Winter has finally descended upon Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and the Holidays are looming over our heads. The first snow fall always gets me in the mood to put up lights outside and to start arranging our holiday decorations inside. But, just like with anything else, there is a darker side to the merry and bright of the holidays and winter days and nights in Wisconsin.
Winter is filled with stories of witches, werewolves, monsters, and Krampus! That’s why I’m extremely excited to let you know that Chad Lewis will be returning in-person to Manitowoc Public Library to present Legends and Folklore of Winter on Thursday, December 8, at 6 PM. This presentation will provide you with a break from the brutal holiday rush and the typically-expected cheer to explore the more ominous side of the holiday season with the wintery tales that accompany it.
For example, the Winter Solstice is fast approaching and takes place on December 21. I was aware that the Solstice is when we experience our shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere in terms of daylight. What I was not aware of was that it’s also the time when witches and “little people” have the opportunity to re-emerge on the scene.
That little fact made me think of the “little people”—for all intents and purposes, tiny demons—that lurked in the basement of the house in the 1973 made-for-TV horror film, Don’t be Afraid of the Dark, which is definitely Old School scary. Every time I hear a sound coming from our basement at home, I think about that movie and tell myself it’s just old house noises. Little did I know that maybe it wasn’t just the foundation shifting and that it was more possible that the Winter Solstice was allowing something a bit more sinister to find its way back to a spot inside our furnace!
As I have been doing some light reading on winter lore, I found that many things we do around the holidays originate from ancient folklore that has been passed down from generation to generation. Evergreen was put up in houses because it wards off witches and evil spirits. Evergreens stay alive a long time after its been cut down, so it’s a symbol of life and it’s prickly, to boot. If you haven’t hung your Evergreen boughs up yet, might I recommend doing it prior to December 21!
Interestingly, another thing that wards off evil spirits is caroling. So, if you think you may have unwanted “guests” in your home, just start singing carols as loudly as you’re able. And while you’re at it, bang some pots and pans together. That clanging may be just what the doctor ordered to scare away some nightmarish ghouls—or at least get them to leave because it’s just too LOUD! There is actually a long history of caroling for different reasons in different cultures and I could go on and on, but I don’t want to spoil the presentation for you.
If any of the information I’ve shared here has piqued your interest, you will be thoroughly entertained by Chad Lewis on Thursday, December 8, 6 PM when he presents Legends and Folklore of Winter in the Balkansky Community Room at Manitowoc Public Library.
I hope to see you there! It’s a presentation that definitely has the potential to turn your “Ho-Ho-Ho!” into a “Ho-Ho-UH-OH!”
