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Paul_finch (Paul_finch)
Username: Paul_finch

Registered: 11-2009
Posted From: 195.93.21.74
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 12:27 pm:   

Freely pinched from a developing thread on the All Hallows message board.

I've already put my vote in for ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE (in which an escaped serial killer dons a Santa suit on Christmas Eve and tries to get in at a woman who's just murdered her husband and therefore can't call the cops), though that first appeared as a comic strip in TALES FROM THE CRYPT, so I'm not sure if it really counts.

Anyone got any suggestions that were originally written as stories? I have a few, but I'm interested to hear other ideas first.
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Zed (Gary_mc)
Username: Gary_mc

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 213.219.8.243
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 12:32 pm:   

Isn't that a Robert Bloch story, Paul? It gets my vote, too.
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Stephen Walsh (Stephenw)
Username: Stephenw

Registered: 03-2009
Posted From: 194.32.31.1
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 12:35 pm:   

I know it's the obvious choice but we may as well get it out of the way:

'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens is the ultimate Christmas story and is actually pretty spooky for anyone who hasn't read it.
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Paul_finch (Paul_finch)
Username: Paul_finch

Registered: 11-2009
Posted From: 195.93.21.74
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 01:26 pm:   

Gary ... I originally thought it was a Robert Bloch story too. He wrote a classic called THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, but this isn't the same story. As far as my researches can tell, ATTH was from the TALES FROM THE CRYPT / VAULT OF HORROR comic series of the 1950s. But I'd be delighted to be proved wrong.

Steve Gallagher also wrote a marvelous one called TO DANCE BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON, which, if memory serves, was set in a haunted radio station manned by a skeleton staff on a snowy Christmas Eve. There was also a wandering maniac in that one, I think.

We should also, of course, pay homage to Ramsey's THE CHIMNEY, which has to be one of the grimmest Christmas tales ever.
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Hubert (Hubert)
Username: Hubert

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 193.191.7.117
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 01:27 pm:   

There's this Bloch story which ends with someone decorating the Christmas tree - not in the sense one might expect. I think it was in Dark Forces.
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Paul_finch (Paul_finch)
Username: Paul_finch

Registered: 11-2009
Posted From: 195.93.21.74
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 02:12 pm:   

Hubert - that one was THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. A true classic.
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Zed (Gary_mc)
Username: Gary_mc

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 81.96.240.106
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 02:15 pm:   

Paul, that's fascinating...I stand corrected, sir!

Ramsey's THE DECORATIONS is another great story.
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Stephen Walsh (Stephenw)
Username: Stephenw

Registered: 03-2009
Posted From: 194.32.31.1
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 04:17 pm:   

'Back For Christmas' by John Collier is a brilliant story though it actually has nothing to do with Christmas.
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Hubert (Hubert)
Username: Hubert

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 78.21.233.167
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 04:26 pm:   

Ah, yes, that one was in one of the Fontanas, the one with the snail on the cover. Never struck me as overly horrific, though.
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Stephen Walsh (Stephenw)
Username: Stephenw

Registered: 03-2009
Posted From: 194.32.31.1
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 04:35 pm:   

The matter-of-fact way in which the murder was committed I found incredibly horrific.

Hitchcock clearly agreed as he adapted the story himself as one of the very best episodes of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents'.

In my opinion John Collier is one of the great genre authors of the 20th Century whom we are in danger of forgetting about.
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Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 194.176.105.56
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 04:46 pm:   

You couldn't make it up. If you look at the IMDB page for that episode - there's a company who'll build you a wine cellar...
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Richard_gavin (Richard_gavin)
Username: Richard_gavin

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 69.157.31.195
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 04:52 pm:   

I love Christmas-themed horror stories.

Paul's correct about "And All Through the House" being an E.C. Comics story. If I'm not mistaken, it was written by Johnny Craig. I know he illustrated it and he often wrote his own scripts.

Michael Bishop's "Seasons of Belief" is a fine yuletide yell yarn (Sorry, thinking about E.C. brings out the campiness in me). It was originally in Shadows 2 and was later made into an entertaining episode of Tales from the Darkside, though I remember being really creeped out by the story but finding the TV adaptation more of a black comedy.

Our own Simon Strantzas has a fine example called "The Uninvited Guest" in his new collection.

Is it shameless pimping to mention my own "Down Among the Relics" and "& On the Eve of Yule..." from my book Omens? It is? Ah well, too late.
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Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 194.176.105.56
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 05:02 pm:   

Here's an idea - lets pick a title - for argument's sake - SlayBells Ring - and we all (as many as want to) write a short story with that as the title and post them back here for everyone to peruse.

