"Christmas Gothic" is a literary subgenre and aesthetic that embraces the dark, eerie, and supernatural side of the winter holiday season. Stories in this mode might contain ghosts, dark fairies, magical objects, orphans, old mansions, Victorian-era dread, or the pagan roots of Midwinter and Yule. A number of these texts are aimed at young readers, or feature young protagonists. Whether it's the dark of winter or a bright summer day, any time is an excellent time to begin a journey into these mysterious and well-told tales.