Welcome to the Paranormal Parlour.

Cecilia and Carly are back and ready to make the Yuletide gay! They visited their favourite Victorian Christmas destination, Dundurn Castle, in Hamilton, Ontario. They have gathered in the Parlour for Carly to tell us all about the history of this grand estate, the family that built it, and their connections to the British Royal Family, the railroads, and the War of 1812 (again). Then, Cecilia explores the origins of some Victorian Christmas traditions, mainly related to her two favourite subjects: plants and ghosts.

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Sources used:

Carly (Dundurn Castle):

Canadian Transport Source Book, Desjardins Canal Disaster

Hamilton.ca, Dundurn Castle National Historic Site

Hamilton Public Library, Local Ghosts

Parks Canada, Burlington Heights National Historic Site of Canada

Parks Canada, Dundurn Castle National Historic Site of Canada

Reddit, R/Hamilton

Wikipedia, Allan MacNab

Wikipedia, Dundurn Castle

Cecilia (Victorian Christmas Traditions)

Country Living, The History of the Christmas Tree Goes Back Farther Than You Might Realize

Edmonton Horticultural Society, Mistletoe: Magic, Myths, and Mysteries

English Heritage, A Short History of Christmas Greenery

English Heritage, Victorian Christmas Traditions

Farmer's Almanac, The Meaning and Folklore Behind Mistletoe

History Channel, How Ghost Stories Became a Christmas Tradition in Victorian England

Victoria & Albert Museum, Victorian Christmas Traditions