Christmas and Other Horrors: A Winter Solstice Anthology

by Ellen Datlow (Editor)

Hugo Award winning editor, and horror legend, Ellen Datlow presents a terrifying and chilling horror anthology of original short stories exploring the endless terrors of winter solstice traditions across the globe, featuring chillers by Tananarive Due, Stephen Graham Jones, Alma Katsu and many more.

The winter solstice is celebrated as a time of joy around the world—yet the long nights also conjure a darker tradition of ghouls, hauntings, and visitations. This anthology of all-new stories invites you to huddle around the fire and revel in the unholy, the dangerous, the horrific aspects of a time when families and friends come together—for better and for worse.

From the eerie Austrian Schnabelperchten to the skeletal Welsh Mari Lwyd, by way of ravenous golems, uncanny neighbors, and unwelcome visitors, Christmas and Other Horrors captures the heart and horror of the festive season.

Because the weather outside is frightful, but the fire inside is hungry...

Featuring stories by:

Nadia Bulkin
Terry Dowling
Tananarive Due
Jeffrey Ford
Christopher Golden
Stephen Graham Jones
Glen Hirshberg
Richard Kadrey
Alma Katsu
Cassandra Khaw
John Langan
Josh Malerman
Nick Mamatas
Garth Nix
Benjamin Percy
M. Rickert
Kaaron Warren

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Christmas, Fiction, Anthologies, Holiday, Fantasy

410 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 24, 2023

About the author

Ellen Datlow has been editing science fiction, fantasy, and horror short fiction for forty years as fiction editor of OMNI Magazine and editor of Event Horizon and SCIFICTION. She currently acquires short stories and novellas for Tor.com. In addition, she has edited about one hundred science fiction, fantasy, and horror anthologies, including the annual The Best Horror of the Year series, The Doll Collection, Mad Hatters and March Hares, The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea, Echoes: The Saga Anthology of Ghost Stories, Edited By, and Final Cuts: New Tales of Hollywood Horror and Other Spectacles.
She's won multiple World Fantasy Awards, Locus Awards, Hugo Awards, Bram Stoker Awards, International Horror Guild Awards, Shirley Jackson Awards, and the 2012 Il Posto Nero Black Spot Award for Excellence as Best Foreign Editor. Datlow was named recipient of the 2007 Karl Edward Wagner Award, given at the British Fantasy Convention for "outstanding contribution to the genre," was honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Horror Writers Association, in acknowledgment of superior achievement over an entire career, and honored with the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award at the 2014 World Fantasy Convention.

Reviews

[s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all] · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the song It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Andy Williams lists plenty of well-loved holiday feelings and activities. There are parties for hosting, mistletoe, caroling, and my personal favorite: scary ghost stories. Sure, the autumn season seems to get all the credit for spooky stories, but I’d love to see the tradition of ghost stories for Christmas make a strong return and Christmas and other Horrors edited by Ellen Datlow is a perfect way to join in. Ghosts and other menacing spirits have long been part of yuletide folklore—one of the best known being celebrations of Krampus going all the way back to the 6th or 7th century and one of my favorites being Jólakötturinn the Yule Cat of Iceland that would devour children if they didn’t wear their new holiday outfits—and they come alive in this collection to lace some dread in with your cheer. These pages are haunted by sinister Santas, the Celtic Mari Lwyd, an absolutely terrifying story of the Schnabelperchten, the Lord of Misrule, wood demons, witches, scary dog walks on the Solstice and more. So enter, if you dare, because this is a great (if a bit hit or miss at times) collection of Holiday cheer if by cheer you mean screaming in terror.

I love all the old holiday lore and the eerie stories that go with them. Pre-Christian traditions around the world had many beliefs of spirits emerging during the winter solstice and these tales were passed down for centuries. Stories like Ukrainian author Nikolai Gogol’s The Night Before Christmas blended pagan and Christian traditions, becoming a popular tale that is reread in the region every year. ‘But the ghost story as a phenomenon is a 19th century phenomenon,’ Jeanette Winterson writes in her introduction to Christmas Days: 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 Days, a book filled with holiday stories ranging from cute and cheery to full-on hauntings. Ghost stories from Christmas, she explains, hit peak popularity during the Victorian Era. While one theory of this rise in popularity is attributed to the printing press and the transfer from oral tradition to printed stories in every home. Authors like Elizabeth Gaskell and Arthur Conan Doyle were quick to move the supernatural stories from small towns and villages into printed works to be read in cities, and in 1819, Washington Irving published one of the first Christmas ghost stories. Winterson explains that another theory ‘is that the spectres and apparitions claimed in so many sightings were a result of low-level carbon-monoxide poisoning from gas lamps (it does cause fuzzy, drowsy hallucinations). Add in the thick fogs and plenty of gin, and it starts to make sense.’ And what goes better with some Christmas cheer than some holiday chills?

‘But there’s a psychological side to this too,’ Winterson explains, ‘the 19th century was haunted by itself,’ and the gothic tradition began to blend with the new struggles around industrialization. This is most notable in one of the best-loved Christmas ghost stories, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, where three ghosts visit a cantankerous old man on Christmas Eve to instill in him a feeling of charity and goodwill and showing the tragic outcomes that would befall himself and his workers if he continues to be ruled by greed. But while this story has persisted and even been adapted by the Muppets, the Christmas ghost story never quite caught on across the ocean in the United States. In a follow-up to her christmas tales, Winterson addresses this in Night Side of the River and how in the United States, the gothic shifted from the European style such as how Nathaniel Hawthorne ‘built into his sgtories the psychic fractures and guilty disturbances peculiar to the pioneering spirit,’ or, namely, atoning for the sins of ‘bloodstained colonization,’ or the mass executions of witch hunts.

So let’s bring back holiday horror reading. I couldn’t resist this collection in order to read new stories from Stephen Graham Jones and Cassandra Khaw, but there are many, many other great authors here such as Tananarive Due, Richard Kadrey, Benjamin Percy, Jeffrey Ford, Alma Katsu, Josh Malerman and more. Each author provides a small blurb about the inspiration, which makes for a really lovely holiday treat and I am always wanting to hear authors talk about their stories or what frightens and fascinates them.So why stop with spooky season when Halloween is over,keep on shivering your way through the holidays with me and read some ghost stories by the fire.
⅘

[Dez the Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a horrifyingly delightful anthology!

A mix of fantastic authors grace this book and the stories are all unique. More than just a Christmas story, these gothic and terrifying tales surround The Winter Solstice and truly make you stop to listen to the noises outside.

Easy to pick up and put down when you’re in need of a horror fix, or feeling like a little change of pace from your current read. I often read 1-2 stories a day and it was a perfect pace for me.

This book would absolutely make a great gift for those who love both the Christmas season AND Horror.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy in exchange for my honest review!!

