At the age of 30 he was elected a bishop and served for 20 yrs/died in 335 A.D. He is the one attributed for bringing St. Helen to the Christian faith and ultimately King Constantine himself. He also is credited with “reforming” the Saturday fast (that it would not be a strict fast day) making only Holy Saturday a strict Saturday of fasting. Go Mad from the Isolation: Part of what causes the Ghost of Christmas Past to turn into a Wendigo, after being left alone in the past by Scrooge. Good Is Not Soft: While it's questionable if Scrooge intended for the Ghost of Christmas Past to suffer so much, and readily reconciles when given the opportunity, he makes no apology for leaving him alone in the past either given what the spirit tried to do to him. Dark Is Not Evil: The Ghost of Christmas Future looks like The Grim Reaper (and gets mistaken for the actual Grim Reaper by Dewey), but he's quite nice and friendly. The Grinch: Scrooge seems to live up to his namesake, calling Christmas nothing but commercialism and misplaced sentiment, flying into an absurd rage at an ornamental Santa Claus. He doesn't actually believe this, it's just a facade so he'll be left to party with his friends. To clarify, he doesn't hate Christmas, but he does have a problem with Santa (he knows what he did). Scrooge does, however, come to realize it's still missing the point of the holiday to dodge your family.

Disproportionate Retribution: Young Della refuses to cut Young Donald and Dewey out of the net even while the Wendigo is almost upon them, all because Donald called her "Dumbella". Downplayed in that the actual reason for this was that she wanted to hear an apology for her brother hiding himself away rather than being with his sister on Christmas. These are short stories which take place in the world of Moore's Essex Witches novels - supernatural thrillers focussed on Rosie Strange and her family museum in the village of Adder's Fork, Essex. The Strange family and its history entwine with that of the Museum which is itself a slightly uncanny place.Be Careful What You Wish For: Downplayed Trope. Scrooge finally gets his break from his family and responsibilities thanks to Past, but immediately becomes bored by it and decides to go home. Generation Xerox: Dewey was like Donald at the same age: constantly moping about personal problems and issues rather than spending time with those that love him. Jan. 2nd also remembers St. Theodota the mother of the brothers St. Cosmas and Damian, the unmercenary and miracle working doctors.

The stories fit with the wider series in a number of ways, variously taking place in Adder's Fork, featuring minor characters from the books or members's of Rosie's family (including Septimus himself), narrated to familiar figures or, in a couple of cases, I think anticipating future books. A couple are not, perhaps, strictly ghost stories but they slot in very nicely with the general theme which is of course death is a common - death anticipated, death mourned, death overcome - death awaited. I Just Want to Have Friends: More specifically, "Friends who Won't Leave." This is Past's motive for holding Scrooge hostage in the Christmases of the past, so they can hang out forever rather than Scrooge learn the True Meaning of Christmas and never spend time with the ghosts again. Did Not Think This Through: Donald decides to set up rows of Christmas lights on the mansion lawn. Scrooge reminds Donald that Launchpad can't tell the difference between Christmas decorations and a landing strip. Cue Donald scrambling to remove them and an off-screen crash. Also on Jan 1st, St. Basil the Great is remembered. Born around 330 A.D. under the reign of Constantine the Great. As an un-baptized person, Basil spent 19 years in Athens studying philosophy, rhetoric, astronomy and other secular disciplines. In his mature years, he was baptized in the Jordan River. He became ultimately Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, died unfortunately young, at age 50. He was a great champion of the faith of moral purity and a great theological mind. Day 7 - Dec 31 -Nothing directly connected to Christmas per se, but 2 important figures of the 4th and 5th Century who witnessed greatly to Christian living.

