December arrives like a quiet hinge between seasons, the final breath of autumn yielding to winter’s slow approach. Cooler air and softer light settle over everything as the world slips into winter’s gentle hush.

And beneath it all, there’s that familiar winter pulse, old as story itself, when people once gathered close to the fire, drew the curtains against the long dark evenings, and traded tales that made the room feel a little cozier, warmer, and touched by magic.

It’s around this time of year that I can’t help but think about one of my all-time favorite spooky things: ghost stories.

The Victorians turned December ghost tales into a tradition, sharing them on Christmas Eve by firelight. And even long before that, winter was seen as a season of reflection, memory, and old stories, a time when the world grew quiet and still enough for the imagination to speak a little louder. With the cold outside and warmth inside, what else was there to do but let your thoughts drift toward the uncanny?

So this month on Eerie Escapes, I’m leaning fully into that haunting winter mood. Ghosts are the theme for December, and this little intro marks the beginning of a small series of cozy, shadowy, spectral posts to keep you company as the nights grow long and eerie.

More ghostly goodness is on its way.

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