Episodes

  • Real Paranormal Incidents That Took Place at Christmastime

    Real Paranormal Incidents That Took Place at Christmastime
    Dec 26 2025
    Charles Dickens didn't invent the Christmas ghost story — he was continuing a tradition that stretched back centuries. These true tales of holiday hauntings show why the longest nights of winter were once considered the most dangerous.

    IN THIS EPISODE: Before Halloween claimed the spooky spotlight, Christmas Eve was once the traditional time for telling ghost stories - a centuries-old custom that gave us Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" and brought families together around crackling fires to share spine-tingling tales on long winter nights. Tonight I continue my efforts to bring back this tradition with some ghost stories and hauntings that took place during the Yuletide season… and every single ghost story is absolutely true.

    SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…
    Photo of the Berthelot ghost: https://weirddarkness.com/TrueChristmasGhostStories
    “A Christmas Carol” narrated by Darren Marlar: https://weirddarkness.com/?s=%22A+Christmas+Carol%22
    More holiday horror stories from Weird Darkness: https://weirddarkness.com/?s=%23holidayhorrors
    Most stories were gathered from the book, “30 Real Christmas Ghost Stories” by MJ Wayland: https://amzn.to/41QrPBj
    Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = =
    (Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)
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    "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
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    WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.
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    Originally aired: December 25, 2024

    SOURCES PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/RealParanormalChristmas


    #WeirdDarkness #ChristmasGhostStories #HolidayHauntings #TrueScaryStories #ChristmasHorror #Paranormal #GhostStory #ChristmasEve #HauntedHistory #VictorianGhosts
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    2 hrs and 27 mins
  • ADVENT OF EVIL: Wednesday, December 24 – Reliquary (The Final Chapter)

    ADVENT OF EVIL: Wednesday, December 24 – Reliquary (The Final Chapter)
    Dec 25 2025
    Twenty-three days ago, a mysterious advent calendar arrived on Officer Matthew Klein's doorstep — no sender, no return address, just a heavy wooden box with twenty-four numbered doors and a carved face with hollow eyes. Since then, every trinket inside has proven to be an omen of death, each prophecy fulfilled in violence and horror. The entity behind it is Zurvan, an ancient demon from Persian Mithraism — the same demon ten-year-old Matthew accidentally summoned through a spirit board on Christmas Eve, 1995, the night his house burned and his family died while he ran. Now Zurvan has returned to finish what he started, possessing Matthew's loved ones, murdering those around him, and enforcing one rule: open each door on schedule, or suffer consequences beyond imagination. Matthew tried to destroy the calendar. It came back. He refused to open a door. Snakes attacked his son. Now it's December 24th — the final door, the culmination of Zurvan's ancient mid-winter celebration — and Matthew is engulfed in flames, his home burning, his family scattered in the chaos. The countdown ends today.

    Get the print version of the novel: https://weirddarkness.com/AdventOfEvil
    #WeirdDarkness #ChristmasHorror #HolidayHorror #SupernaturalThriller #HauntedCalendar #DarkChristmas #HorrorStory #DemonicEvil #CreepyTales #YuletideTerror
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    40 mins
  • The Haunting of Edge Hill | England's Most Documented Christmastime Ghost Sighting

    The Haunting of Edge Hill | England's Most Documented Christmastime Ghost Sighting
    Dec 25 2025
    On Christmas Eve 1642, shepherds witnessed something impossible — two phantom armies fighting a brutal battle in the sky over Edge Hill. When investigators arrived, they saw it too, and testified under oath to the king.

    Episode 12 of 12 in the #12NightmaresOfXmas series!
    IN THIS EPISODE: “Christmas Carols in the Woods”, “St. Mary’s Church”, “The Lady In The Pantry”, “Mrs. Eustace Returns”, “The Phantoms of the Mamie R. Mine”, “The Wreck of the General Arnold”, “Up In Flames”, “The Battle of Edgehill”, “50 Berkeley Square”
    SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…
    All stories in this episode are from the book, “The Spirits of Christmas: The Dark Side of the Holidays” by Sylvia Shults: https://amzn.to/3uT2vMA
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music provided by Alibi Music Library, EpidemicSound and/or StoryBlocks with paid license. Music from Shadows Symphony (https://tinyurl.com/yyrv987t), Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ) Kevin MacLeod (https://tinyurl.com/y2v7fgbu), Tony Longworth (https://tinyurl.com/y2nhnbt7), and Nicolas Gasparini (https://tinyurl.com/lnqpfs8) is used with permission of the artists.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)
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    "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2023, Weird Darkness.

    https://weirddarkness.com/EdgeHill
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    56 mins
  • The Babs Switch School Fire: The Oklahoma Schoolhouse Fire That Turned Christmas Into a Funeral

    The Babs Switch School Fire: The Oklahoma Schoolhouse Fire That Turned Christmas Into a Funeral
    Dec 25 2025
    When Santa's costume caught fire at a small-town Christmas program in 1924, the crowd rushed to the only door — but it opened inward, and they couldn't escape. One little girl vanished that night, and nearly a century later, two ghost children are still seen at the building where the bodies were taken.

