Jeff Belanger

Jeff Belanger, author, adventurer, podcaster, storyteller

Adventurer, Author, Storyteller, Podcaster

Facebook Youtube Instagram
Menu

Fright Before Christmas

By Pumpkins Light Podcast
News, Views, & Interviews

By Pumpkins Light Podcast – The Fright Before Christmas with Jeff Belanger

/

By Pumpkins Light Podcast Episode 47. There’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago in this episode. Meet Jeff Belanger, a fellow podcaster, adventurer, killer storyteller, and author of “The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters.” Jeff tells us a few holiday monster tales while talking about how his love of all things spooky led to a career of exploring the unexplained. You can listen to the episode here: https://www.bypumpkinslight.com/episode-47-jeff-belanger/

Evan Dawson from the show Connections on WXXI, Rochester, New York's NPR station interviews Jeff Belanger.
News, Views, & Interviews

Why are we still interested in centuries-old myths?

/

WXXI News, Rochester, New York’s NPR station asked the question: Why are we still interested in centuries-old myths? Host Evan Dawson interviews Jeff about Krampus, The Fright Before Christmas, and other holiday myths and legends on his Connections program. You can hear the interview here: https://www.wxxinews.org/show/connections/2024-12-12/why-are-we-interested-in-centuries-old-myths

Jeff Belanger on The Pike FM in Worcester, Massachusetts.
News, Views, & Interviews

Jeff Belanger Talks ‘The Fright Before Christmas’ & Spooky Holiday History on The Pike FM

/

Mike Hsu from The Pike FM in Worcester, Massachusetts, interviews author, adventurer, and self-proclaimed certified weirdo, Jeff Belanger! 🎄👻 Jeff dives into his latest book, The Fright Before Christmas, exploring the spooky, dark history of the holiday season. From ghostly traditions to eerie folklore, Jeff shares fascinating insights and stories. He also discusses his upcoming live appearances, where you can experience his storytelling magic in person this holiday season. Don’t miss this entertaining and unique take on Christmas! You can hear the interview below:

Local RAYdio interview with Jeff Belanger.
News, Views, & Interviews

Jeff Belanger with Ray in the Morning on RAYDIO

/

Author and New England Legends Co-host Jeff Belanger stops by to talk with Ray Auger on Local Raydio to discuss his show at the Singh Performance Center in Whitinsville on Saturday December 7th. Get your tickets here… https://www.openskycs.org/news-events/events/valleycast-hosts-the-fright-before-christmas-with-jeff-belanger-/ You can listen to the interview here: https://soundcloud.com/localraydio/ray-in-the-morning-jeff-belanger

Gifts of the Wyrd: The Fright Before Christmas with Jeff Belanger
News, Views, & Interviews

Gifts of the Wyrd Podcast: The Fright Before Christmas with Jeff Belanger

/

Jeff Belanger joined host John Hyatt for his recent Gifts of the Wyrd podcast to talk The Fright Before Christmas. >Thump< >Thump< Is that the sound of reindeer hooves on the rooftop? A knock at the door for a surprise appearance from Santa Clause to bring gifts? Maaaayyybe. Or maybe it's Père Fouettard, Belsnickel, or Sinterklaas with his chimney Piets arriving to punish the naughty. Perhaps Krampus, Gryla, the Yule Cat or Yule Lads, or the Mari Lwyd to take you away or kill you for venturing out in the cold, harsh, dark winter. Step in to the dark roots of Christmas with The Fright Before Christmas author Jeff Belanger. From shapeshifters to mountain trolls, to elves, to heavy-handed cohorts of Saint Nicholas, the Christmas holiday has been filled with ghosts and monsters ready to dole out punishment to those who need it. The Winter Solstice is a time to be afraid. You can listen to the episode here:

2023 Foreword Review Book Awards
News, Views, & Interviews

Belanger’s The Fright Before Christmas Book Wins 2023 Foreword Reviews Award

/

Jeff Belanger’s The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters has won the 2023 Foreword Reviews Bronze Award for the category of Popular Culture – Nonfiction. You can see the award page here: https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/books/the-fright-before-christmas/ From Foreword Reviews: With over 2,400 entries submitted across 55 categories, this year’s competition showcased the remarkable talent and diversity of the independent publishing industry. Foreword’s dedicated editors carefully selected approximately 12 finalists per genre, which were then presented to individual librarians and booksellers entrusted with the challenging task of determining the Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Honorable Mention winners.

GBH's All Things Considered Radio Program.
News, Views, & Interviews

All Things Considered: Folklore expert explores the legend of Krampus and holiday monsters in The Fright Before Christmas

/

Jeff Belanger joined GBH’s All Things Considered host Arun Rath on the radio to discuss the weird. Hallmark cards and Coca-Cola ads tend to dwell on the happy and cheerful side of Christmas. But there’s always been a dark side. The fear of St. Nick putting coal in stockings for misbehaving and even creepier, the old man watching you day and night, tracking your misdeeds. If you dig deeper into tradition, it’s darker still. The original St. Nick had an enforcer to take care of the bad kids: Krampus, a terrifying horned Christmas devil who whips misbehaving children before carrying them off to hell. And that’s not the only creepy holiday tradition out there. GBH’s All Things Considered host Arun Rath spoke with local author and folklore expert Jeff Belanger, who dives into the legend of Krampus and other frightening Christmas characters in his newest book, “The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters.” You can listen to the segment and read the transcript here: https://www.wgbh.org/culture/books/2023-12-22/folklore-expert-explores-the-legend-of-krampus-and-holiday-monsters-in-the-fright-before-christmas

Scroll to Top