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 Stars
While I don't read as many short stories these days, I always have to make an exception for Ellen Datlaw. She has proven time after time that is brilliant at curating fantastic stories from a whole range of authors.

I have always loved horror sent in winter around the holidays so this collection was naturally up my alley. Given the loose theme of "winter solstice" I found that the story were less focused on Christmas which made the thematic ties a bit weak.

As always the case with anthologies, I enjoyed some stories more than others. My personal favourites in the collection include….

Return to Bear Creek Lodge by Tananarive Due which deals with generational traditional
And…
All the Pretty People by Nadia Bulkin which felt like an accurate representation of a twenty something holiday party

One of my favourite aspects of this collection is that each other provided a short explanation of the behind the scenes of their story. I wish this was a mandatory practice.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher

[inciminci · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thread holding the stories of Christmas and Other Horrors together is not so much Christmas as it is Winter Solstice, or the darkest hour of winter. Beside some classically Jule and Christmas themed stories there were lots revolving around Solstice, I think even one about Hanukkah - a pretty unconventional Christmas collection.

Still, the tropes tackled were pretty common to the festive season and the horrors we imagine along with it; home invasion in manifold variations, strange traditions, ghosts...

My highlights, Gravé of Small Birds by Kaaron Warren about a weird ceremony being held on an island, almost a touch of fairy tale but crooked, and The Lord of Misrule by M. Rickert which follows a young woman who, under the influence of the titular lord, can't help but kill children – Christmas is such a child and family focused holiday that this was a breath of fresh, brave air – could unfortunately not erase the feeling of slight wishy-washiness and lack of consistency of style among the stories.

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Christmastime read with the Night Worms fable book club and it was so much fun! Not all the stories hit but the ones that do are perfect for getting into the Christmas/Yuletide spirit. Love that this features Christmas folklore around the globe

[Adrienne L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christmas and Other Horrors is a collection of stories centering around the festive season.  There are stories mentioning Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and even Festivus, but I would say the celebration that is mentioned the most is Solstice.  Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, this was a rather disappointing collection for me and probably ranks among the lowest of Datlow-edited anthologies in my estimation.  There were a few good stories, including "Cold" by Cassandra Khaw, "The Mawkin Field" by Terry Dowling, and "The Lord of Misrule" by M. Rickert, but not a single 5 star read for me.  There were a couple of downright duds (including by authors whose short fiction I usually like), no scares, and most stories hovered around the 3 star range.  

[Evie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not the most Seasonal person which I suppose is how I have ended up reading a collection of short stories that are all grounded in horror themes. I am currently thinking that my overall rating is 3.5 stars but rounded down. I'll see if it stays that way lol

While I am not sure if I have been swayed to the short story band wagon, I thought that there were some interesting entries. The stand outs for me were The Importance of a Tidy Home, His Castle, All the Pretty People, Loyly Sow-na, Grave of Small Birds and After Wards. No Light, No Light wins the award for the best premise that was most fumbled for me unfortunately.

Even with the stories that I enjoyed though I found myself using the mental benchmark of “I would read a full-length novel of this”, which kind of defeats the purpose of short stories lol.

Strangely enough a common thought I had at the end of a lot of these stories, is that the endings were too abrupt and kind of let down the rest of the story.

I will say that I didn’t find any of these scary, so if that’s the only barrier you have to reading this then I wouldn’t stress.

The Importance of a Tidy Home (Christopher Golden): A gory little tale based in Salzburg Austria featuring the Schnabelperchten. I don't want to victim blame but there’s stupid and then there is STUPID. This was a story I came to appreciate more with reflection as I read through the rest of them.

The Ones He Takes (Benjamin Percy): the sudden reappearance of a missing son leads to more questions. This story had an interesting premise but ultimately fell short for me just being too surface level

His Castle (Alma Katsu): a couple on a Christmas holiday to Wales have an encounter. This was great! This remained my favourite, and I would 100% have read this as a full-sized novel.

The Mawkin Field (Terry Dowling): a strange encounter in rural Australia. This started off promising but my god, so many words and yet nothing was said.

The Blessing of the Waters (Nick Mamatas): a priest of questionable morals is surprised by his brother who has broken out of prison for an important reason. I didn't mind this. I can't say I thought it was particularly spooky, and it didn't speak to my imagination, but I thought it had an interesting premise.

Dry and Ready (Glen Hirshberg): I can't even really tell you what this one is about. I read half of it and still had no clue what was happening so I DNF it.

Last Drinks at Bondi Beach (Garth Nix): A maybe creature/maybe vampire. Honestly this one was very abstract. I'm not sure I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t long enough for me to get my teeth into it.

Return to Bear Creek Lodge (Tananarive Due): an interesting allegory for intergenerational trauma. This was written well but something about it never really grabbed my attention, and it dragged for me.

The Ghost of Christmas Past (Richard Kadrey): a woman prepares to fend off evil Christmas spirits. Honestly this one was a bit spookier than the last few and I appreciated that. Was almost immediately keen for the husband to get caught.

Our Recent Unpleasantness (Stephen Graham Jones): a very uncanny valley winter solstice story. This one started off with an unsettling vibe but kind of lost its way by the end.

All the Pretty People (Nadia Bulking): an airing of grievances at a Festivus party. Honestly this one was one of the more interesting for me. Considering how short it was it packed a lot of interesting interpersonal drama in (think gossip girl drama vibes).

Loyly Sow-na (Josh Malerman): a man travels to Finland to meet his girlfriend's family. I thought this one was great, probably my second favourite, and did a good job evoking a claustrophobic madness in a short time.

Cold (Cassandra Khaw): a Saint in a dystopian future. Cassandra Khaw was the author who drew me into this collection, and I feel like this story is very true to her form. Kind of abstract whimsical in a way that barely makes sense lol. I was ultimately a bit disappointed by this.

Grave of Small Birds (Kaaron Warren): Jackie, a vicious, narcissistic yet beautiful chef accepts a job at an isolated high dining restaurant. I thought that this was a great, well written story until the last page and the ending was really fumbled which is deeply unfortunate.

The Visitation (Jeffrey Ford): a strange tale about letting in people in need over Christmas. I didn't care for this one, the premise was strangely over written, and the story was then so brief it was over before it began.

The Lord of Misrule (M. Rickert): a woman meets her new partners son, but things aren’t quite right. I found the neediness of the MC to be unappealing, but the actual story was well written and engaging.

No Light, No Light (Gemma Files): a story of Norse gods and a vulcanologist. The premise of this one was very appealing, but I found it to be so overly written I kept getting lost.

After Wards (John Langan): A man reminisces with his wife about his teenage lover and her strange disappearance. I thought that this was a strong ending to this short story collection, not a spooky story but a interesting one, although I thought the ending was a bit weak.

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 3 out of 5]

Welp, that was disappointing. More thoughts to come!

Buddy read with Malli!

