The Scary Reviews

Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review

When I was asked to review Creepy Christmas I realized I’d never heard of a horror themed book coloring book. After reading the synopsis and looking it up on Goodreads I still had no idea how I was going to review this type of book. But Creepy Christmas isn’t just a coloring book. The book it is filled with creepy folklore tales from all over the world and some interesting twists on many traditional themes. The tales told within are cleverly formed as poems with a macabre slant. I had no idea so many myths and creatures existed from so many cultures.

Of course I’d heard of some of the more well-known myths such as Krampus and the Abominable Snowman. Others like the Wendigo, Gryla and the Yule Cat were new to me and all of the topics were interesting looks at Christmas from the horror perspective. The book is filled with black and white illustrations that bring the stories to life. The illustrations are great representations of the creatures. If you’re into coloring you could personalize your copy. I really find the book appealing as a fan of horror and graphic novels.

As a kid we’re told Santa Claus will bring gifts, if you are nice. In Austria if you are bad Krampus will take straight to hell. Many of the myths and much of the lore surrounding Christmas tells us what could happen when you’ve misbehaved. It’s truly better to give than receive and not to complain along the way. Sam Shearon has an interesting take on the history of the Snowman, loved by children everywhere. I love the opening to Creepy Christmas with the following poem.

“Winter comes but once a year                                                                   Though not a time to live in fear                                                                  A warning must be given here                                                                   Be understood and made clear”

I love that snowman here are creepy and there are monsters disguised as caroling singers. Another good story talks about those living in a snow globe and how life is turned on end when we shake it. I learned that Rudolph is Rabid, what a fun twist on a classic story this poem is. Not only are you expected to ‘be nice’ at Christmas but we are expected to remember those no longer with us as we celebrate. The final story, Father Time & Baby New Year, ends with a poem less macabre than most.

 

 

“So remember the fallen, those loved and lost                                           Live your life to the fullest, let sadness be tossed                                     Celebrate that you’re here, raise the dead with a glass                            Know they’re on the other side, also having a blast”

The long and short of Creepy Christmas is the book was a lot of fun to read leading up to the holidays. As a kid, I would have found these stories more fun to read than the traditional stories I’ve heard dozens of times growing up. This will be a book I revisit again and again over future holiday.

 

 

 

 

Book Info

Length: 166 Pages

Publisher: Vesuvian Books

Release date: October 18, 2016

To Purchase Creepy Christmas Click Here

The happiest time of the year is also the creepiest.

Winter has an even darker and richer lore than Halloween. For centuries, people have feared creatures from ancient legends born of this time of year. Tales such as giant hairy monsters who live in the mountains and will snatch you up and eat you were used to ensure children didn’t wander off in the snow and become lost.

These were indeed just stories … or were they?

This festive feast of fear contains 40 original hand-drawn and inked illustrations from a variety of traditional beliefs and legends from around the world, including British, North American, Nordic, Icelandic, Austrian, and Germanic folklore. Mister Sam Shearon’s Creepy Christmas features characters such as Krampus, Grýla, Santa Claws, Rabid Rudolph, the Grimace Tree, the Wendigo, the Snow Bear, the Yule Cat, the Abominable Snowman, and many more. Ready for you to bring to colorful life with fearsome festive cheer, each page is also accompanied with a poem—a guide to these creepy creatures from the season of ice and snow!