As the world celebrates the holiday season, a remarkable archaeological discovery in Turkey sheds new light on the historical figure behind the legend of Santa Claus. Excavations at the Church of St. Nicholas in Demre, Antalya, have uncovered a limestone sarcophagus that may be the original burial site of Saint Nicholas, the 4th-century Greek bishop whose acts of generosity inspired the cherished Christmas icon.

Have you ever heard of the Tomten? It may be an important folklore figure to know since legend says every home has a Tomten. A Scandinavian version of a house elf, Tomten are gnome-like creatures that watch unseen over children and animals, protecting homes and farms from evil and misfortune… but don’t let the Tomten’s protective role or diminutive stature fool you…

Impish or admirable? Cheer or fear? If you’re a diehard fan of the legendary show The Office, then 1) there’s a good chance we can be best friends, and 2) you’ve definitely heard of the cantankerous Yuletide folk figure known as Belsnickel. So just who is this grim, grimy Christmas legend?

The following written confession was shared online: On Christmas Eve night, 1978 at about 3:00 a.m. in Klamath Falls, Oregon, I was suddenly awakened by a choir singing. The house was new construction, miles from the nearest church. I strained to hear any words that I could understand or a tune that I could identify, but I could not understand the language or tune….

It’s the holiday edition of Creature Feature Friday, featuring the merry and bright KRAMPUS! Hailing from Germanic and Austrian folklore, Krampus is a half-man, half-goat demon with a penchant for punishment. While St. Nick brings the gifts to good girls and boys, Krampus brings the pain and damnation to the naughty ones. Who wouldn’t want that guy at their holiday party?!

It’s the holiday season! That means it’s time again for spreading Christmas cheer and breaking out the old holiday traditions: decorations, gifts, festive music (on every single radio station), family togetherness... and ugly sweaters. For all of you fellow paranormal and cryptozoological enthusiasts, check out some of these truly terrible designs to inspire your ugly Christmas sweater collection.