Over the last few years, I’ve shared Lovecraft’s fondness for writing cheesy Christmas poetry. But apparently, that didn’t keep him from getting all morose and writing a darker ’80s metal poem about the holiday.

Originally published in Weird Tales December 1926 under the title Yule Horror you can also find this piece titled Festival in recent collections. I have no idea why. Conceivably it could be inspired/a companion to Lovecraft’s short story, The Festival (commonly considered to be his first work in the Cthulhu Mythos); both pieces draw from similar themes and visuals. That’d be the simplest explanation, right?

But what if that’s not it at all! Maybe there is a whole “War on Yule” conspiracy, and we didn’t even realize? What if cosmic horror figureheads and weird fiction publishers are in on the plot? What if they’re rewarded handsomely for squelching references to “Yule” by the powers of Big Christmas. I mean, who can really say? *Audible gasping.* Thusly, #YuleGate began.

Oh yeah, the poem. Let’s get back to it. If things are just a bit too cheery for you this holiday season, if verse written for Frank Belknap Long’s cat just isn’t cutting it right now, then settle in and enjoy…

❅ Yule Horror ❅