Latest / Shallow Nights: Scary Bedtime Stories / Unsettling Holiday Tales: Eerie Christmas Encounters and Chilling Twists

Transcript

Unsettling Holiday Tales: Eerie Christmas Encounters and Chilling Twists · Shallow Nights: Scary Bedtime Stories

• 0:07
  Throwing a Christmas party in 2021 felt like a much needed
• 0:11
  break from the chaos of that year.
• 0:13
  Between online classes, working part time and the general gloom
• 0:17
  hanging over everything, I was ready for some holiday cheer.
• 0:21
  So I decided to host a small get together at my place in
• 0:25
  Knoxville. Just close friends, best of
• 0:27
  music, and a lot of eggnog. The night started out perfect.
• 0:33
  People trickled in wearing goofy Christmas sweaters, arms loaded
• 0:37
  with snacks and gifts. My buddy Alex took over DJ
• 0:40
  Duty's blasting holiday classics with a few pop hits mixed in.
• 0:45
  The living room smelled of cinnamon scented candles and
• 0:47
  fresh cookies, and the tree in the corner sparkled with cheap
• 0:51
  but charming decorations. It felt good to laugh and catch
• 0:55
  up with everyone after such a weird, isolating year.
• 0:59
  About an hour into the party, the doorbell rang.
• 1:02
  I was in the kitchen refilling the punch bowl and called out
• 1:05
  for someone to grab it. A moment later, my friend Mia
• 1:09
  popped her head in and said. Hey, there's some guy here, Is
• 1:13
  he one of your friends? I frowned, wiping my hands on a
• 1:16
  dish towel. What guy?
• 1:18
  I don't know, she said with a shrug.
• 1:21
  He's just standing by the door, He said he heard about the party
• 1:24
  and wanted to stop by. I walked into the living room,
• 1:27
  where a man I'd never seen before was standing awkwardly
• 1:30
  near the door, holding a small gift bag.
• 1:34
  He looked to be in his late 30s, definitely older than anyone
• 1:38
  else at the party, and his outfit, a faded sweater and
• 1:41
  jeans, didn't exactly scream holiday spirit.
• 1:45
  Hey, I said, trying to keep my tone friendly but firm.
• 1:49
  Can I help you? He smiled.
• 1:52
  I heard about the party and thought I'd stop by, It's
• 1:55
  Christmas after all. I exchanged a quick look with
• 1:58
  Alex, who had wandered over to see what was going on.
• 2:01
  Sorry man, this is kind of a private thing, just close
• 2:04
  friends. He didn't drop his smile for a
• 2:07
  second. That's fine.
• 2:09
  He said, stepping further into the room.
• 2:11
  I won't be any trouble, I'll just hang out for a bit.
• 2:14
  Alex moved to block his path. Hey, look, this isn't cool.
• 2:17
  Alex said you need to leave. The man's expression darkened.
• 2:22
  It's Christmas. He repeated, this time with an
• 2:25
  edge to his voice. You shouldn't turn people away
• 2:28
  during the holidays. The room went quiet.
• 2:32
  Mia hovered near the hallway, her eyes wide, while a couple of
• 2:35
  other friends stood frozen, unsure of what to do.
• 2:38
  My heart was racing, but I forced myself to stay calm.
• 2:42
  I think you should go. I said, stepping closer to him.
• 2:44
  I'll have to call someone if you don't.
• 2:47
  The man's grin returned, but it looked forced.
• 2:50
  No need for that. He said, backing up slightly.
• 2:53
  I'll leave, just wanted to spread some holiday cheer.
• 2:57
  He turned and walked out the door, but not before giving me a
• 2:59
  long, unsettling look that made my skin crawl.
• 3:03
  I locked the door behind him and turned to my friends.
• 3:06
  What the hell was that? I muttered.
• 3:09
  That was weird. Mia said, crossing her arms.
• 3:12
  You think he's gone? Alex peeked through the
• 3:15
  curtains. I don't see him, but we should
• 3:17
  keep an eye out. We tried to shake it off and get
• 3:21
  back into the party spirit, but the mood had shifted.
• 3:24
  Conversations were quieter, and even the slightest noise had
• 3:28
  everyone on high alert. About 30 minutes later, I went
• 3:31
  to grab a fresh pack of napkins from the hallway closet and
• 3:34
  froze. The man was back.
• 3:37
  He was standing in the yard, just beyond the glow of the
• 3:40
  Christmas lights, staring at the house.
• 3:42
  I quickly closed the curtain and grabbed my phone.
• 3:45
  He's outside. I whispered to Alex, who
• 3:47
  immediately stood up and moved toward the door.
• 3:50
  Don't go out there. I said, stopping him.
• 3:53
  I'm calling the cops. The operator took my information
• 3:56
  and assured me someone would be there soon.
• 3:58