The chap or chapess who writes the story voted best wins two points and earns the right to shout hurray three times.
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Richard_gavin (Richard_gavin)
Username: Richard_gavin

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 69.157.31.195
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 05:13 pm:   

Great idea, Weber! I might just do a little vignette, but I'll try and come up with something for this.
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 06-2008
Posted From: 86.153.239.188
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 05:59 pm:   

SlayBells Ring is a great title. An interesting play on SleighBells Ring.
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Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 194.176.105.56
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 06:31 pm:   

Well I've just had an idea for it so I'll be posting one (or a link to it) up here soon.
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 06-2008
Posted From: 86.153.239.188
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 09:19 pm:   

SLAYBELLS

Shall I sleep with one eye open?

I have heard so many tales of chimneys that contain noises. And there is a chimney in the room where they’ve put me. I’ve already tried to stuff the flue with most of my own clothes – leaving me to sit on the bare bed, shivering in just my underwear. And, even so, I can never be sure that stuffing the chimney in this way will keep anything at bay.

I slumped sideways on to the bed, sleep almost superseding any fears that I might have had. But the cold alone kept the sleep away ... merely allowing me to glimpse the edge of darkness as it crept back and forth towards me in the shape of the deep slumber I so yearned.

I abruptly realise I have awoken. So, in those earlier interminable hours, I must, after all, have dropped asleep, only now to be disturbed by the scrabbling somewhere in heart of the chimney-breast.

Both my eyes must have been fast shut, with not even a spare nerve as an antenna to sense approaching danger. My ears alone stood guard, a-prickle with batches of moonlit soot snowing into the otherwise empty grate. And the sad sad tinkle of the bell-wether creature straining to dislodge itself time and time again.

What has put me here upon this Christmas Eve? Surely a cruel gift to remind the old man who was once the child eager for an early bedtime – then, in boyish excitement, daring to stay awake to hear the crinkle of wrapped presents being laid just near his tiny feet snug like animals beneath the warm eiderdown and tucked-in, tucked-under sheets and blanket.

The edge of deep slumber is the only possible present that will now please him ... with its beginnings of calm engulfment.

But, even so, now fully subsumed by the eventuality of pure dreamless sleep, I can still hear the faintest possible tinkling.... even after the static crackling ceases.
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Seanmcd (Seanmcd)
Username: Seanmcd

Registered: 03-2009
Posted From: 86.153.165.191
Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 10:21 pm:   

The cover of 'CREEPY' magazine no. 68 encapsulates for me the horror potential of Christmas. 'Twas the night before Christmas and...we see an evil chuckling Santa clutching a gory sack full of intestines and limbs. His evil elves are busily stuffing offal and severed heads into the kids stockings hanging neatly before a roaring log fire. Good Lord! Choke!
Google it.
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Gcw (Gcw)
Username: Gcw

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 81.155.105.158
Posted on Saturday, December 05, 2009 - 01:05 pm:   

I agree with Stephen W...

A Christmas Carol is the best Christmas Horror, though it ends happily, which does kinda mean it exists in a different genre...

Hmmm, thats got me thinking.

gcw
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 06-2008
Posted From: 86.169.218.130
Posted on Saturday, December 05, 2009 - 05:26 pm:   

I now have a theory about my 'Slaybells' written above yesterday for Weber's 'three cheers' competition on this thread:-

But beware possible spoiler.
I've put the theory here:
http://weirdmonger.blog-city.com/can_one_have_hindsight_theories_about_ones_own_ work.htm
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Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 194.176.105.56
Posted on Monday, December 07, 2009 - 04:57 pm:   

See my comments on t'other thread about this one.
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Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 194.176.105.56
Posted on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - 11:17 am:   

