Is anyone else feeling post-Samhain blues? I admit that when 1st November arrived, I had to keep going with my horror-movie-a-thon just to cheer myself up, lol. Of course, I tend to read horror, watch horror and wear my Halloween clothing and jewellery all year round; it’s just that during October it’s deemed socially acceptable. Not that I care much what’s socially acceptable or not when it comes to celebrating Samhain.

Next week sees the publication of White Witch’s Hat & other Yuletide ghost stories just in time for the winter solstice coming up on 21 December. The ancient Celtic story of the Oak King defeating the Holly King, and light returning to the world, is something to look forward to. Summer is my favourite season, even if Halloween/Samhain is my favourite themed season. I’m a total sunworshipper. I will be celebrating Saturnalia on 17th December and Yule on 21 December with my family, as we do every year by lighting candles, as people did in times gone by to mark the return of the sun. We’ll be adding our own modern twist by lighting sparklers too.

Yule is actually a better time for ghost stories than even Samhain, and more traditionally when scary stories would be told. My own books are proof that people love ghost stories in the run-up to Christmas, as copies of The Fairy Lights, book 2 in my Belfast Ghosts trilogy, always fly off the virtual shelves between Black Friday and Crimbo. I’m hoping that White Witch’s Hat & other Yuletide ghost stories will be similarly popular as a Christmas favourite among my books.

As a horror author, all I can say is that I’m glad ghost stories aren’t just read at Halloween and are enjoyed all year round, particularly in the long, dark winter months. Who doesn’t love a ghost story at Christmas?

Posted by on November 9, 2025 in Books and tagged , , , , .

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About Leilanie Stewart

Leilanie Stewart is an award-winning author and poet from Belfast, Northern Ireland. She writes ghost and psychological horror, as well as experimental poetry. Her writing confronts the nature of self; her novels feature main characters on a dark psychological journey who have a crisis and create a new sense of identity. She began writing for publication while working as an English teacher in Japan, a career pathway that has influenced themes in her writing. Her former career as an Archaeologist has also inspired her writing and she has incorporated elements of archaeology and mythology into both her fiction and poetry. In addition to promoting her own work, Leilanie runs Bindweed Anthologies, a creative writing publication with her writer husband, Joseph Robert. Aside from publishing pursuits, Leilanie enjoys spending time with her husband and their lively literary lad, a voracious reader of sea monster books.

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  1. lyndhurstlaura's avatar lyndhurstlaura says:
    November 9, 2025 at 1:33 PM

    Charles Dickens, of course,, showed us that stories containing ghosts can work very well, as his success with ‘A Christmas Carol’ illustrates – so you’re in good company. The late, great Dave Allen made a thing of telling a ghostly story at the end of his weekly programme, back in the day, and although these always had a humorous ending it made the point that ghost stories aren’t just for Halloween. All the best with yours, my friend. 🙂

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