
A Christmas Ghost Story, VIII
From Bone and Sickle by Al Ridenour
December 24, 2025 · 38 min · Episode 152
About this episode
This episode features a reading of E.F. Benson's Christmas ghost story 'The Other Bed' as part of the tradition of Christmas Eve ghost stories.
The Christmas Eve ghost story is a fine old tradition associated with Victorian and Edwardian England, one that’s been making a comeback on both sides of the Atlantic. Since 2018, Bone and Sickle has enthusiastically embraced the custom. Our offering for 2025, is “The Other Bed” written by E.F. Benson in 1912 and read for us by Mrs. Karswell . Previous Christmas ghost stories are linked here in our website show notes ( 2018 , 2019 , 2020 , 2021 , 2022 , 2023 , and 2024.)
People in this episode
Host: Al Ridenour
Guest: Mrs. Karswell
Topics covered
- Christmas ghost stories
- Victorian tradition
- Edwardian England
- storytelling
- literature
- E.F. Benson
Keywords
- Christmas
- ghost story
- E.F. Benson
- Victorian
- Edwardian
- tradition
- storytelling
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: The Other Bed
More episodes of Bone and Sickle
- Robert the Devil: Medieval Legend, Gothic Opera · June 6, 2026 · 46 min
- Trolls in Medieval Literature · April 27, 2026 · 46 min
- Trolls (Pt. 1) · March 7, 2026 · 49 min
- Rhymes for Those Who Can Neither Read Nor Run · January 31, 2026 · 37 min
- Christmas is Carnival: Carols and Calendars · December 18, 2025 · 27 min
- A Werewolf in Court · November 25, 2025 · 22 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Bone and Sickle podcast page.