[Becky Spratford · Rating 5 out of 5]

STAR review in the October 1, 2023 issue of Booklist and on the blog here: https://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/2... (link live 10/3/23)

Three Words That Describe This Book: Holidays, All Original Stories, Range of Scares

Very good but..... it is the gut punch of Tananarive Due and Stepen Graham Jones’ stories which tower above the rest and cannot be missed.

Includes Horror from southern Hemisphere as well where it's the summer solstice.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas and Other Horrors is an eclectic short story anthology that touches not only upon the Christmas holiday, but also the Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Kwanza and other rituals and traditions found around the world. While I read the anthology with the expectation of being scared, I also felt very grateful that I was given the opportunity to glimpse the traditions of different cultures that I had no previous awareness of.

With stories written by several incredible writers: Alma Katsu, Garth Nix, Stephen Graham Jones and Cassandra Khaw, I found myself enthralled, unsettled and even terrified. The subjects range from surviving nightmarish creatures who exact a hefty price if they find that your home isn’t tidy enough to the lingering damage caused by generational trauma to the horrifying consequences of gazing at a neighbor’s window on the night of the Winter Solstice.

I greatly enjoyed the writers’ commentary following each story, as it was wonderful to gain a better understanding of their thought processes and the intentions behind their writing.

My favorite stories were: “The Importance of a Tidy Home,” by Christopher Golden, “Return to Bear Creek Lodge,” by Tananarive Due, and “The Ghosts of Christmases Past,” by Richard Kadrey.

“Our Recent Unpleasantness,” by Stephen Graham Jones was the story that left me the most unnerved, while “The Mawkin Field,” by Terry Dowling was beautifully written, but had me feeling more perturbed than frightened.

The cover illustration is lovely and the use of parts of its artwork as chapter headers is a great touch. Christmas and Other Horrors is an excellent anthology and a superb addition to your holiday reading.

Thank you to Edelweiss Community and Titan Books for this advanced ebook copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The hardest part of reviewing a short story collection is deciding what to rate the whole collection. As with all story collections, there are a variety of ratings. I loved some stories and some were boring with the majority falling in the middle. I will say of this collection as a whole that alot of these stories were too long. I like my short stories to be short. I want the stories to be like doing shots, I don't want to have to read a story set it down and than pick it up to finish it.

My favorite stories:

1. The Importance of a Tidy Home by Christopher Golden
2. Return to Bear Creek Lodge by Tananarive Due
3. All the Pretty People by Nadia Bulkin
4. The Ones He Takes by Benjamin Percy
5. After Words by John Langan

I did have a couple 1 star stories but from other reviews I've read I'm in the minority with those. I just found those stories to be boring or forgettable. Most stories in this collection were 3 star reads so I guess that's the overall rating I'll give it. I did enjoy it even if I did think they were too long and I did find some new authors I'm interested in reading from in the future.

If you're interested in this collection, thus week is is a great time to pick it up since Thursday is the Solstice and Monday is Christmas.

[Pisces51 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas and Other Horrors: A Winter Solstice Anthology (2023)
Ellen Datlow (Editor)
My Review 5 Stars

This impressive horror anthology was made possible by Hugo Award winning horror legend Ellen Datlow. The work is comprised of 18 original short stories several of which are penned by authors in the horror book industry who are household names. These stories explore the terrors of winter solstice traditions all over the globe,