Tropes:

Linked to the Essex Witch Museum series - of which I still have a couple to catch up with - this collection is a mix of the weird and wonderful, the dark and twisted and all set in a variety of locations and featuring a range of different characters! It's not full on horror and gore, but often the more subtle sides to the supernatural, which can often be the most unsettling! Sunday After Christmas-Honor is given Joseph the Guardian (i.e. also called Righteous Joseph), David the King (the son of Jesse) and Iakovos, the (step-brother) of Christ, the 1st bishop of Jerusalem. The Catholic Churchlater in history changed January 6 to be the arrival of the Wise men and made the Baptism to be the Sunday after January 6.In our Orthodox observances, the arrival of the Wise men is combined on the same day as the birth. The Armenian Churchstill retains January 6 as their Christmas commemoration. The Twelve Days of Christmas

Big "NO!": Scrooge confesses that he doesn't hate Christmas as much as he lets on, but when Dewey asked about Santa, he screeches out "NO!" and insults the man. Once More, with Clarity: The second half of the episode reveals that Dewey hitched a ride with Scrooge and the spirits as they traveled through time. During the flight, he slips and almost drags them down, which explains why Scrooge is seen dipping earlier.

Crazy Jealous Guy: The Ghost of Christmas Past is a non-romantic example. He grew tired of all the people he taught a lesson no longer needing him, and traps Scrooge in the distant past so that they will be together forever.

However, 'The Spirit of Christmas' is a decent looking film, the locations are particularly striking. The music provides some affectionate nostalgia and is pleasant to listen to, while the direction avoids being too routine. Didn't find myself irritated by the characters at least and wasn't bored. Day 12 -Jan 5th -Hieromartyr Theopemptos, Bishop of Nicomediaand also Martyr Theonas (a pagan magician) Wendigo: Dewey, Donald and Della encounter one who is after Scrooge. They describe it as "poor souls turned into monsters by obsession and desperation", and it is portrayed resembling a muscular goat-man with Glowing Eyes of Doom, sharp teeth, clawed hands and three-toed theropod-like feet. It turns out to be the Ghost of Christmas Past, driven mad after Scrooge left him behind in the past. He gets better once Scrooge breaks through the creature's shell and reconciles with the spirit. In observance of Jewish Law since the time of Abraham, Joseph and Mary took baby Jesus to the Temple for circumcision and he was also given the name “Jesus”, the name announced to Mary at the time of the annunciation by Archangel Gabriel (Luke 1:31). This act of circumcision showed that Jesus took true human flesh upon Himself, (not its resemblance as heretics’ would later say about him). Having never read Syd Moore or the Essex Witch Museum series of stories which she writes I wasn’t sure how I would fare with this book although the good news is that only one of them demands a familiarity with the characters of the series, even if two others do refer to individual pre-established characters. The disappointingly news is that I found the overall quality of the collection rather hit and miss with some impressing, others wryly amusing and several more leaving me non-plussed and rather bemused. On the whole though, this is a varied and solid collection with about half of the twelve stories making a significant favourable impression on me.

Twelve Drummers Drumming- The final verse refers to the the doctrine of the Apostle's Creed and the twelve points included therein (belief in God the Father almighty, belief in Jesus Christ his only Son - our Lord, that Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, that He suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was crucified, died and was buried, then he descended into hell, that he rose again the third day, that he ascended into heaven, that he is seated at the right hand of the Father, that he is to come to judge the living and the dead, belief in the Holy Ghost, belief in the holy catholic Church and the communion of saints, belief in the remission of sins, and belief in the resurrection of the flesh and life eternal.) When I chose to read this short story collection featuring Rosie Strange, partner Sam Stone, Adders Fork and the Essex Witch Museum, I was unaware that I had already read and reviewed many of the stories in The Strange Casebook, published in 2018. These include Snowy, Death Becomes Her, She Saw Three Ships, Madness in A Coruna and The House on Savage Lane. So I read the remaining stories, of the odd, the strange, the ghostly, the supernatural, and the mayhem in the festive season. Christmas has always been special to me and my favourite time of year. Main reasons being that it means lots of family time and reliving the nostalgia of singing and listening to carols, watching Christmas films and animations, playing festive games and opening presents. Will never tire of it and nothing will ever change that for the world.