    IN THIS EPISODE: “When The Show Didn’t Go On: The Iroquois Theater Fire” *** “A Deadly Christmas: Ghosts of the Babbs Switch School Fire” *** “Horror For The Holidays: Ghosts of the Ashtabula Bridge Disaster” *** “A Christmas Mystery: The Vanishing of the Sodder Children” *** (Originally aired December 23, 2016)
    SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…
    “When The Show Didn’t Go On: The Iroquois Theater Fire” from the book “And Hell Followed With It” by Troy Taylor and Rene Kruse: https://amzn.to/3nNw0qJ
    “A Deadly Christmas: Ghosts of the Babbs Switch School Fire” used by permission from Troy Taylor: https://tinyurl.com/yav7oyye
    “Horror For The Holidays: Ghosts of the Ashtabula Bridge Disaster”, from the book “And Hell Followed With It” by Troy Taylor and Rene Kruse: https://amzn.to/3nNw0qJ
    “A Christmas Mystery: The Vanishing of the Sodder Children” used by permission from Troy Taylor: https://tinyurl.com/y7cy4h78
    Visit our Sponsors & Friends: https://weirddarkness.com/sponsors
    Join the Weird Darkness Syndicate: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate
    Advertise in the Weird Darkness podcast or syndicated radio show: https://weirddarkness.com/advertise
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    Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music provided by Alibi Music Library, EpidemicSound and/or StoryBlocks with paid license. Music from Shadows Symphony (https://tinyurl.com/yyrv987t), Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ) Kevin MacLeod (https://tinyurl.com/y2v7fgbu), Tony Longworth (https://tinyurl.com/y2nhnbt7), and Nicolas Gasparini (https://tinyurl.com/lnqpfs8) is used with permission of the artists.
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    (Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)

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    "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46

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    WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2023, Weird Darkness.

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    https://weirddarkness.com/BabsSwitch
    #WeirdDarkness #ChristmasEveTragedy #HistoricDisaster #TrueCrime #HauntedOklahoma #GhostStory #ForgottenTragedy #SchoolFire #Paranormal #HolidayHorror
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Something Was Wrong With Mom's Christmas Nutcracker

    Something Was Wrong With Mom's Christmas Nutcracker
    Dec 24 2025
    There's a reason that 100-year-old nutcracker was marked 80% off. And on Christmas Eve, my mom and I found out exactly what it was.

    STORY AND MUSIC CREDITS/SOURCES…
    The Grither”: https://tinyurl.com/qvkfdtg
    “Christmas Tree Decorations”: https://tinyurl.com/rapx4d7
    “Die Nutcracker, Die!” by Dax Varley: https://tinyurl.com/wkp7uu6
    “Machete Santa” by Medeia Sharif: https://tinyurl.com/wkp7uu6
    “Saturn Rising” by Ty Drago: https://tinyurl.com/wkp7uu6
    All music used with permission of the artists. Spooky Santa theme by Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ). All other music by Nicolas Gasparini (http://bit.ly/2LykK0g).
    I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use. If I somehow overlooked doing that for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I’ll rectify it the show notes as quickly as possible.***Spooky Santa™ and Weird Darkness® are creations and trademarks of Marlar House Productions and Weird Darkness, LLC. Copyright © Weird Darkness, 2023
    "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
    https://weirddarkness.com/MomsNutcracker
    #WeirdDarkness #ChristmasHorror #ScaryStory #Creepypasta #HauntedAntique #HorrorStory #PossessedToy #ScaryChristmas #TrueScaryStories #HolidayHorror
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    58 mins
  • Portland 1973, A Mother's Final Christmas: The Neighbor Who Gave Five Orphans a Christmas

    Portland 1973, A Mother's Final Christmas: The Neighbor Who Gave Five Orphans a Christmas
    Dec 24 2025
    On Christmas Eve 1973, a woman hiding from her ex-husband was found — and five children woke up without parents on Christmas morning.

    Episode 11 of 12 in the #12NightmaresOfXmas series!