This rather large volume (410 pages in the kindle edition) was read over the month of February. It was one of two Group Read Selections by the HGW Horror Book Club for the month of February 2026. I made remarks about each story in the collection on the Discussion Thread, and I will be utilizing these “snapshots” of my impressions and ratings of the stories. There is but one caveat. I will not be averaging the individual ratings for the book rating as I commonly do. My reasoning is that this is such a top-drawer collection I was overall very impressed by the appearance and content. I loved the notes after the stories that provided the reader insight into the author’s inspiration. Thirdly, several of the stories really knocked my socks off and were deserving of greater that 5 Stars, such as at least 10 Stars if it were possible. My impressions at the time of I read these intriguing holiday horror tales appear below in order of appearance.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A TIDY HOME Christopher Golden. We find ourselves in Salzberg, a large city in Austria near the German border. We tag along with two homeless men on the empty snow-covered streets. Freddy and Bern are buddies and are just scavenging for food or something discarded by homeowners that might be of benefit to them. Freddy spots (and recognizes) the strange creatures first. The Schnabelperchten arrive on the Epiphany (Christmas Night) to bring happiness and blessings for the coming year, but only to those who are properly prepared for this new beginning.... This was a very good story to start the Horror Anthology. I rated it 5 Stars.
THE ONES HE TAKES Benjamin Percy. This is a very well written short story about a guy named Joel who awakens sluggishly at almost noon on Christmas Day in his nice home surrounded by deep Minnesota snow. He descends the stairs leaving his wife Greta in bed. There are no decorations in the home to hint that it is Christmas. I found this tale to be chilly (and I am not referring to the need to turn up the thermostat). Joel ordered the young long-haired Dachshund that he and Greta had purchased 6 months ago to go relieve herself in snow taller than she was, but there was no reason for happiness on Christmas Day. The couple had last seen Isaac their little boy on Christmas Eve, the prior year. But wait! Daisy, the insulted (and wet from the snow) Dachshund had found something, a mound in the snow. It was a child’s body curled on its side in the dissolving snow. I enjoyed this imaginative and dark story by a writer who shared I can’t believe in the good without the bad, light without shadow. Rated 4.0 Stars.
HIS CASTLE Alma Katsu finds us in a small Welsh village during the holiday season where two Brits are sitting at a village pub. The couple from London is forewarned that they may be having revelers come to their door one night during their stay at the Airbnb. A Welsh custom around the holidays that predates Christianity and blends pre-Christian Celtic traditions dating back to the early 1800’s is the centerpiece of this tale of terror that takes place over sharing beverages and fruit cake with the anticipated trio of locals who come calling as figured. It goes beyond “playful mischief” and theMari Lwyd: the grey maremay be linked to Macha of the horse goddesses, but a decorated horse skull is just as creepy as it sounds and, in this tale, has more meaning than its symbolic presence at the Londoners’ door for cheerful wishes by way of “the gray mare” in pagan times. Trevor and Cate hear the boisterous voices at the door to let the callers into the house. Cate is cautious but Trevor opens the doors to the local men calling and demanding admittance. The social interplay between the visiting couple from London and the rowdy local trio is strained at first, but not to worry, soon it would become frightening, threatening, and finally chilling. This is a comparatively long entry looking at the first two contributions to the anthology. Immensely entertaining with local customs going back to pagan rituals and the threat of a brutal home invasion by locals. But thank goodness none of that stuff we worry about happens! It’s way worse!!! Sheer horror!!! Rated 5 Stars.
THE MAWKIN FIELD by Terry Dowling is a lengthy contribution to this anthology. The setting is beautiful Australia with the colors of Fall still in full radiance. It begins with an unattached company representative visiting the country on business. He is enjoying the natural beauty of the countryside when he spots an old beat-up white refrigerator standing alone in an open field, a house visible some distance away. He sets upon investigating the anomaly right away. Lo and behold it is still running (extension cords to a power source). There is a metal box beside the fridge. A box to deposit coins for a cold beverage? In the beginning of this story, I swear I felt a chill. No backbone ye say? Well, maybe…but this set up by the author did give me the creeps. The writing is good and it was obviously researched well with the mythology. It is a familiar song, but with a new soundtrack. I liked its originality. That said the longer the story went. The more complacent I became. The ending for me was an anticlimax. I rated it 3.75 Stars.
THE BLESSING OF THE WATERS Nick Mamatas is set in Greece and is about an early morning visit to Father Gus by his wife's brother who is ordinarily behind prison bars instead of making an impromptu house call. Father Gus had been holding a church sanctioned custom called "The Blessing of the Waters" for many years but he had notified the community that it was being stopped. Young men would dive into icy waters to compete against each other to retrieve the cross. The brother-in-law was there to plead that the tradition not be abandoned lest they all perish. Would Hell be unleashed on the community...if not the world? A supernatural horror tale with religious underpinning. I rated the well-written imaginative story 3.5 Stars.
DRY AND READY Glen Hirshberg is set in Washington State amidst a particularly dark and spooky manmade garden populated by rather bizarre sculptures of animals and wildlife. We join a Jewish family unit of daughter, mother, and grandmother who are gathered once again to carry out the dying wishes of the family patriarch. The unofficial Hanukah Tradition is eerily similar to an act or practice carried out to thwart evil spirits. The story is underscored by an almost palpable malice as perceived through the eyes of the sculptor's daughter. This contribution to the anthology is still a slow burn. Rewarding payload, very well written. Rated 3 Stars.
LAST DRINKS AT BONDI BEACH by Garth Nix transports the reader to beautiful Australia, or specifically Sydney's popular Bondi Beach where the sun is brilliantly bright on Christmas Day. Don't let the sunshine and the Christian celebration of the birth of Christ detract you. The story contributed by Nix is very dark, bleak, and unforgiving. A Mother is desperately seeking her long-lost sister named Ricagomar. The last living sibling from thirteen sisters. She elicits the help of her daughter Sinnevan the youngest to go among the horde of celebrants that were gathered to locate her sister Ricagomar. This horror story reminded me of the Russian vampire literature about the vourdalaks (spelling varies). This tale has a twist which has a bloody twist to the plot. Rating 3.75 Stars
RETURN TO BEAR CREEK LODGE Tananarive Due takes us to the isolated Bear Creek Lodge amidst the trees and scenery of the beautiful Rockies of Colorado circa Christmas 1974. The story is narrated by 14-yr old Jimmy, the grandson of a narcissistic and cruel Mazelle Washington, movie royalty in the 1930's, who lived long enough to be maligned for her performances due to changes in racial perceptions and relationships. She now lies dying in her expensive home near historic Bear Creek Lodge where she once welcomed black celebrities who were shunned by white hotel owners. This is a very dark tale with an abundance of raw family history and drama. Jimmy and his mother arrive on the grounds to join her brother Ricky, a permanent fixture. The two children of the conceited and ruthless Mazelle hope to inherit what they deserve. Our first-person narrator, the virtuous young Jimmy, hates his grandmother, as do his mother and uncle. He dreams about a frightening creature clinging to his grandmother which flees, and he believes this vision was that of a demon. When he sees the creature in daylight, he believes it is real. There is a lot to unpack in this drama slash horror story. I am not sure how I felt about its contents or the ending. Rating 2.5 Stars.
THE GHOST OF CHRISTMASES PAST Richard Kadrey is about a young woman named Laura and her husband Jordan notably the manner in which the couple spend every Christmas Holiday. The first line spooked me in a subtle sinister way I can't describe. "...the scar on Laura's left arm began to ache". This was a crescent-shaped bite mark, the teeth marks still perfectly visible. This tale nailed me just as securely as Laura nailed down her windows, secured the locks on all her doors, and kept a death grip on a loaded shotgun. This story is about the " Christmas Child Eaters" and I can't speak for other readers, but I didn't know diddly squat about these monsters of folklore and mythology. You will feel the paranoia leach off the pages into your bloodstream but also sympathize with the young husband's quest to cart his wife off to a good psychiatrist. Laura's brother was kidnapped when she was 10 years old. What secret has she been hiding for 20 years, and what really happened to her brother Reiner? You will be riveted to the storyline, and the ending will blow your mind! Rated 5 Stars.
