In Scotland today was Uphalieday, the last day of Yule revels! A King or Queen was elected by whoever found a bean hidden in a Twelfth Cake. A coin was then put in any leftover dough and the dough made into scones. Whoever found the coin would have a most lucky year! #Epiphany #Folklore 🎨Maclise

“If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” (Shelley) 🎨 Wiktor Kriżanowski #wintersky

In Ireland today is Nollaig na mBan: Women's Christmas, Little Christmas. A day when men would take over the "traditional" jobs of women (!) and women could rest! In lore, it was also when well-water would turn to wine although it was unlucky to observe...! #Epiphany #January

Italy has a Christmas Witch. La Befana. She gives gifts to the little ones on the Eve of Epiphany. But what does she do after a job well done, today, on Epiphany? La Befana starts walking again and… - read more in our last #yulefolklore tale below! 🎨 Botticelli (detail)

The rugged majesty of The Mourne Mountains was the inspiration for Narnia. "I have seen landscapes (in the Mourne Mountains) which...made me feel that at any moment a giant might raise his head over the next ridge." C.S. Lewis #BookWormSat 📷Nigel Killeen

I believe cats to be spirits come to earth. A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through. Jules Verne #BookologyThursday 🎨Louis Wain

THE BIRDS OF CHRISTMAS by @oliviaarmstrong.bsky.social illus by Mira Miroslavova is a recommended holiday book. Based on a European tale about how the robin got its red breast, the art complements the story, drawing the reader in with its energy. #EduSky 🍎 #KidLit 📚👍 #Libsky @ebyrbooks.bsky.social

That's the end another epic #FolkloreThursday ✨🐿️☃️🥂 Today's theme was "Winter and Festive Folklore” This is @shanonsinn.bsky.social signing off - your last host of 2025! Wishing you a wonderful Winter Solstice and a happy holiday season ❄️🎄🌟 1880 circa English Card

In Ireland on Christmas Eve, doors were left unlocked, the fire banked high, food and drink sitting on the table so that the wandering departed could return and enjoy the festivities before going back whence they came... #FolkloreThursday 🎨Lynn Bywaters

Even scarier than Christmas Callicantzaroi is their companion the violent demon Koutsodaimonas with his oversized head, lolling tongue, hump on his chest and genitals always on display. Keep him away by leaving a sieve and broom by the door and burn incense... #FolkloreThursday 🎨Edelmann

In Irish families it was believed on Twelfth Night, the dead walked, and on every tile of the house a soul sat, waiting for prayers to take it out of purgatory... #FolkloreThursday 🎨Sedlacek

Feliz Navidad #FolkloreThursday ❄️✨🎄❄️ That was Crystal @crystalponti.bsky.social being merry and bright before the break! I'm @shanonsinn.bsky.social your elven host for the next one hour ⭐ Today's theme is "Winter and Festive Folklore” 1900s early German postcard

A fly in the house at Christmas is considered a sign of good luck in British folklore... #FolkloreThursday

At midnight on Christmas Eve all animals are endowed with the gifts of speech and prophecy. Apparently, those born on a Sunday can speak with them... #FolkloreThursday 🎨Brueghal the Elder

In Scottish folklore, those born on Christmas day have the ability to see ghosts... #FolkloreThursday

A legend tells of the choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral who gave sugar sticks to young singers to keep them quiet during long Christmas services. As a seasonal touch, he bent the sweets into shepherds’ crooks and candy canes were created... #FolkloreThursday

My first book tells a folktale of how robin got its redbreast. Robins are traditionally fire-bringers and robin fans the fire in the stable where Jesus is born, keeping the child warm and alive. A spark of fire burns robin's feathers - this red colour now a mark of its kindness... #FolkloreThursday

“Holle-peter, as well as Hersche, Harsche, Hescheklas, Euprecht, Eupper…, is among the names given to the muffled servitor who goes about in Holle's train at the time of the winter solstice” (Grimm) 🎨 Valin Mattheis #FolkloreThursday

Join us this Thursday (11th December) for the final #FolkloreThursday of the year! Our hosts will share your winter and festive themed folklore at the following times (GMT): 9am-1pm 3.30-4.30pm 6.30-7.30pm Don't forget to include the hashtag! 🎄☃️🎁❄️

Perchta from Germanic folklore visits houses during the 12 Days of Christmas. She leaves silver coins for those who have been good, and slits the bellies of those who have not, stuffing them with straw. #FolkloreThursday

Naughty children on the Isle of Islay were threatened with a visit from Crom Dubh na Nollaig (Crooked Dark One of Christmas). His arrival was heralded by screaming sounds coming from the chimney... #LegendaryWednesday 🎨Atkinson Grimshaw

Zeus hurled mushroom seeds to earth during thunderstorms so to the ancient Greeks, fungi were the "sons of the gods"... #WyrdWednesday

Belsnickel combined kindness with cruelty at Christmas. Torn and tattered, furred and masked with a lolling tongue, he travelled alone. Cakes & sweets for the good, and a thwack of his hazel switch to punish the naughty... #FolkyFriday

