Galena Christmas Company Journal
Folklore 101
Stories, customs, and curious characters that give holiday celebrations their depth and delightful oddness.
Folklore 101 stories
The Santa America Built
From Saint Nicholas and Washington Irving to Thomas Nast, department-store parades, and Coca-Cola: the story of America’s Santa Claus.
Nisse Folklore: The Nordic Spirit Behind the Porridge
Meet the nisse, the Nordic household spirit behind the Christmas porridge tradition, and discover why a small bowl of food still carries a big story.
25 Fun Halloween Facts: Curious Tales and Traditions
Turnip lanterns, love predictions, unexpected treats, and vintage postcards: 25 surprising stories behind Halloween, with sources to explore.
Mari Lwyd: Wales’s Singing Christmas Horse
The story behind the Mari Lwyd, Wales’s horse-headed winter visitor, its playful rhyme contest, and the hospitality at the heart of the tradition.
Christmas Folklore Creatures: A Winter Field Guide
Meet Krampus, the Mari Lwyd, the Yule Cat, the Yule Lads, and the nisse in this guide to Christmas folklore creatures and winter traditions.
Why Victorian Christmas Cards Got So Weird
The mice, clowns, frogs, flowers, and unexpected mischief behind the strangest Victorian Christmas cards.
St Nicholas Day Traditions: Shoes, Sweets, and Stories
Why St Nicholas arrives before Christmas, what shoes and oranges mean, and how to make December 6 feel generous, warm, and genuinely your own.
Victorian Christmas Traditions That Still Feel Familiar
Why trees, cards, crackers, gifts, and candlelit Christmas scenes became part of the holiday, and what the Victorian story gets right.
Samhain Meaning: The Story Behind Halloween
What Samhain is, how the old Celtic festival is connected to Halloween, and why its history is richer than a simple origin story.
Thomas Nast’s Christmas Art: The Santa We Remember
How Thomas Nast helped shape America’s Santa Claus, and how his lasting Christmas art glows again on our St. Nicholas lantern.
Halloween Postcard Artists: The Names Behind the Cards
Meet Ellen H. Clapsaddle, Samuel L. Schmucker, Frances Brundage, and the publishers behind early Halloween postcards.
Krampusnacht: Meaning, Date & December 5 Traditions
What Krampusnacht means, why it happens on December 5, how it connects to Saint Nicholas Day, and what a Krampuslauf is.
Krampus Tradition: What It Means and How People Celebrate
A practical guide to Krampusnacht, Saint Nicholas, vintage postcards, modern parades, and celebrating the tradition with respect.
The History of Krampus: A Folklore Timeline
From Alpine winter customs and Saint Nicholas to postcards, parades, and modern holiday horror films.
Sleepy Hollow and the Headless Horseman
How Washington Irving turned an old ghostly rider into America’s enduring autumn legend.
Vintage Halloween Greeting Cards: A History
The witches, black cats, pumpkins, and mischief that made turn-of-the-century Halloween postcards unforgettable.