OUR RECENT UNPLEASANTNESS Stephen Graham Jones is a lengthy time-guzzling science fiction contribution to the anthology. No horror (at least in my opinion) but much about the Christmas solstice, and the concept of time. The author is one of the star-studded names gracing Ellen Datlow's impressive list of writers who submitted their short tales of terror to this anthology. His works from the little I have read did not resonate with me. Jones had a brief personal anecdote at the conclusion of this story. It was weird but reminded me of something. When I was a kid, I walked across the bridge from my state to the neighboring state several times. I would pause and look down at the roiling slate gray waves below me and the barges in the water. There was this vague compulsion at play and I wondered what it would be like to jump (the river had several notches on its roiling waves of suicide victims). I wasn't depressed but the effect on me was almost hypnotic. So, I understand weird. I Rated this story 2.75 Stars.
ALL THE PRETTY PEOPLE Nadia Bulkin intrigued me from the beginning, initially because the main character was celebrating December 23rd and the secular holiday Festivus. She was celebrating by having a party with her group of friends, mostly from grad school and all of them in their late 20's. The main character's concentration and focus is on her friend Sam as she focuses on the party preparations. Samantha ("Sam") had ghosted her (and the whole group) and everyone indicated zero knowledge of why. The story progresses in such a "normal" manner that the reader becomes baffled about how it is in a horror anthology. But then there is the Festivus Party with the Festivus Pole and the whole group of friends gathered together again to drink and be merry...sans Sam that is. Abruptly the atmosphere is creepy and amidst the festering unease it morphs into a ghost story. I liked it. Rated it 4 Stars.
LOYLY SOW-Na by Josh Malerman transports the reader off to Finland on the darkest night of the year. Russell Gold, a young pianist and a non-practicing Jew, meets Hannele by chance when she is playing an experimental piece on the piano. They become a couple and Russell goes to Finland with her to meet her family. Hannele's father believes in Finnish folklore and myths, and interestingly Hannele was playing a musical composition about the wood nymph when Russell first laid eyes on her. This is a wonderful story of Russell's visit and meeting her father for the first time in his sauna. The storytelling is poignant and well-paced. I really liked it. Rated it a well-earned 5 Stars.
COLD Cassandra Khaw is set in post-apocalyptic Quebec. It tells the story of how a 14-year-old girl met a saint named Brede. This riveting tale narrated by the grown woman follows her intimate relationship with Brede who arrives every winter solstice to sleep until spring. The prose grabbed me by the throat and pierced my heart with a dagger of ice. The figurative narrative is poetic, hypnotic, and bewitching. The atmosphere and ambience are cold, barren, and encompassing. The reader feels pulled into the frigid landscape's icy embrace. The author builds a world that feels so real that it is mesmerizing. The plot envelops and explains the passionate love between the woman and the saint as the annual visits are coming to a heartbreaking conclusion after the world is dying and winters refuse to end. It was gut wrenching but also passionate. Khaw's writing was utterly fantastic. I was left feeling broken and bleeding but victorious for the woman and the saint. Rated 5 Stars which seems woefully insufficient.
GRAVE OF SMALL BIRDS Kaaron Warren The Island of Brennan. Most people don't even know it exists. Like a magical shop ...it appears when you need it. The thing is every person there needed it for a different reason. "...as if the island shifted and moved in the desire to keep people there." There were the Twelve Feast Days of Christmas. Some people came to spend those days enjoying the rare food and wine. Some came for the winter solstice, in the hope of being blessed by the light, or named as the year's Beauty, chosen to shepherd the island towards a better future. And those who came for Wren Day, when rights were wronged and justice was done...The festival drew a horde of folks to the island and as implicated above, all with their own motivations. This story is a longer one page-wise but it is so quaint and intriguing that the reading time passes too quickly. I'm reminded of other quaint attractive and charming villages with dark secrets. This is a really good tale from Karren Warren. The whole village feels real that you can almost inhale the aroma of the dishes and feel the bite of the fine liquor. The characters are fleshed out as well. It almost world building on a small scale. I really enjoyed it. The scales of justice were perhaps the point and so righteous it made me smile. Rated 5 Stars.
THE VISITATION by Jeffrey Ford is a story which takes a look at Christmas tales about the possible wisdom of being philanthropic to wayward strangers who find their way to your locked door during the days and nights that comprise the holiday. I was mildly surprised that there is some basis for the practice of treating derelicts like long lost brothers at the door "just in case" (they are not angels in disguise). Well, I was not that impressed with the story out of the gate. But then I read the Author's Notes. And I thought for only a moment and heartily laughed. That tells me if you laugh too that that you are more than a little bit weird like me. I also have a black sense of humor. Rated 4 Stars.
THE LORD OF MISRULE M. Rickert is a well written piece of what I would describe as horror fantasy. A single young woman who taught young children for a living meets an eligible young fellow named Patrick. You might say it begins as a love story. It is the holidays and Patrick's family celebrates the Solstice while Darla and her family love the tradition of Christmas. She is invited to spend the days of Solstice with her new boyfriend. The reader rather quickly learns that Patrick's previous girlfriend had a little boy, and Patrick was not told he was a father until he had custody of the 5-yr old tossed in his lap. The little boy is a domineering little hellion who demands Darla call him "Sir". But he is also dominating his father and the entire family as well. This is not a story I can say a lot about. You do wonder if you have landed in an old Twilight Zone episode with the sadistic little redheaded boy with freckles who " disappeared" people in the town just for the fun of it. This story is SO much worse. This tale is really well written, imaginative, and many readers might even find it chilling. This one just did not resonate with me. I Rated it 3 Stars.
NO LIGHT, NO LIGHT Gemma Files is an intelligently written word picture of Armageddon beginning in frigid Iceland. The Award-Winning author's keen interest in apocalyptic landscapes gave birth to this intense piece of eco-terror which features the dark but fascinating antagonist of Thomas. The Solstice plays a role in this dramatic End of Days which Files would prefer viewed as a beginning. The mythology was fascinating. I liked this contribution to the anthology but would have enjoyed it more if my IQ was higher or studied the mythology and lore. I would Rate this well-articulated story of doom and gloom 3 Stars. Kindred spirits of the storyline will see a higher number for Gemma Files.
AFTER WORDS John Langan is about a happy middle-aged couple enjoying a conversation following a bout of post-coital bliss with the children out of the house on December 21st the Winter Solstice. There is nothing out of the ordinary about this warm, happily married couple cuddling and chatting together against a backdrop of warmth, fire light, and holiday happiness in New York State. But wait...the wife detects a troubling expression on hubby's face. They are still being playful when he admits that his mind is on another woman. I was surprised when the wife permitted him to talk freely about his feelings for "Maria" especially explicit sex. Well written narrative with the characters having a dialogue. Smart clever plotting, subtle sleepy pacing works as a hypnotic. I was beat. 5 Stars.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good anthology of original stories set on or about the winter solstice and nearby holidays. Christopher Golden leads off with a holiday message explaining why it's important to keep your house clean for the holidays, followed by a traditional evil-Santa story by Benjamin Percy. Alma Katsu's story is a clever traditional Welsh crime tale set at an Airbnb, followed by a strange Terry Dowling story I'm not sure I completely got about a refrigerator and scarecrows in a field. Nick Mamatas is next, with a Cthulhu-inspired story about a post-Christmas miracle and an odd blessing, and Glen Hirshberg's is a Hanukah story about family traditions and dark secrets and the necessity of ritual. Garth Nix has a short and sort of predictable vampire tale, and Tananarive Due follows with a very good story about a young Black man who learns that age can be worse than monsters. Richard Kadrey tells us that Christmas can be a time of transformation, and Stephen Graham Jones' is my favorite from the book, about reality and the necessity of not losing your head around the holidays. Nadia Bulkin's story is a good and strangely visceral story of a Festivus gathering and friendship and responsibility, and Josh Malerman's story warns of meeting a new partners' parents and motivations and appearances. Cassandra Khaw's is another story I'm not sure I understood; maybe it's about apocalyptic cold and tiredness and rebirth from winter? Kaaron Warren's story is a long, fun but odd, story of a weird solstice ritual on a small U.K. island; think The Wicker Man crossed with one of those cooking competition television shows. I very much liked Jeffrey Ford's spooky story of old beliefs in rural Ohio, and M. Rickert's bleak birth of a legend (with a very unreliable narrator) is good, too... (wait, where are your kids?) Gemma Files has a story about Ragnarok and Loki the trickster and I recommend the Robert Calvert album, Lucky Leif and the Longships, as a soundtrack to read it by. The final story is by John Langan and is a kind of strange mash-up of eroticism and the occult, with a well-designed interior sequence and surprising plot twist. I read one story with my coffee every morning this month, and I guess I'm ready for the festivities now. Happy holidays!

