![Out, Out Brief [Playhouse] Candle Stubs!](http://shop.shakespearesglobe.com/cdn/shop/products/swpcandles.jpg?v=1722516059&width=200)
The Dead of Winter: The Demons, Witches and Ghosts of Christmas by Sarah Clegg
As winter comes and the hours of darkness overtake the light, we seek out warmth, good food, and good company. But beneath the jollity and bright enchantment of the festive season, there lurks a darker mood - one that has found expression over the centuries in a host of strange and unsettling traditions and lore.
Here, Sarah Clegg takes us on a journey through midwinter to explore the lesser-known Christmas traditions, from English mummers plays and Austrian Krampus runs, to modern pagan rituals at Stonehenge and the night in Finland when a young girl is crowned with candles as St Lucy - a martyred Christian girl who also appears as a witch leading a procession of the dead. At wassails and hoodenings and winter gatherings, attended by ghastly, grinning horses, snatching monsters and mysterious visitors, we discover how these traditions originated and how they changed through the centuries, and we ask ourselves: if we can't keep the darkness entirely at bay, might it be fun to let a little in?
Every purchase you make supports the work of Shakespeare's Globe. Thank you!
Detail
Author: Sarah Clegg
Format: Hardback
Pages: 208
We offer free UK delivery on orders over £40.
- Royal Mail – Tracked
- DHL Next Day Delivery at checkout
International shipping options:
- Global Mail - Tracked standard service
- Express Worldwide – faster delivery with tracking
Made-to-order items
Some products are shipped directly from our suppliers. If your order includes both made-to-order and stocked items, they may arrive in separate parcels. For more details, visit our Delivery & Returns page.
As winter comes and the hours of darkness overtake the light, we seek out warmth, good food, and good company. But beneath the jollity and bright enchantment of the festive season, there lurks a darker mood - one that has found expression over the centuries in a host of strange and unsettling traditions and lore.
Here, Sarah Clegg takes us on a journey through midwinter to explore the lesser-known Christmas traditions, from English mummers plays and Austrian Krampus runs, to modern pagan rituals at Stonehenge and the night in Finland when a young girl is crowned with candles as St Lucy - a martyred Christian girl who also appears as a witch leading a procession of the dead. At wassails and hoodenings and winter gatherings, attended by ghastly, grinning horses, snatching monsters and mysterious visitors, we discover how these traditions originated and how they changed through the centuries, and we ask ourselves: if we can't keep the darkness entirely at bay, might it be fun to let a little in?
Every purchase you make supports the work of Shakespeare's Globe. Thank you!
Detail
Author: Sarah Clegg
Format: Hardback
Pages: 208
We offer free UK delivery on orders over £40.
- Royal Mail – Tracked
- DHL Next Day Delivery at checkout
International shipping options:
- Global Mail - Tracked standard service
- Express Worldwide – faster delivery with tracking
Made-to-order items
Some products are shipped directly from our suppliers. If your order includes both made-to-order and stocked items, they may arrive in separate parcels. For more details, visit our Delivery & Returns page.
