It’s post-Thanksgiving, and although your diet may have suffered, your cheer sure didn’t. However, the end of Thanksgiving means the beginning of an even more cheerful time of year: Christmas season. Although there are many cultures and religions that do not outright include Christmas in their lineup of holidays, it is still one of the biggest festivals in the world. Nine out of every ten people in America celebrate Christmas, even if they are not Christian, and it is considered the most important day of the year by over 2 billion people in over 160 different countries. So with the imminent approach of this worldwide tradition, some things need to be known by all who celebrate this usually joyous holiday. The truth is, Christmas is not all that merry, or at least its origins aren’t. They are laden with graveyards, death, and curses. So come with me, the ghost of Christmas historical facts, and together we can learn about the true origins of your favorite holiday, and hopefully avoid getting cursed along the way.

So let’s start with the day before Christmas, Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve brings with it the potential for both good luck and bad luck. According to tradition, Christmas Eve is a day for restless spirits to once again walk above the earth. However, not only will there be ghosts lurking about on the day before Christmas, but it is also said that on that day if you are to approach a cow it will kneel down and start to speak in a human voice. Creepy, right? But if you are brave enough to face a gaggle of wandering spirits and talking cows, you might want to head on over to your local cemetery. Legend states that, on Christmas Eve, if you are to dig a hole in a cemetery, you will be sure to find gold. Just steer clear of all the dead bodies that are also known to reside beneath cemetery grounds.

If you do happen to make it through Christmas Eve without getting stopped by your local talking cow or wandering spirit, you should probably know a couple things about the origins of your Christmas day traditions. Let’s start with the most famous holiday plant since the pumpkin: mistletoe. You may be surprised to learn, but mistletoe was not traditionally meant for people to kiss under at holidays parties, its actual significance comes from something even more magical. In ancient England, druids practically worshiped the plant. They would cut the mistletoe from its home on an oak tree with a golden sickle. The druids would then attempt to catch the leaves in their cloaks, for if the mistletoe touched the ground, its power would be lost and it would no longer be able to be used in medicine and rituals. But be careful, because if you throw away Christmas greens, a death will come to your household before the next Christmas season.

Now that we have addressed the basics, it’s time to move on to the big leagues, the ol’ cookie gobbler himself: Santa Claus. The tale of Santa Claus is most likely inspired by Saint Nicholas who was first immortalized in 350 AD. Later on his image got mixed with other folklorish characters including Germany’s Kris Kringle. However, no amount of cookies and fluffy hats can hide the true tale behind Santa Claus.

According to legend, Saint Nicholas set out to help three sisters who had fallen into prostitution to support themselves. In order to get them back onto their feet, Saint Nick dropped three coins down their chimney which then fell into the girls’ stockings that were drying by the fire. Thousands of years later in 1860, the big guy made his first debut in Harper’s Weekly magazine. In that article he wore green robes and was associated with the “green man” who ruled the forests in pagan tradition. Santa’s red robes didn’t come into play until years later but were finally popularized when Coca Cola depicted him wearing them in an advertisement released in 1931.

So now that you know the true origins of you favorite Christmas tales, you can go into this Christmas season fully prepared to face the holiday ahead. Whether it’s digging up gold from your local cemetery, socializing with a talking cow, or keeping your mistletoe in you house until next season to ward off death, your Christmas season is sure to go off without a hitch. However, don’t let your guard down, because according to the tradition of tree-worship, if your Yule log appears to cast headless shadows over your Christmas festivities, a death is sure to find you in the coming year.