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The holidays are all about long-held traditions. But where did these traditions come from? And why did some of the old ones fade away? In this episode, we’ll explore how the Victorians shaped the way we celebrate Christmas today, and we’ll revive a tradition that I personally feel should make a comeback.Support the show; become a patron:https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollectiveMusic by Kevin MacLeod:- It Came Upon a Midnight Clear by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3931-it-came-upon-a-midnight-clearLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license- Private Reflection by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4241-private-reflectionLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license- Ghostpocalypse - 6 Crossing the Threshold Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

Christmas is quickly approaching. A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of sitting down with my dear friend JL Gillham. We had a fun conversation about the villains of Christmas, exploring their folkloric backgrounds. We also discussed the first book in her Winter Wonderland Chronicles, Princess Claus and the Great Escape.Find JL Gillham on her website: https://www.jlgillham.com/readPrincess Claus and the Great Escape (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/39CKZjkWatch the videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsYYhqICZ0cW3rw6xyMPbuw/featured-----Fabled's Krampus Episode: https://pdcn.co/e/www.buzzsprout.com/226450/2182241-krampus-a-christmas-nightmare.mp3?blob_id=6857498&download=trueSupport Fabled on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollectiveJoin Fabled's Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/glvr6X-----Cover Image by JL Gillham.Music: Holiday Weasel by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5517-holiday-weasel License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

Folklore is usually a culmination of truth and fiction. It’s a sort of flavoring for a specific region—a mash of traditions, beliefs, and stories that are passed from one generation to the next. It can be difficult to pick apart because, with every new storyteller, there’s a new spin on the original. Multiply that by a hundred years or more, and what you get may scarcely resemble the seed of truth buried inside. Lore is obscure, its murky waters are fascinating to gaze upon… but is it safe to jump in? Perhaps a dive into the swampy waters is exactly what’s necessary to decipher the strange disappearance of David Lang, a man who vanished into thin air in Gallatin, Tennessee on September 23rd, 1880, and his bizarre connection to the disappearance of author Ambrose Bierce.Music:Trio for Piano, Cello, and Clarinet by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4547-trio-for-piano-cello-and-clarinetLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Ghostpocalypse - 6 Crossing the Threshold Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

Shh… can you hear it? The woods are calling. There’s something mysterious about the woods, wouldn’t you agree? I remember one of my favorite things to do as a child was wander through the woods close to our house, and my best friend and I would treasure hunt in the woods behind her home. As children, we are incurably curious, which makes those wandering parts of our childhoods almost magical. As adults, we struggle to hold onto that kind of magic—the kind that stirs the butterflies and swirls our minds with fantasy. Often times, we seek out cliché adult activities that simply don’t fulfill that curious well, when what we really, really want is to feel that sense of wonder and amazement—we want to go back to a time when monsters lurked in the closet and fairies left gifts in the forest. We want to believe that the connection to the unknown, the supernatural, really does exist. That’s what motivated me to begin this podcast and to write the books I do. I believe that magic, that undeniable force of curiosity can be held onto as an adult. If only we seek, we will certainly find. We’re celebrating at Fabled Collective. Last week, we released our first anthology, Women of the Woods. I’ll be sharing my contribution to the book… “Of Fire and Ice” is a story about a beastly woman whose anger makes her infamous.WOMEN OF THE WOODS link: https://books2read.com/u/b6Z5WWSay hello on social media: IG: https://www.instagram.com/FabledCollective/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/FabledCollective/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FabledCollectivEpisode cover art by Amy Markham of Starling Creative:https://www.starlingcreativeliving.comMusic:Dark Times by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3611-dark-timesLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Ghostpocalypse - 6 Crossing the Threshold Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

Snag yourself a pumpkin spice latte, y'all. It's finally fall. For many of us, autumn is a magical season. But why? What's the allure of fall? In this episode, we explore the psychology and love for the season. As if that isn't enough, we'll also discuss hygge and cozying your home and office.Say hello on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/FabledCollective/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FabledCollective/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FabledCollectivSupport the Show:https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollectiveMusic by Kevin MacLeod:·      Dewdrop Fantasy Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/·      Immersed Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/·      Ghostpocalypse - 6 Crossing the Threshold Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

