’Tis the season … for Christmas ghost stories! In recent years, I’ve been all about bringing back the classic tradition of livening up the winter months by sharing tales of terror. After all, encounters with the spirit world are the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit! You can see some of the seasonally spooky tales I’ve previously recommended here and here. But if those aren’t enough for you, here’s a third round of Christmas ghost stories:
“At Chrighton Abbey” by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
Mary Elizabeth Braddon was an impressively prolific British author throughout the latter half of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth, known mainly for her sensation novels like Lady Audley’s Secret and for her work as a magazine editor. But I particularly love her ghost stories. I’ve previously recommended her spooky tale of a spurned lover, “The Cold Embrace.” If you want a proper ghost story for the festive season, though, check out “At Chrighton Abbey” (1866). The tale is narrated by a poor governess named Sarah, who is invited to visit the family seat of her wealthier relatives for the Christmas holiday. The atmosphere at Chrighton Abbey is especially festive as the family celebrates the engagement of the young heir Edward Chrighton to the beautiful and wealthy Julia Tremaine. Though Miss Tremaine’s haughty attitude does not endear her to most of the family, they are relieved that Edward is on the verge of escaping the family curse, which seems to afflict the eldest sons with tragic deaths while they are young and unmarried. But one night just after Christmas, Sarah wakes to see a ghostly vision outside her window and realizes that Edward may still succumb to the curse if she doesn’t warn him in time….
Read “At Chrighton Abbey” for yourself here.
“The Open Door” by Margaret Oliphant
Less well known, yet just as prolific as Braddon is the Scottish writer Margaret Oliphant. She has published many, many ghost stories, but one of the first ones I encountered was “The Open Door” (1882). Though it’s not expressly a Christmas story, its supernatural happenings occur sometime in December. The tale centers on a man who has recently returned from India and rented a fine manor in Scotland for his family. His young son Roland regularly rides his horse to school, but one day he comes home terribly frightened and confides to his father that he has been hearing the cries of a ghostly voice saying “Oh mother! Let me in!” coming from the old ruins of the previous manor house located on the grounds. Roland begs his father to go and help the young ghost, so the skeptical narrator heads out to investigate the ruins. He is surprised to discover that there is indeed a ghostly voice emanating from the ruined doorway. But for Roland’s sake, he will do whatever it takes to send the spirit on its way.
Check out “The Open Door” here.
“Not More Lovely Than Full of Glee” by Leanna Renee Hieber
Looking for a more modern Christmas ghost story? Check out this sequel to Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Oval Portrait” written by one of my favorite authors, Leanna Renee Hieber. I discovered this story last December when it was featured on episode 844 of the podcast PseudoPod. It is Christmas Eve in Leanna’s tale when the painter of Poe’s titular portrait returns to the chateau in which he lost his beloved. After falling asleep in the chamber where he painted that ill-fated oval portrait, the narrator wakes to the sound of footsteps and an empty picture frame. His departed bride has emerged from her painting and returned to him in the flesh! Yet she seems maybe a bit too gleeful to see him…
You can read or listen to “Not More Lovely Than Full of Glee” on PsuedoPod here.
Let me know what you think of these Christmas ghost stories! Do you have any other favorites that you’ll be reading this year? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Wonderful post for the season! Thank you.