SlayBells Ring

I'm better than Bobby, I'm better than Bobby, I'm better than Bobby. Mammy brought me shops not him. She like me better. Shops big! I like shops. Bright lights. Loud. Ha ha ha. I'm better than... What that sign say? C...H...R...I...S.. T...M... "Ow, Mammy, I was trying read that sign. What does it say?" "Sorry, I'm in a hurry, it says christmas bargains." "Its Christmas soon isn't it Mammy?" Mammy laughing. "Yes, it's Christmas soon, are you excited?" "I like Christmas!" Mammy laughing again. Noisy. Big crowd. Don't like crowds. I like Mammy laughing. When Mammy laughing she give me treats. Look at that! Ooh big shop, I not been this shop. Lots of noise. Music playing. I like music. I like sing. Mammy like me sing Bob Builder song. Mammy laugh and give me treat when I sing Bob Builder song. "Bob the Builder, can we..""Not just now darling. Please, Mummy has to get losts done." Not like song in shop. "slay bells ring snow is...""Mammy, why they sing about killing bells?""What?" Mammy look like she not know what I mean. "Song say Slay bells... in school Teacher say that Prince George slay dragon. Slay mean kill. I ask Mr Smith. Why does the song say slay bells?" Mammy laughing again. Hee hee. I like make Mammy laugh."I think you mean Saint George, not Prince George. That's a different type of slay. it's spelt different, it's a type of sledge. Slay bells are bells on a slay, which is the sledge that Santa rides round on." Santa! Santa! santa! santa bring lots of presents. I like Santa! Another song! This one about Santa. "He knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows when you've been good or bad so be good for goodness sake, Santa Claus is..." "Mammy, is Santa watching me?"Mammy not listening. Mammy talking to woman in shop. "MAMMY! Is Santa watch me?"Mammy laugh."Of course he's watchING you. How else does he know if you've been good so he knows whether to give you a good present or a lump of coal?" I don't like Santa watch...ing me. I don't want him watching. "Mammy, is Santa watch...ing me now?""Yes""Is Santa watch...ing me in the bath?"Mammy big smile."He's always watching you. He has to be sure you're always being good.""Is santa watch...ing when I poo?"Mammy and woman laughing. It not funny. I don't want Santa watch me poo.Mammy still laughing."The things they say..." Woman talk about me. Santa watch me and woman talk and laugh at me, not fair not fair not fair."I DON'T WANT SANTA WATCH ME! I DON'T WANT SANTA WATCH ME! NARRRGHHH" "Be quiet now! Stop being silly!" Mammy serious face now. I need be quiet. Not fair. Mammy get angry when Mammy serious face. Make Mammy happy. "Sorry Mammy." Mammy smile, Mammy kiss my head. I like Mammy kiss my head. Big fat woman walk there, big fatty bum bum woman. She funny. Picture of Santa on wall. Santa watch me. I not want Santa watch me. "Santa!" Do you want to go and see Santa?" "I want a nice lolly." "I want never gets. What do we say?" "Can I have a nice lolly please Mammy?" "Are you sure? It's cold outside?" "Please may I have a nice lolly? I scream man there." Pull silly face that make Mammy do what I want. Point at i scream man. Mammy seen him! "Ok, what do you want?" Mammy lifting me. "That one!" Mammy put me down. Mammy like me more than Bobby. Bobby wouldn't get Lolly off Mammy. Mammy not brought Bobby shops. Lolly taste nice. Lolly cold. Oops, got lolly juice on coat. Mammy sometimes get angry when food juice on coat. "Look at that. I'm going to start putting bibs on you again when you eat, like a big baby." Mammy look angry but happy. Silly Mammy. Santa still look at me from picture. "Do you want to see Santa? Tell him what you want for Christmas?" Lolly half gone. I don't want Santa watch me. I tell Santa. "Please Mammy, may I go and see Santa?" "Come on." I like new song. "Christmas time, missltow and why..." Dance to song, make mammy laugh. I'm bored. long line to see Santa. Do they know he watch them poo? Lolly gone. Stick taste strange when i chew it. "Have you finished that?" "There still some joosh on it." Not want let stick go. Mammy laugh. That good. Like new song. "Well I wish it could be Christmas evry dayyy..." That woman dress as elf. She look silly. Big toys beside door. Teddy bigger than me. Wow! I love teddy. "What are you going to ask Santa for?" Does Mammy know when I tell fib? Mammy won't let me see Santa if I say true. "I want big presents. I want big teddy." Mammy laugh. Mammy believe me. I do want big teddy. I love big teddy. "I'm dreaming of a white Christm..." Don't like this song. Slow. Bored. I not like wait. Oohh, Front of line. I next in. "May your days be merry and bright..." "Your turn now." Santa big. Lolly stick taste nice now. "Ho ho ho! Come here little boy, and what's your name?" "This is Joe and he's four years old." Silly elf woman lift me on to chair next to Santa. I can't reach santa. "Can I sit your knee?" Mammy laugh. "Go on. I'm here to protect him." Mammy and Santa laugh. Santa lift me his knee. Urgh, Santa breath smell funny, like daddy on Saturday night. "Now what do you want for christmas little Joe?" "I want you stop watch me poo." "What?" Lollystick sharp now. Look at Santa face. "STOP WATCH ME STOP WATCH ME STOP WATCH ME!" Eww gloopy stuff, blood. Hee hee I make Santa cry red. . Mammy got me. Mammy hurting me. Elf woman Mammy Santa shouting! Noisy. "Ambulance.. what have... some kid.. Aargh... you done?... gone ment...help me!... drop that... stabbed him... Oh god... in the... No...?" I not care... Santa not watch me no more.
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Craig (Craig)
Username: Craig