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of short stories. All about different things too. We have Xmas, we have solstice, Hannukah. Lots of winter holidays, and lots of different monsters that show up. I still think those Austrian ones were the creepiest.

Some were better, some were meh, but that is the thing with an anthology. Some were not scary at all, some had some horror in them. Though none made me look at the window in fear.

But I do like short stories in audio. I really do. They work so well, a fast listen and on to the next one.

It was the same narrator, but I was so immersed in the stories that I didn´t really think about it. So she did well there


"The Importance of a Tidy Home" by Christopher Golden:
A creepy tale about what happens if you have not cleaned your house before xmas.

"The Ones He Takes" by Benjamin Percy:
A sad xmas turns into a happy ones and then horror


"His Castle" by Alma Katsu:
I liked this one. A little twist to what happens in Wales on xmas


"The Mawkin Field" by Terry Dowling:
I am not really syre if I understood this one fully, I think, but, what? Not scary either


"The Blessing of the Waters" by Nick Mamatas
Another not scary one about a runaway inmate and blessed waters


"Dry and Ready" by Glen Hirshberg:
It took me a while to get it, but yes no eerie feels here before the boom at the end


"Last Drinks at Bondi Beach" by Garth Nix:
I liked this one. I wondered about a few things. It could have been longer. Never scary though


"Return to Bear Creek Lodge" by Tananarive Due:
I wondered about things here too. Like wtf was that thing? I want to know


"The Ghost of Christmases Past" by Richard Kadrey:
I had no idea where this was going, and it went dark


"Our Recent Unpleasantness" by Stephen Graham Jones:
This just had me confused what was happening.


"All the Pretty People" by Nadia Bulkin:
Kind of wanted more blood

"Löyly Sow-na" by Josh Malerman:
A story set in Finland, and all in the sauna. No xmas feels here. Just some wood demons I know nothing about


"Cold" by Cassandra Khaw:
I managed to fall asleep to it twice


"Gravé of Small Birds" by Kaaron Warren:
Same with this one, I feel asleep twice. Dunno why


"The Visitation" by Jeffrey Ford:
Interesting one. Creepy ending


"The Lord of Misrule" by M. Rickety:
A slow start, then it turned creepier


"No Light, No Light" by Gemma Files:
Could have been better


"After Words" by John Langan:
Confusing, but meant to be so

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Importance of a Tidy Home" by Christopher Golden: 4 stars
This was about the Schnabelperchten, an Austrian folktale! Wow, when this started, I was not prepared for how wild it was gonna get! It was awesome!

"The Ones He Takes" by Benjamin Percy: 4 stars
OMGGGG this was twisted and I loved it. I don’t even wanna say what it’s about to not give anything away, but it definitely makes you look at Santa differently!!

"His Castle" by Alma Katsu: 4 stars
This was fun, and I loved that things weren’t as they first appeared. I love evil protagonists!!

"The Mawkin Field" by Terry Dowling: 2 stars
This was boring and not at all horror 😂

"The Blessing of the Waters" by Nick Mamatas: DNF
This confused me and I didn’t feel the need to continue.

"Dry and Ready" by Glen Hirshberg: 1 star
Boring and not at all spooky.

"Last Drinks at Bondi Beach" by Garth Nix: 2 stars
The format was kinda cool I guess, but I didn’t really understand what was going on. At least it was short!

"Return to Bear Creek Lodge" by Tananarive Due: 2 stars
This was okay but I was a little confused and never felt fully invested.

"The Ghost of Christmases Past" by Richard Kadrey: 4 stars
This was WILD and I loved it! It had a great twist, something pretty rare to find in such a short story!

"Our Recent Unpleasantness" by Stephen Graham Jones: 3 stars
I liked how this was written, and it was engaging enough, but it was also super confusing and I understood less and less as it went on.

"All the Pretty People" by Nadia Bulkin: 1.5 stars
Didn’t care for this one. It just wasn’t interesting or scary.

"Löyly Sow-na" by Josh Malerman: 3 stars
This was interesting and super weird. Not very festive? It didn’t feel like it had much at all to do with Christmas.

"Cold" by Cassandra Khaw: 1 star
Huh???

"Gravé of Small Birds" by Kaaron Warren: 2 stars
Readable, but not scary or very interesting.

"The Visitation" by Jeffrey Ford: 3 stars
A pretty good one! I liked how it kind of came full circle by the end of it.

"The Lord of Misrule" by M. Rickety: 3 stars
Pretty solid.

"No Light, No Light" by Gemma Files: 1.5 stars
Not intriguing to me, skimmed most of the last half of it.

"After Words" by John Langan: 3.5 stars
This one was SUPER sexual so I almost DNF’d it pretty fast, but I’m glad I kept with it. It was very readable and engaging.

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0⭐️

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting mix - some really stood out, where others were easily forgettable.

Wasn't a fan of the ones that started with a whole lot of dull explanations instead of story - in this shorter format, every word counts so a slow start means a bad first impression. Least favourite stories for mostly this reason were No Light, No Light and The Visitation.

I will admit, a lot of these ended in such a way that I was left scratching my head. It's such a common thing with short stories and it frustrates the hell out of me. I like well enough the ones that imply the ending, rather than outright stating it, but the ones that are vague and unfinished drive me crazy. The Mawkin Field stood out for me because it was fascinating, but I have no idea what that ending was supposed to mean so it soured it a little for me.

My favourite in this collection was easily Grave of Small Birds - it held my attention, kept things creepy and sinister, and revealed enough at the end that you could follow it. I also really liked the final story, After Words and Loyly Sow-na. Our Recent Unpleasantness was also really fun, but the ending, once again, left me too confused.

Overall, I do think it was a decent mix, and I loved the vast array of Solstice myths and legends. I was entertained throughout, and the stories were short enough that I was never really bored.

Decent, and a fun little holiday horror read.

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, can we all take a second to appreciate how fabulous this cover is? Good, now that you’ve feasted your eyes, listen to me gush about this anthology! Usually short story collections are a mixed bag, some good mixed in with some bad and some just average. But this collection did not follow in others footsteps. This collection was absolutely stunning! Out of all the stories there’s only a few I wouldn’t give 5 stars to and that’s pretty damn impressive! I found so many new authors I want to read and discovered new favourites from authors I already love. There’s really something for every horror fan here, from straight up classic gore horror to more subtle mind horror, this anthology has it all. And don’t let the fact that it’s a Christmas collection fool you, I’d read this gem year round!

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Christmas and Other Horrors, edited by Ellen Datlow  is an anthology of short stories by various authors, with themes surrounding the winter solstice.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Titan and of course the authors, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
 

My Synopsis and Opinions:
These short stories, by a number of well-known authors, are all centered around the Christmas season (the winter solstice) ...but they are all horror-based, and cover myths from around the world.  These are the darker aspects of the season...ghosts, devils, mythology, and family shenanigans.

As always, I will rate/review each story individually.  Let's begin.