Old Father Christmas figure was associated with good cheer and merriment rather than gifts for kids, but he did bring mulled wine and wassail punch. He here is in a Victorian drawing, complete with yule log, holly crown and mischievous glint in his eye! I love the pagan Holly King vibe #FolkyFriday

Demonic Lilith was said to be the first wife of Adam. She refused to lie beneath him, cursed him and fled to couple with demons and give birth to 100 daughters - lilim -a day. Later misogynistic myths told of Lilith possessing women by entering them through mirrors... #MythologyMonday 🎨Rosetti

"See how high the hornets' nest; 'twill tell how high the snow will rest." Many creatures go higher off the ground with nests at winter #folklore

There is a Yuletide tradition in France telling of the witch La Guillaneu riding her headless fairy steed through French winter nights. But follow us to Brittany today for our 2nd #Yulefolklore tale, where La Guillaneu takes on a quite different guise! Link in the comments 🎨 Ari-Matti Toivonen

Magic, tall tales and #Yulefolklore A story a day – told over the holidays, until 6 January. So, come, gather around the fireplace and listen to dark seasonal tales of trolls, witches & other things that go bump in the Winter! Find the link for today’s first tale in the comments 🎨Hannah Ward

In Irish folklore the cry of the owl heralded death and general ill fortune. To counter this, folk threw hot peppers or vinegar into the fire. They believed this would result in the owl getting a sore tongue and hence not be able to hoot and bring death... #LegendaryWednesday 🎨Doug Larue

Banshees used the waxwing as a torch to guide them through the dark Irish nights... 🎨Mounir Khalfouf #LegendaryWednesday

There is much Irish folklore of how robin got their redbreast. One scrap of lore says it was when robin flew into hell bringing water to the lost souls... 🎨Anster-Fitzgerald #WyrdWednesday #LegendaryWednesday

In Irish folklore the cry of the owl heralded death and general ill fortune. To counter this, folk threw hot peppers or vinegar into the fire. They believed this would result in the owl getting a sore tongue and hence not be able to hoot and bring death... #LegendaryWednesday 🎨Doug Larue

Thank you @forteanlondon.bsky.social for such a wonderful day of wildness, weirdness and warmth at #TheHauntedLandscape! Talks ranged from lost burial grounds in London to legend-tripping, taking in uncanny creatures and the wheel of the year in between. I loved it!

The littlun & I really enjoyed a spooky storytelling session with Olivia Armstrong in the atmospheric setting of Sopwell ruins as part of @beinghumanfest.bsky.social - we heard about the Green Lady of Hertfordshire (witch, fairy or ghost? It was up to us to decide) & the Tale of Little Grey

In the wild Russian winter of 1835, ballerina Marie Taglioni's carriage was stopped by a highwayman. She was ordered to dance on the snow in the moonlight. After that, she kept artificial ice in a box to remember that starry night, which in turn inspired artist Joseph Cornell... #WyrdWednesday

European crows were said to go down to Hell once a year to present the devil with a tribute of feathers... 🎨Herzlmeier #WyrdWednesday

Irish wake games were intended to remind the deceased they were a treasured part of society, to send them away happy, and hopefully prevent them from returning... #FolkloreThursday 🎨Nathanial Grogan

Take a pack of cards, cut them, choose a card - make your wish. Now shuffle the cards into three piles. If your card is in the first pile, the wish will come true. If in the second, the wish will take time. In the third? It will not come true at all... #FolkloreThursday

Hello #FolkloreThursday 🐉 Thank you to Crystal @crystalponti.bsky.social for hosting before the break! I'm @shanonsinn.bsky.social your last host today for the "Folklore of Games and Pastimes" event. 1 hour left 🃏🎲 To play, use the #folklorethursday hashtag in a themed post 1920 N. Rockwell

'Wapping' (1941) by John Minton (Imperial War Museums)

The Irish wake calls for games and shenanigans #Folklore www.irishcentral.com/roots/tradit...

Repost for #WyrdWednesday #FolkloreThursday and #PhantomsFriday

From making witch-bottles to sitting in historic ruins listening to spooky stories, 9th November is a date for your diary if you're in Herts - @herts.ac.uk & @beinghumanfest.bsky.social have teamed up to create a full programme of fun #Folklore family events. Come and join us!

Me being Little Red!👇

In Polynesian tradition, kites originated in the spirit world, a way of connecting heaven with earth and sending messages to the gods... #FolkloreThursday

My wee brother is no good. Chop him up for firewood. When he's dead, Cut off his head, Make it into gingerbread. Belfast Skipping Rhyme. 📷Shirley Baker &📷Getty Images & 📷 Harry Benson #FolkloreThursday

The origins of the roulette wheel and the concept of Lady Luck can be traced back to the goddess Fortuna, randomly turning her Wheel of Fortune and changing the fates of those upon it... #FolkloreThursday

Join us for our folklore of Games and Pastimes themed #FolkloreThursday this Thursday! Our hosts will share your posts to the hashtag at the following times GMT: 9am-1pm 3.30-4.30pm 6.30-7.30pm (🎨The Card Players, Theodoor Rombouts)