Today’s episode is from a small town and not one largely noticed in paranormal circles.

However, this discussion may change that.

Join us as we discuss the shadows of Woodstown, NJ

Sources & Reference Material:

• Haunted History Jaunts – “Haunted: Woodstown Tavern and Hotel – Woodstown, NJ” This source documents the tavern’s 1836 origins, its long history as a hotel and bar, and firsthand paranormal experiences inside the building. Haunted: Woodstown Tavern and Hotel - Woodstown, NJ - Haunted History Jaunts

• Woodstown Tavern & Hotel | Woodstown NJ | Facebook

• NJ.com – “Paranormal Corner: Woodstown Tavern and Hotel” Confirms the tavern’s haunted reputation and its long history of guests who “never actually left.” Paranormal Corner: Woodstown Tavern and Hotel - nj.com

• Preservation New Jersey – “First National Bank of Woodstown” Provides architectural details, the 70‑foot tower, the 1892 construction date, and its significance in Woodstown’s downtown. First National Bank of Woodstown - Preservation NJ

• Farmers & Bankers Brewing – “History” Confirms the building’s restoration, its original design, and its transformation into a brewery. HISTORY

• HMDB.org – “Center of Town Historical Marker” Verifies the bank’s 1892 Salem County Historical Society – “Salem Ghost Train” Confirms the 19‑mile route, the 1863 railroad line, and the ghost‑story experience. Center of Town Historical Marker

• Visit South Jersey – “Woodstown Central’s Salem Ghost Train” Confirms the event’s location, route, and partnership with the Historical Society. Woodstown Central’s Salem Ghost Train | Visit South Jersey

• Historical society | Salem County Historical Society | United States

Today we uncover the deep history of Christmas elves. These beings existed long before Christmas, as watchers in the winter darkness, beings who judged human behavior and protected the delicate balance between the living and the spirit world.

And do they still??

SOURCES

• Ármann Jakobsson, University of Iceland — “Elves in Medieval Scandinavian Lore”

• John Lindow — Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs

• Claude Lecouteux — Encyclopedia of Norse and Germanic Folklore

• Terry Gunnell — “The Huldufólk and the Icelandic Landscape”

• Scandinavian Folklore Archives (Public Domain Collections)

Today’s episode lands in one of our ancestral seats, Wales. Join us as we explore rap battles, horse skulls and divination in context with the winter season in this oft overlooked region!

Sources & Reference Material:

The Mari Lwyd | Wales.com

The Mari Lwyd, and other Welsh festive traditions | Morbitorium

Mari Lwyd - Wikipedia

Welsh Christmas Traditions | Wales.com

The unusual New Year’s traditions that are unique to Wales

Join us as we travel to the highest peaks of the world — the Himalayas — where locals speak of a creature that has haunted the mountains for centuries.

The world knows it as the Yeti — or the Abominable Snowman.

References & Source Notes

• Wikipedia: Yeti – origin and etymology.

• Time Magazine (2017): “Are Yetis Real? They’re Probably Just Himalayan Brown Bears.”

• Nature.org: “The Yeti: A Story of Scientific Misunderstanding.”

• Snopes: “Dyatlov Pass Incident” fact-check.

• El País (2011): “Yeti Hunter Murdered in Hindu Kush.”

• HowStuffWorks: “The Legend of the Yeti.”

Today's episode includes discussion of death, suicide, emotional abandonment, wartime trauma, depression, spiritual unrest, and folklore involving ghosts and vengeful spirits- as they relate to Christmas in Japan.

Source Notes & References

BBC News. "Why KFC Is Japan’s Go-To Christmas Dinner."

Japan Times. "How Christmas Became a Romantic Holiday in Japan."

National Diet Library of Japan. Historical records on post-war Westernization and consumer culture.

Turnbull, Stephen. The Kakure Kirishitan of Japan.

Britannica. "Christianity in Japan."

Paramore, Kiri. Ideology and Christianity in Japan.

Foster, Michael Dylan. The Book of Yōkai.

Reider, Noriko T. Japanese Demon Lore: Oni from Ancient Times to the Present.

Lafcadio Hearn. Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things.

World Health Organization (WHO). Suicide and seasonal trends reports.

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan). Annual suicide statistics and winter trend data.

Japan Times. "Loneliness and Seasonal Depression in Urban Japan."

Mizuki, Shigeru. Yōkai Watch and Collected Folklore Essays.

University of Tokyo Folklore Studies Archive. Urban legends and modern spirit narratives.

Journey with us to Iceland, where we discuss a towering feline menace with a taste for fashion—and flesh. Sources:

The Myth of the Yule Cat: Iceland’s Weird Christmas Monster | The Pagan Grimoire

Yule cat - Wikipedia

Beware the Yule Cat, Iceland’s Child-Eating Christmas Monster - Atlas Obscura

Christmas Cat Cost Causes Controversy

Most of us know Jack Frost as a playful trickster. However, did you know that he is linked to a modern true-crime case?

Join us today as we explore the legend that is Jack Frost.

SOURCES & REFERENCES

• Grimm, Jacob. Teutonic Mythology. (1883).

• Briggs, Katharine. A Dictionary of Fairies. (1976).

• Rydberg, Viktor. Teutonic Mythology: Gods & Goddesses. (1907).

• Anglo-Saxon Chronicle references to winter spirits (translated editions).

• Afanasyev, Alexander. Russian Fairy Tales — Morozko story variants.

• Minnesota Cold Case Review (1973 declassified notes; regional historical society archives).

• Newspaper archives from 1838 (London), 1855 (Massachusetts), and 1799 (Scotland) documenting winter deaths.

• “Myth-Assisted Homicide: Seasonal Patterns in Rural Crime” — Journal of Criminal Psychology (1998).

• Society for Psychical Research — Winter phenomenon case files.

• Northwoods Folklore Archive — Frost pattern reports.

Join us as we explore the pagan origins behind Christmas, including blood sacrifice, ancient rites, pagan gods and the beauty of the Time-Life book series.

Sources & Reference Material:

The Pagan Origins of Christmas: Saturnalia, Yule, and Other Pre-Christian Traditions | History Cooperative

Hidden History Of Christmas: Pagan Origins of Babylon - HubPages

3 Christmas traditions that may have pagan roots, and 4 that (probably) don't | Live Science

Saturnalia: Meaning, Festival & Christmas | HISTORY

9 Christmas Traditions With Pagan Roots

time life the enchanted world series - Search