The Importance of a Tidy Home by Christopher Golden … A delightful tale on the Schnabelperchten folklore of Austria, where these bird-like creatures enter your home on January 5th of every year to make sure you have dusted.  If your home is not clean, you probably won't survive their visit.  Freddy is homeless.  Absolutely loved it!  5 stars

The Ones He Takes by Benjamin Percy … In Minnesota, Santa may take a naughty boy so that he has help to build his toys.  There is no escape.  Good short story. 3 stars

His Castle by Alma Katsu … In Wales, a man and his wife are on holidays, when the revelers knock on their door with a horse head on a stick, demanding drinks.  Knowing the custom of Mari Lwyd (the grey mare), the couple let them in, but the revelers are in for a surprise.  This one seemed to miss the mark for me. 2 stars

The Mawkin Field by Terry Dowling … In Australia, a man sees a working fridge in the middle of a field, and starts visiting the field for a beer and a chat with the brother and sister who own the field, and who tell him about their missing father, and the scarecrow.  This was okay.  3 stars

The Blessing of the Waters by Nick Mamatas … In New York, the Greek community would toss a cross in the Long Island Sound and a child would dive in to retrieve it, which blessed the waters.  The priests brother-in-law escapes prison and insists that they do this again.  This was great!  Loved the characters.  5 stars

Dry and Ready by Glen Hirshberg … In Washington, a Jewish family have their own holiday tradition.  Mother, daughter, and grand-daughter leave notes in the mouths of the creatures that the patriarch had made in a garden.  No one really wants to do this, but what happens if they don't?  This was somewhat disturbing, and I didn't like any of the characters.  The plot had merit though.  3 stars 

Last Drinks at Bondi Beach by Garth Nix … Sydney Australia gets a lot of visitors around Christmas....they may not be safe near the water.  This one was short, but somehow missing something.  2 stars

Return to Bear Creek Lodge by Tananarive Due  … 14 year old Johnny didn't want to return to the lodge where his grandmother had burned him, but she is dying, and his mom says there'll be money for his college fund.  But Johnny's nightmares have never left him, and his uncle knows more than he is saying.  This was quite good! 4 stars

The Ghost of Christmases Past by Richard Kadrey … Laura is terrified of the Christmas child-eaters, as she saw her brother eaten by one many years ago.  She now takes extreme measures around Christmas, but she's in for a surprise.  Absolutely loved that twist! 5 stars

Our Recent Unpleasantness by Stephen Graham Jones … A nightly dog-walk has Jenner seeing a strange sight or two.  This was really out-there.   3 stars

All the Pretty People by Nadia Bulkin  … A Christmas party where people are airing their grievances with each other brings back memories, fears, guilt, and a bit of hatred.  Interesting.  4 stars

Sow-na by Josh Malerman … A man travels to Finland to meet his girlfriends father, and has some strange experiences in the sauna.  Apparently the wood demons demand the truth!  Really good.  5 stars

Cold by Cassandra Khaw …  The apocalypse has arrived, and there is only un-ending winter.  This was okay.  3 stars

of Small Birds by Kaaron Warren … Jackie, a very vain woman, lost on a cooking show, but felt she should have won.  She is invited to an island to work in a prestigious hotel, where they have a rather bizarre beauty contest each Christmas.  Again, Jackie is sure she is a shoe-in.  This was really good!  5 stars

The Visitation by Jeffrey Ford … The moral obligation to help anyone who knocks on your door from the day before to the day after Christmas is questionable.  Loved it!  5 stars

The Lord of Misrule by M. Rickert … A child haunts a woman.  Difficult to like a story with such unlikable characters.  2 stars

No Light, No Light by Gemma Files … A man visits Iceland as part of a science team.  A little too much mythology, climate change and historic details for me. I was skimming. 1 star

After Words by John Langan … A couple discuss the man's first teenage love, amid a bit of confusion.  This was a bit of erotic fun as the last story, and really good.  5 stars


Overall, there were a surprising number of 4 and 5 star stories in this collection. However, the entire collection seemed really long, and I didn't feel that a lot of them were actually horror, although a couple could be sci-fi.  Anyway, as in any anthology, you take the good with the less than good.



For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Marky The Nerd · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ehm, tohle bylo fakt špatný? Pořád jsem si říkala, co jsem to vlastně přečetla?

Nejsem největší fanoušek povídek, ale mám ráda strašidelné příběhy. Kombinace Vánoc a strašidelných příběhů? Give me that.

Ale bohužel zpracování nebylo vůbec dobré. Některé příběhy nedávaly smysl. Hodně z nich bylo na podobném principu, kdy v nich figuroval pár, který někoho zabil.

Smysl jsem viděla jen v jedné povídce, ale jinak se omlouvám, připadala jsem si, že čtu nesmysly.

Chtěla jsem se dozvědět třeba nějaké nové informace o tom, jaké strašidelné pověsti kolují v určitých zemích. Místo toho jsem dostala příběhy, které autory jen náhodně napadly. Příběhy na konci knihy byly lepší, ale teda fakt zklamání.

Čekala jsem alespoň, že se budu bát. Bohužel jsem nic takového nedostala. Knihu jsem se musela nutit dočíst. Dávám 1,5/5✨.

[Yvonne (the putrid Shelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been so lucky with my horror reads lately but when I saw that Titan was releasing a Christmas horror anthology, I knew that I had to be all over that. I was like a kid in the candy shop. I wanted to inhale them all – but I knew I had to patient, I would have the opportunity to have a taste of them all, and taste I did. I gobbled each story up like a starving woman. I needed my horror fix, and this release from Titan did just that.

What do you think about when the word horror and Christmas materialise? If you’re normal, then candy canes and tiny elves are the first thing you want to say then you’d be wrong! Christmas was made for horror. Bear with me. A strange man coming down your chimney to deliver gifts? Come on – that is just asking for home invasion type horror. Or imagine an advent calendar of death? Okay, okay, maybe now I’m getting a little carried away, but you get the gist!

So, onto this anthology. When I saw the list of contributing authors, to say I squealed a little would be an understatement. Stephen Graham Jones, Alma Katsu and Tananarive Due, those are some big shoes to fill. Their stories did not disappoint, and they were most definitely the best stories in the collection. Just their magnificent prose, how they carried their stories and the way they injected cultural significance into their stories left me enthralled and excited for Christmas horror movie season!

Are you looking for stories about who actually makes the toys at Santa’s workshop? Or do you prefer a story about strange beings turning up every winter solstice? Or maybe you fancy a trip to Wales and the Mari Lwyd?

I loved how the authors of this collection were able to have a basic and rather harmless concept in Christmas and/or the winter solstice and transform it into something wholly frightening. If I’m completely honest there wasn’t a bad story in this collection but the one’s that really stood out were the ones I mentioned above. They just brought something stronger – they didn’t over explain, their characterisations were exemplary and most importantly – I just felt like I was there.

