Book Review: The Dead of Winter: Beware the Krampus and Other Wicked Christmas Creatures by Sarah Clegg
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ “We may spend midwinter surrounded by warmth, good food, and companionship, but Christmas coincides with the darkest time of the year, and the legends we have repeated and adapted over the centuries remind us that beyond the glow of firelight, the shadows are waiting.” Meticulously researched and informative, The Dead of Winter: Beware the Krampus and Other Wicked Christmas Creatures by Sarah Clegg is a fascinating read that delves into traditions and folklore that are rooted in the darker history of winter traditions in Europe. Featuring witches, ghouls, monsters, and other “wicked” creatures ( Krampus, Grýla, Mari Lwyd and Père Fouettard among others) the author takes us on a journey through history tracing back to the Ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia, to the Kalends of January celebrated through Late Antiquity and how several traditions have evolved. “For most of the last two thousand years, the days we now call Christmas were a time when you elected false kings