Last episode, we discussed the life of Virginia Woolf, a feminist writer of the 20th century. In this episode, we’ll delve into A Room of One’s Own, a powerful lecture she delivered to group of young women from the Cambridge colleges of Newnham and Girton in 1928, compiled and published in 1929. In this summary and analysis of Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own, her groundbreaking (and often heartbreaking) work, we’ll discover what it was like for women who wrote fiction historically and during her lifetime. We’ll discuss Judith, the hypothetical sister of Shakespeare, Jane Austen’s mastery of the sentence, and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. In the end, we’ll talk about the primary things Virginia Woolf says are most important for any women hoping to create her best works of art.Research assistance by Whitney Zahar.Music by Kevin MacLeod and Epidemic Sound (paid licenses).Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

Virginia Woolf was an English writer and one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. She had an uncanny ability to put deep, inner thoughts to paper. She wasn't afraid to experiment and encouraged her talented friends to do the same. Having lived through the first World War, Virginia embraced a new way of living and seeing the world. Though she lived an unconventional life, she left the world with some wonderful classics that transcend time.Research assistance: Whitney ZaharMusic by: Kevin MacLeod and Epidemic Sound (paid licenses)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

We all grew up hearing the story of Rapunzel, the beautiful young maiden with long, golden hair, locked away in a tower until her prince came along. But the roots of the story, as with most fairy tales, are darker and even a bit bizarre. Was Rapunzel inspired by something historical? And what is the story really trying to say? Perhaps, Rapunzel isn’t the innocent princess we once imagined her to be…Promo: Nothing Ever Happens in CanadaMusic by Kevin MacLeod and Epidemic Sound (paid licenses).Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

In this episode, Josiah Coughran, host of The Darwin Awards Podcast, shares an experience he had in the Yucatan.Find Josiah and his podcast here:The Darwin Awards Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-darwin-awards/id1496912347Their YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtchcnCiY1yPnehGvoqGxhwTheir Website: Thedarwinawards.buzzsprout.comMusic: Kevin MacLeod and Epidemic Sound (paid licenses).Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

Our homes are the places we learn, rest, grow, and love. It's protection from the outside world. It's our solace and our peace. It's where we create magnificent meals and share them with our families. It's where we fill the walls with inspirational quotes, books that inspire us, mementos from our travels… Our homes tell our stories.And sometimes that story is a haunting one…Music by Kevin MacLeod and Epidemic Sound (paid license).Follow us on social media:IG: https://www.instagram.com/FabledCollective/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/FabledCollective/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FabledCollectivSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

The old Glenn Dale Hospital served as a tuberculosis sanatorium during the 1930s-1950s. In this episode, author JL Gillham shares her experience visiting there as a teen. Today, the hospital is still fascinating historians and paranormal investigators. Follow JL Gillham:Website, Facebook, InstagramGrab her free short story, "Haunting Happily Ever After."Books mentioned in the episode:(affiliate links)Princess Claus and the Great Escape by JL GillhamThe Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine N. AronOther Mentions:Wellness While Walking PodcastFollow Fabled Collective:Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, WebsiteMusic by Kevin MacLeod and Epidemic Sound (paid licenses).Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

Tales of witchcraft have been the source of entertainment for centuries, but when the tales jump into reality, a new type of wickedness emerges. Such was the case in the Scottish witch trials. The witches of Fife serve as a reminder that the stories we watch for entertainment on television have a dark, and deeply painful past.What’s even more mysterious than the history itself is the stories these women spun surrounding their supposed confessions. It seems, they are still bewitching us… after all these years.Music by Kevin MacLeod and Epidemic Sound (paid licenses).Written and narrated by Vanessa K. Eccles.Research assistance by Whitney Zahar.Promo: Haunted Happenstance.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

