Generally, if you ask a horror fan what the best season of the year for scary stories is, we’re probably going to say Halloween. It’s our season! The one time of year when we have license to be as scary as we want, whenever we want, and it seems like everyone is celebrating all things horror with us. My mom refers to Halloween as my Christmas, since I go all out with my celebrations on October the way she does for Christmas in December. But that doesn’t mean I don’t excitedly pull down my Halloween decorations in November and prepare to replace them with a tree, ornaments, tinsel garlands, and an abundance of lights. Because even though I love the crisp, autumn nights of the Halloween season, there is a part of my horror-loving heart that lives for the long, dark nights of winter. Especially around Christmas, when we’re just barely past the Solstice and still short on daylight. It’s no wonder people used to gather around the fire this time of year to tell scary stories, or that some of the myths and legends surrounding this season are particularly dark and frightening. I’m looking at you, Yule Cat. So in the spirit of season, I offer you a selection of horror anthologies and collections with my heartfelt best wishes for this delightfully liminal, ghostly season. Whether you read these stories for yourself, or read them out to an appreciative audience, may they make your dark holidays a little creepier. For even more frights and delights, check out the rest of our horror content.
