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.

If you’ve ever found yourself in a cozy cabin on a snowy night, gazing out into the frosty wilderness, you might have wondered what might be lurking just beyond the trees. Maybe a bear, maybe an Abominable Snowman, or maybe the Winter Werewolf, a beast both feared and revered in wintry folklore!

With centuries of sightings, screams in the night, and even school closings, one famous cryptid has forever changed the landscape of the woods of New Jersey — this week’s Creature Feature Friday is none other than the Jersey Devil!

Tony Merkel was recently featured on the TV show Living East Tennessee, where he shared his passion for the unexplained and explored some mysterious legends of Appalachia, including the Moon-Eyed People and portals at Moravian Falls.

As St. Patrick's Day approaches, Ireland, with its verdant landscapes and ancient castles, intrigues us to explore the shadowy and legendary corners of its lore. Irish mythology and folklore are rich with tales of the supernatural, from eerie banshees to mysterious faeries. Here are (lucky) seven of the creepiest legends and lore from Ireland, where history and mystery meet.

You may easily recognize Bigfoot’s enormous footprint in the mud, but what in the world (…or otherworld…) is leaving behind six-footed tracks? A legendary figure shrouded in mystery and mischief, one bizarre feline has been the subject of campfire stories and local legends for centuries. Let's pounce into the history and uncover some purr-tinent facts about the Wampus Cat in today’s Creature Feature Friday.

Is the Hugag the world’s silliest looking-moose, a leftover dinosaur, or something else entirely? Learn more about this Lumberwoods cryptid legend - like why it cannot lie down - in today’s Creature Feature, excerpted from our blog 9 Cryptids That Are (Probably) Too Absurd To Be Real.

Don’t miss Tony on The Sword & Staff podcast: In this week's edition of The Sword and Staff, you're going to get flooded with weirdness. This week, Josh and Ritchie sat down with Tony Merkel of The Confessionals and Merkel Media. They talk to Tony about all sorts of topics ranging from folklore to flying saucers. They talk about giants, fallen angels, ancient gods, ufos, indian mounds, conspiracy theories to cover up the true history of the earth, and then the guys reflect on some personal experiences towards the end of the episode.

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?

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?!