Nellie Bly, known for her book Ten Days in a Madhouse, was born in 1864 just outside of Pittsburgh. She would become a true suffragette and leader in women's voices. Nellie grew up living a typical life of domestic womanhood like many in those days, but she had a voice that needed to be heard. In 1885, she wrote to the Pittsburg Dispatch, going against an article that said the only purpose for women was to clean house and take care of children and that they had no business working outside the home. In her letter, she evoked a woman's God-given abilities to work and do other jobs well, despite what society thought. Her passionate rebuke landed her a job with the Dispatch for $5 a week. But women weren't respected in journalism. Women were allowed to write about food, gardening, household topics, and fashion. But Nellie wanted to be a real journalist. ​This is her fascinating story.Music by Kevin MacLeod and Epidemic Sound (paid licenses).Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

Small town living in the South is full of history and haunts. These dying southern towns fill the country roads in the southeast, speckling the path from big city to big city. They're the heart of the southern people, where so many reside. The small city of Eufaula, AL, is an excellent example of days long ago, with a picturesque Antebellum landscape. And it's here… in these quaint, quiet settings that you just may have a terrifying ghostly encounter.Music by Kevin MacLeod and Epidemic Sound (paid licenses).Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

"Someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again."The popular quote from C.S. Lewis is often used but rarely explored. Reading fairy tales as adults allow us to shift our perspective, opens up our minds to other possibilities, and connects us with our most authentic self.Perhaps no other story has been retold more than Cinderella. Her rags to riches fable is appealing for its surface moral, but when we dig deeper, the tale has more to say. And depending on the version, her character ranges from independent and strong-willed to even murderous.Music by Kevin MacLeod and Epidemic Sound (paid licenses).Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

During times of uncertainty and stress, many of us seek solace in nature. We’ll go on more walks, take hikes through forests and mountains, or seek out our favorite lake or beach. But there’s something lurking in the shadows there—something mysterious and haunting. What is it about nature that attracts us when we need to escape or need to find peace? Come. Follow me, deep into the woods.Music by Kevin MacLeod (paid license) and Epidemic Sound.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

The horrors of murder permeate the very ground they touch. Their stories linger in the soil, in the atmosphere, and their whispers often repeated for centuries. Why is that murder and mystery long-live, while goodness and grace are sweet but too-soon forgotten? Could it be that our innate longing for justice, for balance, outweighs most? Or does the thrill of adrenaline, pulsing through our veins, when we hear the stories give us some unholy joy? Either way, it's stories like Alice Riley’s, the first woman to be executed in Georgia, that haunt us in more ways than one.IG: https://www.instagram.com/FabledCollective/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/FabledCollective/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FabledCollectivSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

It’s the day of romance. You can almost smell the roses and taste the milk chocolate. But beyond all the modern adornments, Valentine’s Day has a murky and dark past. Full of strange rituals, quirky superstitions, and fascinating lore, this episode will put a new spin on the day of love. Music by Kevin MacLeod (paid license) and Epidemic Sound.Show Notes ➤ https://www.fabledcollective.com/listen/vdayDon't be a stranger.Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/FabledCollective/Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/FabledCollective/Twitter ➤ https://twitter.com/FabledCollectivFind our books ➤ https://www.fabledcollective.com/read.htmlSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

I often ask my friends what their favorite fairy tale is. It gives me an idea of their personality. Because I have a lot of friends who love books, Beauty and the Beast is probably the most popular answer. Who can resist the sweet, intelligent charms of Belle? At our core, we all want someone who can love us past our looks and our sometimes rough nature. We want someone who sees the Beast within but isn't afraid.Music by Kevin MacLeod (paid license) and Epidemic Sound.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)

The most tragic events are often the ones that are the most remembered. Such is the case of the 1897 Paris tragedy. The Bazar de la Charité would be the end of many of France's most wealthiest women. Thirty terrifying minutes would change everything.Death at a charity bazaar makes one remember the phrase, "No good deed goes unpunished." This horrible accident reminds us that tragedy isn't a respecter of persons. We're all fighting to survive.Music by Kevin MacLeod (paid license) and Epidemic Sound.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/FabledCollective)