Depending on your family, the holidays are a wonderful time to celebrate with family and friends, or a real horror show. With Thanksgiving coming up and the December holidays not far behind, we’re taking a look at some photos from family events that really became something of a horror, after the pictures were found to contain some pretty scary uninvited guests. From an alleged demon’s animal face, to a disembodied hand, to a famous photograph that may not be what it seems, here are 10 Photos of Unexpected Ghosts and Entities Taken at Family Gatherings!

The following written confession was submitted via email: Working at a haunted high school… This place has checked all the boxes for a haunted place. So this is one time I was actually scared out of the building. #1 I just got done sweeping a hallway and was crouched down sweeping stuff into a dustpan I saw movement out of the corner of my eye…

If you were intrigued by Episode 390: The Great Matrix Reset, then don’t miss this replay of the live sequel episode, featuring Tony and guest Garrick King diving deeper into the 1111 matrix code! In the video, Garrick shares more information that has arisen since recording the original episode. Who is Bob? What is the exact date the matrix will reset? Tony and Garrick further explore this bizarre topic, and also take calls from listeners, in 1111 Matrix Code | The Confessionals!

The following written confession and photo were submitted via email: I was reminded of this photo this evening and thought you might like to see it. We have 160 acres of wooded property in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Our tree cam took this photo of what looks like a ghost bird. I don’t know if it’s truly paranormal or if it’s just a bird flying by the camera.

Independent news agency Intellihub recently published an article covering one of our most legendary episodes of all time - Episode 122: Secret Military Enochian Technology! Peruse the full feature here, written by Shepard Ambellas. For the continuation of the saga of Charlie, members can tune in to Episode 352: The Return Of Charlie. For additional history about the Enochian language, check out our post 10 Historical Facts About Enochian - the Language of Angels and the Occult.

The following written confession was submitted via email: I would like to share with you a haunting my father and I had while doing a Civil War reenactment at Fort Ontario on Lake Ontario in New York State. The event took place on 16-17 April 2011, we were kicking off the 150th anniversary year of the Civil War by recreating the attack on fort Sumter. It was a miserable wet cold rainy weekend…

October 31 is nearly here… If you’re in the mood for a good ghost story but you’re also short on time, take a quick scan through these 4-word scary stories written by The Confessionals Podcast fans! We picked 15 of our favorite mini tales of horror, submitted on our social media pages, to give you a fright and let your imagination run wild (or run away). They’re creepy and they’re kooky, and just the right amount of spooky!

The following written confession was shared via email: I had surgery on my spine in 2013. It was major surgery and I was most definitely under the influence of pain medication . However, if I hallucinated it, I had company… I remember dozing off and then hearing a noise at the room entrance…

On a recent member episode, Episode 380: Gateway Into a Paranormal Life (Members), guest Sean described seeing an entity wearing a cloak that “folded in” on itself and disappeared before his eyes. He described the strange being as looking like Spring-heeled Jack, the Terror of London - a figure straight out of folklore but nonetheless real to the people he allegedly terrorized. Who, or what, is Spring Heeled Jack?

The following written confession was submitted via email: In 1995/1996, my sister (whom I will keep anonymous) was diagnosed and eventually passed away from stomach/esophageal cancer. She was 39, with 4 young kids. In the last couple weeks before her death, she would talk frankly with all of us (there were 6 sisters in all), about her immanent death. Her fears, our fears, her heartache, etc. On one of these occasions, she states “I’m ready to die, I’m just scared I’m going to see that black thing again …”

Legion of Legends Episode 2 is available now! MICHAUX STATE FOREST Haunted WW2 POW Camp | GONE WRONG finds Tony and his brother Jack exploring an historical, haunted WWII POW Camp in Pennsylvania. Find out what they experienced and went wrong during their night in Michaux State Forest!

The following written confession and image were submitted via email: I once took a pic of a floor I put down for my sister. When I looked at the screen I said WHAT THE F_CK! My sister said what’s wrong? I replied did I say that out loud? Wait til u see this if it shows back up. Hit the button on the camera to get the pic to come up n there it was…..

Tony joined The Macroaggressions Podcast with Charlie Robinson on August 29, 2021 to drop stories of adventures, cryptids, and encounters! Don’t miss #155 - On The Hunt For Cryptids | Tony Merkel: The host of the wildly popular podcast “The Confessionals”, Tony Merkel, stops by to share stories of some of his recent adventures while filming his new show, and what kind of creatures he had encounters with. From Bigfoot experiences and ghost stories to more terrifying interactions with Dogman and various cryptids, Tony has heard it all on his show where people share their experiences in a safe place free from judgment…

The following written confession was shared online: My husband and I stayed at a super old hotel in Santa Fe, NM. At the time I did not really believe in paranormal things/ghosts, mainly because nothing had ever happened to me. The old room we were staying in had this decorative wooden chair that had a slanted seat… the slanted seat made it so my bag slid all the way back into the back of the chair so it couldn’t fall. I also hung a nice new dress on the back of the chair….

The following written confession was shared online: About a year ago I was at my dad’s house taking care of the dog for the week ... So there I am, first night at my dad’s house with two dogs who had been playing together all day. I decide to go to bed around 10:00 so I go lock the front and back door, I make sure every door in the house except for my bedroom door is closed and I sleep…