Mistletoe is a strange plant. Neither tree nor shrub, it grows between soil and sky on the branches of other trees. It’s parasitic in nature. According to Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, mistletoe bears very sticky berries that birds like the mistle thrush and the blackcap enjoy. The mistle thrush “deposits” the seeds after eating them. […]
Folklore
What are the festive links with holly and Christmas?
Holly and Christmas are like chocolate eggs and Easter. You can’t imagine one without the other. And there’s something so delightfully festive about holly garlands or wreaths in December. But how did this glossy but prickly plant become such a central part of Christmas decorations? Keep reading or hit play to listen to the podcast […]
Who Is Krampus And How Is He Linked To Christmas?
Most people will have heard of Santa Claus. But it wasn’t really until 2015 that his dark twin Krampus finally poked his horned head into the limelight. Having your own Hollywood movie will do that to your media profile. But Krampus has been well known in Alpine regions for centuries. While the Feast of St. Nicholas […]
Who are the Knockers of Cornish folklore?
Many cultures have some form of ‘little people’, be they leprechauns, brownies, or pixies. The knockers are a specific form of ‘little people’, believed to derive from early Welsh folklore. Considered the earliest inhabitants of Wales, the knockers taught the art of mining to the Britons. They’re now more closely associated with Cornwall. Tin mining […]
What 4 weird things you might find at an English crossroads?
Crossroads occur in folklore and legends all over the world. One of the most famous examples involves legendary blues musician, Robert Johnson. He claimed to have made a pact with the Devil at a crossroads, which explained his prodigious talent. And don’t forget some of the strange folklore involving burying things at crossroads. One old […]
Are the Simonside dwarfs like the miners of Middle Earth?
If you venture north into the hills and moors of Northumberland, you’ll soon notice just how bleak the scenery is. It’s stunningly beautiful no matter the time of year. But you won’t be surprised to hear the legends of the Simonside dwarfs in such a windswept, desolate place. Yet banish all thoughts of Tolkien’s jolly […]