    In this episode: “The Eternal Beatle”, “Home For The Holidays”, “The Kennedy Road Phantom”, “Santa Stuffs The Stockings”, “Santa And The Elf”, “The Ghost In The Living Room”, “That’s Not Santa!”, “Poe Finds His Inspiration”

    SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…
    All stories in this episode are from the book, “The Spirits of Christmas: The Dark Side of the Holidays” by Sylvia Shults: https://amzn.to/3uT2vMA
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music provided by Alibi Music Library, EpidemicSound and/or StoryBlocks with paid license. Music from Shadows Symphony (https://tinyurl.com/yyrv987t), Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ) Kevin MacLeod (https://tinyurl.com/y2v7fgbu), Tony Longworth (https://tinyurl.com/y2nhnbt7), and Nicolas Gasparini (https://tinyurl.com/lnqpfs8) is used with permission of the artists.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)
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    "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
    = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2023, Weird Darkness.

    https://weirddarkness.com/MothersFinalChristmas
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    37 mins
  • The Christmas UFO Invasion Witnessed by the Military

    The Christmas UFO Invasion Witnessed by the Military
    Dec 24 2025
    Over three nights in December 1980, during the Christmas weekend, dozens of military personnel at a British air base witnessed something in the woods that remains officially unexplained.

    IN THIS EPISODE: Imagine celebrating the holidays around your Christmas tree – and it begins shaking for no reason! (The Swaying Christmas Tree) *** What dark secret made Charlie Lawson slaughter his family on Christmas Day? (The Murder of the Lawson Family) *** A Weirdo family member tells of an odd yet heartwarming experience at Christmas. (Visits For The Holidays) *** A woman still mourning her husband’s passing is visited on Christmas by beautiful balls of light. (The Christmas Orbs) *** The holidays; a time for warmth, joy… sorcery, superstition, and darkness and… at least it is in Russia. (Christmas in Siberia) *** Did dozens of military personnel at RAF Bentwaters encounter an alien spacecraft over Christmas 1980? (The Christmas Invasion) *** (Originally aired December 12, 2018)
    SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…
    “The Christmas Invasion” posted at The Unredacted: https://tinyurl.com/y6jolswm
    “Visits For The Holidays” by Weirdo family member, Ashley Ingraham
    “The Swaying Christmas Tree” from YourHauntedLifeToo.com: https://tinyurl.com/yyscz2xr
    “The Murder of the Lawson Family” by Orrin Grey for The Line Up: http://ow.ly/KeA130mXqwi
    “Christmas Orbs” by Jenine Fitterer for YourHauntedLifeToo.com: https://tinyurl.com/yyfg8bt8
    “Christmas in Siberia” by Dreyk for Your Ghost Stories: https://tinyurl.com/y4j3mp5a
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    Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music provided by Alibi Music Library, EpidemicSound and/or StoryBlocks with paid license. Music from Shadows Symphony (https://tinyurl.com/yyrv987t), Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ) Kevin MacLeod (https://tinyurl.com/y2v7fgbu), Tony Longworth (https://tinyurl.com/y2nhnbt7), and Nicolas Gasparini (https://tinyurl.com/lnqpfs8) is used with permission of the artists.
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    (Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)

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    "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46

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    WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.

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    https://weirddarkness.com/ufochristmas

    #WeirdDarkness #RendleshamForest #UFO #BritainsRoswell #UFOSighting #MilitaryUFO #Unexplained #UFOEvidence #AlienEncounter #ChristmasUFO
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Krampus Chased Me: This European Tradition Would Be Illegal in America

    Krampus Chased Me: This European Tradition Would Be Illegal in America
    Dec 24 2025
    In Austria, naughty children don't get coal — they get beaten by a goat-horned demon who might drown them in a river.

    Ho ho ho, kids! If you like the stories Santa is telling, tell your friends and family about the Spooky Santa podcast so they can listen too!

    STORY AND MUSIC CREDITS/SOURCES…
    
”The Tradition” by Andrea Stanet: https://tinyurl.com/wkp7uu6
    “Girls Night Out”: https://tinyurl.com/u4zjhwu
    “Krampus”: https://tinyurl.com/whz5qc8
    All music used with permission of the artists. Spooky Santa theme by Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ). All other music by Nicolas Gasparini (http://bit.ly/2LykK0g).
    ***Spooky Santa™ and Weird Darkness® are creations and trademarks of Marlar House Productions and Weird Darkness, LLC. Copyright © Weird Darkness, 2023
    "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
    https://weirddarkness.com/KrampusChasedMe
    #WeirdDarkness #Krampus #ChristmasHorror #DarkChristmas #Krampusnacht #ScaryChristmas #ChristmasDemon #AustrianFolklore #HolidayHorror #ChristmasLegends
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    34 mins