Origins of Breaking the Wishbone: Horseshoes, Groins and Chicken Ouija Boards
‘Breaking the wishbone’ is a tradition around the world in the days after a Sunday roast, Thanksgiving or Christmas.
The Lessons of Monsters: As Learned from Cultural Demons Krampus and Namahage
Chris Kullstroem delves into the world of monsters, their cultural festivals and scare tourism…
Erotic Folktales: The Yule Buck and the Girl
Simon Hughes examines erotic folktales—a less well known, and often censored, area of folklore—and presents a self-translated example from his work.
Snow Queens and Winter Witches from Around the World
Through myth, fairy tale and legend, powerful women are depicted as dark, cruel and calculating, and they are often naturally associated with winter – a season where all warmth withdraws, and the land is covered with snow and ice, and life is no more than a battle of survival against the elements.
Christmas Superstitions: A Festive Survival Guide
Many will declare Christmas to be nothing but “a way for card companies to make money, harrumph!” Whilst Christmas has been heavily commercialised, in recent years especially, the traditions of this time of year often have roots reaching far further than we might at first imagine. Entire books have been written on the subject, yet […]