When do you first feel the presence of winter spirits? Is it on a bright sunny day when you look up to see that the trees are barren? Or does it come as the days grow shorter ?When is it that you first sense the ghosts of winter?
Perhaps you don’t notice until that dark evening as the icy wind pierces through the lining of your heavy coat, that despite the empty street or roadway, that you are not alone.
The ghosts of winter seem to make their appearance around December 21st, the shortest day of the year. Some say it has to do with the equinox, others cite that the veil between life and dead is much thinner now.
This is not a new phenomenon . Ancients peoples have long known of this peculiar time of year. Yet for some reason we discuss it in a half whisper, and often share our winter tales only with other that we know understand.
It is a time to savor these ghostly tales. There are abundant Christmas ghost stories, some written by such well known names as Dickens, Connan Doyle, Irving, and Thackery.
Join in the old Christmas custom, share a ghost story with those you love!!!!!!
In the next blog I will talk about how to enjoy Victorian ghost stories this Christmas.
Patricia Heyer, Writer 