Wassailing with the Mari Lwyd

Carolers aren’t the only ones known to come knocking...

Let's keep in touch! Check out our website - www.hauntscast.com Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hauntscast/ Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/hauntscast

Huge thank you to the composers at Pixabay for the music in this week's episode. If you would like to support the artists, you may do so at the links provided below--

Music by Ashot-Danielyan-Composer from Pixabay

Caroling may seem like the quintessential Christmas tradition—bundling up, spreading cheer, and singing loud for all to hear. But what if there’s more to this festive pastime than meets the ear? In this episode of Haunts, we unwrap the eerie origins of wassailing, a 6th-century custom designed to ward off winter’s darkness and despair.

From spectral warnings of inviting the wrong "guests" into your home to the peculiar Welsh tradition of the Mari Lwyd—a ghostly gray mare demanding entry through song—we explore how this cheerful tradition has its share of chilling twists. Join host Courtney as we delve into the haunted history of holiday merriment and discover why Christmas isn’t just the season of joy—but also a time when the uninvited may come knocking.