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Thank you. From the blackest corners of your mind, they call, pulling you deep into shadow, twisting your senses, keeping you from sleep.

It's time to face your darkest fears.

This is Tales to Terrify. Good evening, children of the night, and welcome.

Well, it's only a week until Christmas.

I hope you've been successfully navigating the horrors of holiday shopping and all that other cheer. Christmas is creeping up quickly. But even before that,

there's another landmark day that I don't think gets nearly enough attention. And that is the winter solstice,

which lands this coming Tuesday, the 21st. If you've been listening to this show for any length of

time, you probably already know that I'm a bit of a sucker for dark folklore. And being that the winter solstice

is literally the darkest time of year, it's no wonder that there are plenty of stories

that surround it. For many cultures around the world, the winter solstice is a time to celebrate death,

marked with everything from simple ceremonial bonfires to

bloody sacrificial slaughters. Of course, if you believe in rebirth, it's a little less

grim, I guess, but still. Other cultures have traditions and folklore around the emergence of evil spirits on the solstice.

The veil that separates our world from darker realms is also at its thinnest.

And any creature that thrives in the dark likely isn't something we want roaming our own plane now, is it? That's why, in some places,

people stay up all night during winter solstice to protect against the creeping horrors,

or at least in the hopes of not being caught unaware. So, while you're planning your revelry and cheer for the Christmas season,

don't let your guard down too far next week, because Santa might not be the only mythical

...