Dark Spirits of Christmas: Folklore from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas

The cozy, glittery version of Christmas makes it easy to forget that, for much of the world, winter was once a frightening season. Food ran low, nights were long, and survival depended on the community pulling together. Out of that darkness came stories: horned demons, man-eating cats, goblins, ogres, and masked “devils” who dance through the streets.