candlelight, crystal chandelier, christmas
Stories 5

The Portent of the Shadow by E. Nesbit

The Portent of the Shadow or just The Shadow is set during a Christmas gathering of friends, one guest tells of a terrifying, supernatural encounter involving an otherworldly shadow that leads to madness and death. Classic Edwardian Christmas ghostliness.

theatre, kasper, play dolls, puppet theatre, puppet, figure, kasperl, king, predator, puppet show, wooden frame, stage, hand puppets, pointed hat, puppet, puppet show, puppet show, puppet show, puppet show, puppet show
Stories 1

The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance by M.R James

One of James’s lesser-known but fascinating tales — set at Christmas, it’s presented as a series of letters about a disturbing Punch and Judy show, a mysterious disappearance, and a spectral visitation on Christmas Eve.  It first appeared in print in the June 4, 1913 issue of the magazine Cambridge Review. It was published again in 1919 as part of the anthology A Thin Ghost and Others.