After all – there are some very acceptable reasons to be scared of the dark.

[Nina The Wandering Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A sudden snow blinded the windows, as if a cloud had descended onto the house. The flakes swirled and eddied and fleeting shapes could be seen in them. There was a thump that shook the whole house. Several pictures fell from their hooks and glasses fell from cupboards and shattered on the floor. The dog began to bark, racing from a window to the door and finally to the fireplace. Then, above them, a creaking sounded as a great weight negotiated its way across the roof. With a whimper, the dog retreated to her kennel.”

You know a book is good when you feel the need to write a glowing review before you’ve even finished reading the last pages.

Christmas and Other Horrors (curated by the remarkable Ellen Datlow) is a fantastic assemblage of worldwide Winter Solstice holiday horror stories that are sure to make you suspicious of those heavy footsteps on your rooftop on Christmas eve–Santa might not be the only one creeping into your house at night—and I’m so thrilled to have this anthology join my frightful home library!

Right from the jump, the very first story gave me chills (Google the image and definition of the Schnabelperchten and report back on the nightmare fuel I’ve just cursed you with). From feasts and prayers to child eating monsters and gods of old, each story introduces readers to holiday traditions both ancient and emerging—Krampusnacht, Mari Lwyd, Hanukkah, Yule, Kwanzaa, Christmas, even Festivus! (haha). And the authors bringing us these scary stories are some of my favorites—Tananarive Due, Stephen Graham Jones, Cassandra Khaw, Josh Malerman and more!

Add this to your Winter reading TBR!

Will update later as I continue through this anthology but here are my fav stories so far:

The Importance of a Tidy Home - Christopher Golden
His Castle - Alma Katsu
The Blessing of the Waters - Nick Mamatas
Return to Bear Creek Lodge - Tananarive Due
The Ghost of Christmas Past - Richard Kadrey

[Nate Dawg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellen Datlow is a wonderful editor of modern horror short fiction. I will check out anything she puts together. Christmas and Other Horrors is an excellent example of Ellens eye for good storytelling. All the stories contained in this volume are good with a few being great. I enjoyed the mix of myth and folklore into modern tales of horror.

[Tabitha (Reading Tabby) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok... so this was just... ok. None of the stories stood out in particular as great, or as awful. Nothing really struck me or stuck with me. This was perfectly middling. lol. I honestly feel kind of bad thinking this because usually I have a lot more opinions about an anthology but this was a lot of good or very good authors who feel like they just wrote for a payday. Even the explanations at the end of each story about the hows or whys about them writing it didn't feel particularly convincing.

I think the ones that stuck with me the most would maybe be The Lord of Misrule by M Rickert and Löyly Sow-na by Josh Malerman but both were still just, maybe, 4 stars each. Most stories were 2 to 3 stars. Just ok.

I will say I deeply disliked this in audiobook format and am glad I was able to read along because at times the narrators did so poorly they almost ruined the story they were reading. There was no attempt at voices or accents. This is especially awkward as this is an international collection and made the readings feel like... a joke? Like I good have done a better job narrating this. What a disappointment.

But overall glad to have read it and glad to have it under my belt. I suppose if you're really in the mood for a Christmas-y deep-winter anthology of spooky tales this isn't the worst way to spend your time - just avoid the audiobook.

[anjaRUok · Rating 4 out of 5]

that settles it, christmas will forever be spooky season vol. 2 in this household

[Prisandherbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 2,5 stars

Anthologies are always a mixed bag, with some stories standing out more than others, but unfortunately, Christmas and Other Horrors didn’t quite hit the mark for me. None of the stories earned a five-star rating, and in fact, most of them felt rather middle-of-the-road, if not outright boring and forgettable. I even DNFed one, something I never did before in short story collection.

That said, I did appreciate the author explanations at the end of each story and the variety of themes explored. However, despite the festive undertones that tied the stories together, I found that they lacked the horror element that I was hoping for.

Rating for each story:
The Importance of a Tidy Home by Christopher Golden: 4/5 stars
The Ones He Takes by Benjamin Percy: 4/5 stars
His Castle by Alma Katsu: 3,5/5 stars
The Mawkin Field by Terry Dowling: 1,5/5 stars
The Blessing of the Waters by Nick Mamatas: 2/5 stars
Dry and Ready by Glen Hirshberg: DNF
Last Drinks at Bondi Beach by Garth Nix: 2/5 stars
Return to Bear Creek Lodge by Tananarive Due: 3,5/5 stars
The Ghost of Christmases Past by Richard Kadrey: 4/5 stars
Our Recent Unpleasantness by Stephen Graham Jones: 2,5/5 stars
All the Pretty People by Nadia Bulkin: 3/5 stars
Löyly Sow-na by Josh Malerman: 4/5 stars
Cold by Cassandra Khaw: 2,5/5 stars
Gravé of Small Birds by Kaaron Warren: 3,5/5 stars
The Visitation by Jeffrey Ford: 3/5 stars
The Lord of Misrule by M. Rickety: 3/5 stars
No Light, No Light by Gemma Files: 2/5 stars
After Words by John Langan: 2,5/5 stars

[kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Authors featured in this winter themed horror anthology include:
Christopher Golden, Benjamin Percy, Alma Katsu, Terry Dowling, Nick Mamatas, Glen Hirshberg, Garth Nix, Tananarive Due, Richard Kadrey, Stephen Graham Jones, Nadia Bulkin, Josh Malerman, Cassandra Khaw, Kaaron Warren, Jeffrey Ford, M. Rickert, Gemma Files, and John Langan.

My highlight reel from the collection:
Return to Bear Creek Lodge by Tananarive Due
The Ghost of Christmases Past by Richard Kadrey
Our Recent Unpleasantness by Stephen Graham Jones
The Lord of Misrule by M. Rickert

Overall rating for the collection is about 3/5 stars. There were a few stinkers and none of the stories really stood out to me as remarkable.

[thevampireslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amusingly dark anthology held together with themes of tradition surrounding Christmas and Solstice, other holidays are mentioned and I enjoyed the chance to glimpse into other cultures traditions and folklore, I would say this definitely falls into the gothic genre rather than straight up horror, two words come to mind 'cosy and ghosty' you can expect a few goosebumps but you won't have any nightmares, I imagine these stories would be told around a campfire amongst friends to entertain rather than to scare if that makes sense? That being said there are some rather creepy ones!

[Aurora · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️, hier naar boven afgerond omdat ik het boek echt met veel plezier heb gelezen, maar niet alle verhalen bij mij in de smaak vielen. Ook waren niet alle verhalen feestelijk (op een horror manier dan); dat het zich enkel afspeelt rond yule/21 december is voor mij niet goed genoeg - I need a killer Santa at least. De eerste paar verhalen, zeker als het was gebaseerd op folklore, zijn mijn favorieten.

[Holden Wunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review tbd