Overview

'Tis the Season for Witches, Elves, and a Legion of Ghosts Not so very long ago, Yuletide was as much a chilling season of ghosts and witches as it was a festival of goodwill. In The Old Magic of Christmas, you'll rub elbows with veiled spirits, learn the true perils of elves, and discover a bestiary of enchanted creatures. Rife with the more frightful characters from folklore and the season's most petulant ghosts, this book takes you on a spooky sleigh ride from the silvered firs of a winter forest to the mirrored halls of the Snow Queen. Along the way, you'll discover how to bring the festivities into your home with cookie recipes and craft instructions, as well as tips for delving more deeply into your relationship with the unseen. Praise: ""Steeped in history and adorned with a bit of enchantment, The Old Magic of Christmas is the perfect book to read by a winter's fire with a mug of mulled cider in hand.""—Deborah Blake, author of The Witch's Broom ""...[A] fascinating journey into the stories behind the tinsel and bows.""—Doreen Shababy, author of The Wild & Weedy Apothecary ""...[A]n intriguing little tome that explores the darker side of the Yuletide holiday.""—Ellen Dugan, author of The Enchanted Cat

Full Product Details

Author:   Linda Raedisch
Publisher:   Llewellyn Publications,U.S.
Imprint:   Llewellyn Publications,U.S.
Dimensions:   Width: 13.30cm , Height: 1.90cm , Length: 20.30cm
Weight:   0.318kg
ISBN:  

9780738733340

ISBN 10:   0738733342
Pages:   312
Publication Date:   08 October 2013
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
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Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS:   Introduction   Chapter One: A Thousand Years of Winter             The White Bees Are Swarming; A Bird’s Eye View; The Lady of the Castle; Craft: Distaff Tree; Craft: White Witch Window Star   Chapter Two: At Home with the Elves             “What’s with the Elves?”; “Will You Know More?;” An Offering to the Elves; Like Christmas Itself; Craft: Elvish Window Ornament   Chapter Three: Dead by Christmas Morning             Queen of the Elves; Recipe: Icelandic Snowflake Breads; Home but Not Alone; Sitting Out 101; Craft: Elf Wreath   Chapter Four: Riders on White Horses             Sun, Moon and Stars; Craft: Martinmas Lantern; Martinmas Treats; Recipe: Martinmas Horns; The Wild Rider; “Blacker than pitch”; Recipe: Bishop’s Wine   Chapter Five: Creatures of Forest and Mountain             ?ert; Knecht Ruprecht; Other Nicholases; The Dream of the Rod; Buttnmandl; The Bells of St. Nicholas; The Bellsnickle; The Yule Lads; Goblins at the Window   Chapter Six: The Scandinavian Household Sprite             Nisse; Tomten; Tonttu; The Resilient Sprite; Craft: Christmas Tomten; Recipe: Rice Porridge So You Want to Buy a Troll   Chapter Seven: Reindeer Games             Stallo; The Yuletide People; On Prancer!; The Witch’s Drum; Craft: Sacrificial Reindeer Ornament; The Horns of Abbots Bromley   Chapter Eight: A Christmas Bestiary             The Yule Horse; The Yule Buck; The Yule Boar; The Yule Cat; The Werewolf; The Spectral Dog   Chapter Nine: Winter’s Bride             The Christkind; Barborka; Lucia; Recipe: Lussekatter; Night Walks with Heavy Steps; The Lutzelfrau; Lucka; Craft: Lucka Mask; Rising from the Ashes   Chapter Ten: There Are Witches in the Air             Vampires; Down with a Bound; Rise of the House of Knusper; Craft/Recipe: Lebkuchen House; Witches Bearing Gifts; Recipe: Befana Stars.   Chapter Eleven: Dark Spirits of Hearth and Home             The Kallikantzaros; The Yule Log; The First-footer; The Chimneysweep; The Fairy Queen’s Men   Chapter Twelve: The White Witch’s Herbal             Mistletoe (Viscum album); Juniper (Juniperus communis); Holly (Ilex acquifolium); Ivy (Hedera helix); Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea); Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger); Christmas Rose (Anastatica hierochuntica); Christmas Rose (Rosa alba); Apple Tree (Malus domestica)   Conclusion: Eternity   Addendum: A Calendar of Christmas Spirits and Spells   Glossary   Bibliography   Index

Reviews

Steeped in history and adorned with a bit of enchantment, The Old Magic of Christmas is the perfect book to read by a winter's fire with a mug of mulled cider in hand. --Deborah Blake, author of The Witch's Broom .. .[A] fascinating journey into the stories behind the tinsel and bows. --Doreen Shababy, author of The Wild & Weedy Apothecary .. .[A]n intriguing little tome that explores the darker side of the Yuletide holiday. --Ellen Dugan, author of The Enchanted Cat

Steeped in history and adorned with a bit of enchantment, The Old Magic of Christmas is the perfect book to read by a winter's fire with a mug of mulled cider in hand.--Deborah Blake, author of The Witch's Broom ...[A] fascinating journey into the stories behind the tinsel and bows.--Doreen Shababy, author of The Wild & Weedy Apothecary ...[A]n intriguing little tome that explores the darker side of the Yuletide holiday.--Ellen Dugan, author of The Enchanted Cat

Author Information

Linda Raedisch has been contributing crafts, recipes, and ethnobotanical lore to Llewellyn's Herbal Almanac since 2012. She is the author of The Old Magic of Christmas and The Lore of Old Elfland. Outside the kitchen, she has special interests in papercrafts, minority languages, and exploring the suburban jungle. You can follow her culinary, crafting, and linguistic adventures on Instagram @lindaraedisch.

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