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 75.4.241.153
Posted on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - 04:12 pm:   

Are you trying to melt my eyeballs from the inside out?!?

They've invented something in English now, they're called "paragraph breaks" - I have a manual on how to use them, if you need one.
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Carolinec (Carolinec)
Username: Carolinec

Registered: 06-2009
Posted From: 82.38.75.85
Posted on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - 04:57 pm:   

Argh, Weber - I'm with Craig on this! I just can't read things on screen like that with no paragraphs. Is it deliberately like that because of the voice, or could you repost with paragraphs in? Sorry but my old eyes aren't up to it.
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Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 212.121.214.114
Posted on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - 05:07 pm:   

It was deliberate for the voice. I was trying to write a stream of consiousness and paragraphs seemed to break it. I'll see about putting some in. give me a few minutes.
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Carolinec (Carolinec)
Username: Carolinec

Registered: 06-2009
Posted From: 82.38.75.85
Posted on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - 05:19 pm:   

Fair enough if it needs to be like that - I thought that was probably the case. Don't spoil the effect by putting in paragraphs if they shouldn't be there - I'll probably copy and past it into a doc to read it anyway as I have problems with the white on black background at the best of times. That's the reason why I took so long before I joined this forum!
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Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 212.121.214.114
Posted on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - 05:26 pm:   

SlayBells Ring

I'm better than Bobby, I'm better than Bobby, I'm better than Bobby. Mammy brought me shops not him. She like me better. Shops big! I like shops. Bright lights. Loud. Ha ha ha. I'm better than... What that sign say? C...H...R...I...S.. T...M...

"Ow, Mammy, I was trying read that sign. What does it say?"

"Sorry, I'm in a hurry, it says christmas bargains."

"Its Christmas soon isn't it Mammy?"

Mammy laugh. "Yes, it's Christmas soon, are you excited?"

"I like Christmas!"

Mammy laugh again. Noisy. Big crowd. Don't like crowds. I like Mammy laugh. When Mammy laugh she give me treats. Look at that!

Ooh big shop, I not been this shop. Lots of noise. Music playing. I like music. I like sing. Mammy like me sing Bob Builder song. Mammy laugh and give me treat when I sing Bob Builder song.

"Bob the Builder, can we.."

"Not just now darling. Please, Mummy has to get losts done."

Not like song in shop. "slay bells ring snow is..."

"Mammy, why they sing about killing bells?""What?" Mammy look like she not know what I mean. "Song say Slay bells... in school Teacher say Prince George slay dragon. Slay mean kill. I ask Mr Smith. Why does the song say slay bells?"

Mammy laugh again. Hee hee. I like make Mammy laugh.

"I think you mean Saint George, not Prince George. That's a different type of slay. it's spelt different, it's a type of sledge. Slay bells are bells on a slay, which is the sledge that Santa rides round on."

Santa! Santa! Santa! Santa bring lots of presents. I like Santa! Another song! This one about Santa.

"He knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows when you've been good or bad so be good for goodness sake, Santa Claus is..."

"Mammy, is Santa watch me?" Mammy not listening. Mammy talking to woman in shop. "MAMMY! Is Santa watch me?"

Mammy laugh."Of course he's watchING you. How else does he know if you've been good so he knows whether to give you a good present or a lump of coal?"

I don't like Santa watch...ing me. I don't want him watch me.

"Mammy, is Santa watch...ing me now?"

"Yes"

"Is Santa watch...ing me in the bath?"

Mammy big smile."He's always watching you. He has to be sure you're always being good."

"Is santa watch...ing when I poo?"

Mammy and woman laugh. It not funny. I don't want Santa watch me poo.Mammy still laugh

."The things they say..." Woman talk about me.

