Some reading on holidays that begin and end the year as they relate to the people of the mountains:
First, I have been reading "The Old Magic of Christmas,"
which is a journey into many of the darker European stories and traditions
that inspire Winter holidays.
It also has some meaningful and rustic crafts related to each theme.
In years past I have read (and reread) "Christmas in Germany: A Cultural History." It explores deeply the history of Christmas in Germany through the 20th century.
The early history so greatly influenced American Christmas due to the large number of German immigrants.
If you just want to hear and remember tales from Christmas-gone-by in the southern Appalachian mountains, try "A Foxfire Christmas: Appalachian Memories and Traditions."
This book started out as an idea for a Christmas card from Doubleday and grew into a rich collection of stories.
Finally, moving into the world of fiction, a story from the artist Brom. "Krampus, the Yule Lord" is a grim fairytale (no pun intended) set in West Virginia when a songwriter gets caught in the struggle between Santa and his enemy.
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