Christmas 2024: Mummers, Murder and Manifestations
Description
Episode 349: In the 8th Christmas episode of the Dark Poutine podcast, we once again dive into the shadowy side of holiday traditions that often go unnoticed amidst the festive cheer. This episode will explore the dark origins of some Christmas customs, such as mummering, a practice steeped in mystery and community engagement, where masked individuals visit homes to entertain and sometimes frighten.
We will also recount the chilling tale of Isaac Mercer, who met a tragic end at the hands of mummers in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland, in 1860.
Additionally, we’ll dig into the age-old custom of telling ghost stories during Christmas, which has deep roots in ancient traditions. This custom entertains and serves as a poignant reminder of mortality amidst the holiday festivities, adding an intriguing layer to our understanding of Christmas celebrations. We’ll share some chilly Canadian ghost stories along the way.
Sources:
Saturnalia | Celebration, Sacrifice, & Influence on Christmas | Britannica
The Wild Holiday That Turned Ancient Rome Upside Down
The Fright Before Christmas by Jeff Belanger
Archival Moments: An Act Outlawing Mummering
Celebrate Christmas the old-fashioned way: with drunken mayhem | CBC News
Ep079 The Isaac Mercer Mummer Murder Case. | MUN
Statutes of Newfoundland, 1861
The Christmas Tradition With A Dark Side | The Murder Of Isaac Mercer | Youtube
Any Mummers ’Lowed In?: Christmas Mummering Traditions in Newfoundland and Labrador by Dale Jarvis
The dark side of mummering: What you may not know about a beloved tradition | CBC News
The Isaac Mercer Mummer Murder Gate | Carved by the Sea
Victorian Christmas Ghost Storytelling Traditions in Montreal
Montreal’s Duggan House built on a foundation of the uncanny
The long journey for a body's burial
10 famously spooky Canadian ghost tales
7 Spooky Stories from Across Canada
Augustus John Peers (1848-1901)
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