Santa watch me and woman talk and laugh at me, not fair not fair not fair."I DON'T WANT SANTA WATCH ME! I DON'T WANT SANTA WATCH ME! NARRRGHHH"

"Be quiet now! Stop being silly!" Mammy serious face now. I need be quiet. Not fair. Mammy get angry when Mammy serious face. Make Mammy happy.

"Sorry Mammy."

Mammy smile, Mammy kiss my head. I like Mammy kiss my head.

Big fat woman walk there, big fatty bum bum woman. She funny.

Picture of Santa on wall. Santa watch me. I not want Santa watch me. "Santa!"

“ Do you want to go and see Santa?"

"I want a nice lolly."

"I want never gets. What do we say?"

"Can I have a nice lolly please Mammy?"

"Are you sure? It's cold outside?"

"Please may I have a nice lolly? I scream man there." Pull silly face that make Mammy do what I want. Point at i scream man. Mammy seen him!

"Ok, what do you want?" Mammy lifting me.

"That one!" Mammy put me down. Mammy like me more than Bobby. Bobby wouldn't get Lolly off Mammy. Mammy not brought Bobby shops. Lolly taste nice. Lolly cold.

Oops, got lolly juice on coat. Mammy sometimes get angry when food juice on coat.

"Look at that. I'm going to start putting bibs on you again when you eat, like a big baby." Mammy look angry but happy. Silly Mammy.

Santa still look at me from picture.

"Do you want to see Santa? Tell him what you want for Christmas?"

Lolly half gone. I don't want Santa watch me. I tell Santa.

"Please Mammy, may I go and see Santa?"

"Come on."

I like new song. "Christmas time, missltow and why..." Dance to song, make mammy laugh.
I'm bored. long line to see Santa. Do they know he watch them poo? Lolly gone. Stick taste strange when I chew it.

"Have you finished that?"

"There still some joosh on it." Not want let stick go. Mammy laugh. That good.

Like new song. "Well I wish it could be Christmas evry dayyy..."

That woman dress as elf. She look silly.

Big toys beside door. Teddy bigger than me. Wow! I love teddy.

"What are you going to ask Santa for?"

Does Mammy know when I tell fib? Mammy won't let me see Santa if I say true.

"I want big presents. I want big teddy." Mammy laugh. Mammy believe. I do want big teddy. I love big teddy.

"I'm dreaming of a white Christm..." Don't like this song. Slow. Bored. I not like wait. Oohh, Front of line. I next in. "May your days be merry and bright..."

"Your turn now."

Santa big. Lolly stick taste nice now.

"Ho ho ho! Come here little boy, and what's your name?"

"This is Joe and he's four years old."

Silly elf woman lift me on to chair next to Santa. I can't reach santa.

"Can I sit your knee?"

Mammy laugh. "Go on. I'm here to protect him."

Mammy and Santa laugh. Santa lift me his knee. Urgh, Santa breath smell funny, like daddy Saturday night.

"Now what do you want for christmas little Joe?"

"I want you stop watch me poo."

"What?"

Lollystick sharp now. Look at Santa face. "STOP WATCH ME STOP WATCH ME STOP WATCH ME!" Eww gloopy stuff, blood.

Hee hee I make Santa cry red. .

Mammy got me. Mammy hurting me. Elf woman Mammy Santa shouting! Noisy. "Ambulance.. what have... some kid.. Aargh... you done?... gone ment...help me!... drop that... stabbed him... Oh god... in the... No...?" I not care... Santa not watch me no more.
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Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 212.121.214.114
Posted on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - 05:28 pm:   

Looks a lot longer now than it is. Easier to read though, and if it makes it easier to read, then it's surely better for the story.
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Stephen Walsh (Stephenw)
Username: Stephenw

Registered: 03-2009
Posted From: 194.32.31.1
Posted on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - 05:54 pm:   

Of Dickens' other four Christmas Books only 'The Haunted Man' could be considered horror and is actually even closer to the genre than 'A Christmas Carol'.

Two of the others 'The Chimes' & 'The Cricket On The Hearth' are resoundingly sentimental (and thoroughly entertaining) fantasies that I'm surprised Frank Capra never saw fit to film.

Only 'The Battle Of Life' has no supernatural elements at all but is still a damn fine read.
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Giancarlo (Giancarlo)
Username: Giancarlo

Registered: 11-2008
Posted From: 85.116.228.3
Posted on Wednesday, December 09, 2009 - 08:24 am:   

What about Ramsey's "THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT" as a X-mas horror story? It's in the Arkham House anthology "Nameless Places" (that's where I read it, anyway.)

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