedia/who's who of "holiday" legends vs. stories. And some seemed to be a bit of a stretch to relate to Christmas. The times of these legends' appearances also span quite a bit. A calendar or timeline placing them all might have been interesting.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, but I think a different organizational approach would’ve made it more exciting to read and less encyclopedic. The thorough coverage for each story was admirable at first, but by the last few chapters, even the author admits the content has significant overlap and repetition. Perhaps chapters that group particular stories together using a recognizable theme would’ve worked to avoid this. Still a three star read for covering so many regions.

[Chuck Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun little read that did a good job explaining some different Christmas traditions from different parts of the world in short, easy-to-digest articles with some pretty nice artwork strewn in the mix as well. The stories were fun to read and it was interesting how manny different countries or regions had similar Christmas lore, just tweaked a bit.

The only thing that was a bit annoying was that there were quite a few grammatical and spelling issues throughout the book so the editing team didn’t do the best job of checking things before printing the book. Thankfully it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book, but I had not read a novel with that many mistakes before.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not sure why I chose to read this book...other than to find out about some of the strange traditions that exist (or existed) as to how people around the world celebrate Christmas. Most of these things are just frightening.

I will gladly stick with Jingle Bells, Santa Clause and Rudolph.

[Sidney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aw man, I really wanted to read more about Krampus since I just finished Krampus by Brom (recommend and now have a secret crush on Krampus); however what I got was a bunch of worldwide history on the evil-doers during Christmas time. Bah!

[lex · Rating 4 out of 5]

the perfect way to ring in december 🎄

[Shannon Whitley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun coffee table book

[Apriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting! I had previously only heard of a handful of the “monsters” mentioned. I had thought that this was going to be stories about the monsters but it is actually a nonfiction book that tells the history these wintertime monsters. Even better in my opinion!

[Brandon Tao · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cool little explainer of some winter myths! -1 for the AI cover art (the actual illustrations inside the book were excellent)

[Tracy Weis · Rating 3 out of 5]

was looking for more scary tales and not history. but the history was cool just not what I was expecting.

[Sara Aikman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mummers mentioned 😍 Essentially the same story 50 times with edits lmao I didn’t realize it was an encyclopedia type book. I had fun tho

[Linnea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Addie Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Renae Rohde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite informative!

[Loriana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Audrina Fuhrmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was really cool and the art was beautiful!