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Tag: christmas short story

A woman in a Santa hat enjoys reading a book during the festive season indoors.
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Free Horror Short Stories Perfect for Christmas and Dark Winter Evenings

Why did we stop telling ghost stories for Christmas? In the olden days, it used to be a tradition to gather around and tell each other ghost stories in Victorian England. Often set in cold and dark castles or somewhere far remote in the cold icy night. Here are some perfect short stories you can read for free, perfect for Christmas time.

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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. 

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The Water Ghost of Harrowby Hall by John Kendrick Bangs

“The Water Ghost of Harrowby Hall” by John Kendrick Bangs is a macabre short story that combines humor with supernatural elements. Published in 1891, the tale centers around the cursed Harrowby Hall, where each Christmas Eve, a spectral figure drenched in water appears to haunt the inhabitants. The ghost, a former occupant who perished tragically, brings an unnerving and persistent flood that leaves the manor in chaos. The protagonist, determined to rid his home of this annual menace, devises a clever plan to confront and ultimately outwit the ghost.

magical flower aroma for the soul
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The Ghost’s Summons by Ada Buisson

Ada Buisson (26 March 1839 – 27 December 1866) was an English author and novelist remembered today for her ghost stories.

During her short lifetime Buisson published one novel, Put to the Test (1865), Her second novel, A Terrible Wrong: A Novel (1867) and short stories were published after her early death. Various of her writings appeared in Belgravia, a magazine edited by her friend the novelist Mary Elizabeth Braddon. This is were the short story The Ghost’s Summons were published in 1868.

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The Christmas Dinner by Washington Irving

First published in 1820 in Irving’s masterpiece, The Sketch Book, The Christmas Dinner is a charming tale by the great American writer behind such timeless classics as The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. Painting the scene of a Christmas dinner spent at the table of Bracebridge Hall, a countryside manor, the merry songs and stories of the dinner table echo with jollity of Christmases long past.