Profs & Pints Richmond: A Night of Christmas Frights

Profs and Pints Richmond presents: “A Night of Christmas Frights,” your chance to get to know Krampus and other scary figures who prowl the darkness of December, with Joshua Barton, lecturer in English at Virginia Commonwealth University and scholar of horror.

[Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/richmond-christmas-frights .]

For many Americans the Christmas season brings to mind crackling fires, the twinkle of holiday lights, and the siren song of Mariah Carey. Across Europe and beyond, however, the season long has had a much darker, wilder side. It conjures up horned demons, ghostly visitors, strange creatures, and eerie traditions.

Come get to know the monsters, myths, and legends long associated with dark winter nights with Joshua Barton, who has earned himself a considerable following among Profs and Pints fans by giving riveting and hilarious talks on all that goes bump in the night.

He’ll unwrap folklore that blends fear with festivity as a means of reminding people of the importance of morality, community, and survival in the darkest days of the year.

You’ll learn about Austria’s menacing Krampus, Iceland’s child-eating Yule Cat, and the mysterious Mari Lwyd of Wales. We’ll also look at how the tradition is carried on by more modern figures such as the ghosts of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Dr. Seuss’s Grinch, and the monstrous Santa of the Finnish film Rare Exports.

We’ll explore how ancient winter rituals intertwined with Christian celebrations, how storytelling helped people confront both the chill outside and the fears within, and why even today our most joyful season still carries echoes of the uncanny. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.)

Image: Krampus masks on display in southern Austria. (Photo by Naturpuur / Wikimedia Commons.)