Why do we tell ghost stories at Christmas?

Perhaps more than Halloween, Midwinter is often a time traditionally associated with ghost stories. But why do we tell ghost stories at this time of year? Why do ghosts continue to preoccupy us? And are there ways to keep troublesome ghosts at bay at Midwinter?  This talk in conjunction with the Creswell Crags Folklore Festival will explore these ideas as we seek to get closer to the spirits... Find out more about Creswell Crags: https://www.creswell-crags.org.uk/ If you enjoyed the talk, donate to the Creswell Crags Folklore Festival fund: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/CreswellCragsFolkloreFestival2020 Buy Stations Of The Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain by Ronald Hutton: https://amzn.to/3mESmJI Buy Spellbound: Magic, Ritual and Witchcraft by Sophie Page and Marina Wallace: https://amzn.to/3ateLY8 Buy Magical House Protection: The Archaeology of Counter-Witchcraft by Brian Hoggard: https://amzn.to/3paoVkp Get your free guide to protecting your house with folklore here: https://www.icysedgwick.com/fab-folklore/ Become a Patron for bonus exclusive episodes at https://patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595 Enjoyed this episode? Buy Icy a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick Tweet Icy at https://twitter.com/IcySedgwick Follow Icy on Instagram at https://instagram.com/icysedgwick