  Meanwhile, the man just stood there, not moving, his figure
• 4:02
  barely visible through the frosty window.
• 4:05
  The minutes stretched out like hours.
• 4:08
  At one point I thought he was gone, but then saw him rounding
• 4:11
  the side of the house. My stomach turned as I realized
• 4:14
  he was checking the windows. Alex and I locked every door and
• 4:18
  window, double checking them as the tension in the room grew
• 4:21
  unbearable. What does he want?
• 4:25
  Mia whispered. I don't know, I said.
• 4:27
  But we're not letting him in. When the flashing lights of a
• 4:31
  police cruiser finally appeared, the man bolted.
• 4:34
  He disappeared into the shadows of the neighborhood, and by the
• 4:37
  time the officers knocked on the door, he was long gone.
• 4:41
  I told them everything. They took a statement and did a
• 4:45
  quick sweep of the area, but didn't find him.
• 4:48
  We'll keep an eye out. One of the officers said it's
• 4:52
  not uncommon for strangers to crash parties this time of year.
• 4:55
  People let their guard down during the holidays.
• 4:59
  The party ended shortly after that.
• 5:01
  My friends left in groups, everyone on edge as they walked
• 5:04
  to their cars. Alex stayed the night, insisting
• 5:07
  he didn't feel right leaving me alone.
• 5:10
  I was grateful for the company, but neither of us slept much.
• 5:14
  The next morning I found footprints in the snow leading
• 5:17
  around the house. They circled the living room
• 5:20
  windows and stopped at the back door before heading off into the
• 5:23
  woods behind the property. It was clear the man had been
• 5:26
  watching us for longer than we realized.
• 5:29
  I've hosted a few gatherings since then, but now doors stay
• 5:33
  locked, guest lists are tight, and I never hesitate to call for
• 5:37
  help if something feels off. Working retail during the
• 5:46
  holidays is like diving into a storm of cheerful chaos, crowds
• 5:50
  of shoppers blasting Christmas music and in your face
• 5:53
  decorations. It's all part of the season.
• 5:57
  I worked as an assistant manager at a small boutique in Atlanta,
• 6:01
  in the heart of one of the city's busiest malls.
• 6:03
  I'd always loved the energy of the holidays, even if it was
• 6:06
  exhausting. But last Christmas changed the
• 6:09
  way I felt about the season and my job forever.
• 6:13
  It was December 2021, smack in the middle of the holiday rush.
• 6:17
  The mall was packed as usual, with shoppers darting from store
• 6:20
  to store, arms weighed down with bags.
• 6:23
  Our boutique specialized in trendy, affordable clothing, so
• 6:27
  we were slammed with last minute gift hunters.
• 6:31
  My shift that Friday started at noon and stretched into the
• 6:33
  evening. I'd barely had a chance to sit
• 6:36
  down all day. Around 6:00 PM, as I was ringing
• 6:39
  up a customer, I noticed a man standing near the fountain just
• 6:42
  across from our store. He wasn't shopping or browsing,
• 6:46
  just standing there, his hands shoved into the pockets of a
• 6:49
  dark coat. At first, it didn't seem
• 6:52
  significant. Plenty of people waited around
• 6:55
  in the mall for their friends or family, especially near the
• 6:58
  fountain. But something about him caught
• 7:00
  my attention. Maybe it was the way he was
• 7:03
  looking at me. His eyes were fixed in my
• 7:06
  direction, unblinking, like he was observing me intently.
• 7:10
  I shook it off and went back to helping customers.
• 7:13
  By the time I looked up again, he was gone, and I convinced
• 7:16
  myself I'd imagined his staring. The store was too busy for me to
• 7:20
  dwell on it. As the evening went on, the
• 7:23
  crowds thinned, the chaotic energy of the day began to fade
• 7:27
  and all that remained was the occasional jingling of a
• 7:29
  Salvation Army bell near the entrance.
• 7:32
  I was restocking shelves when I saw him again.
• 7:36
  He was standing by the entrance to our store, this time
• 7:38
  pretending to look at a display of scarves, but his eyes kept
• 7:42
  flicking toward me. He wasn't shopping, he was
• 7:45
  clearly lingering. I told myself it was probably
• 7:48
  nothing. Maybe he was waiting for
• 7:50
  someone, or maybe he really was interested in scarves.
• 7:54
  But as the minutes passed, his presence became harder to
• 7:56
  ignore. I mentioned it to my Co worker,
• 7:59
  Ella, who was helping a customer nearby.
• 8:02
  That guy keeps hanging around. I said quietly, nodding toward
• 8:05
  the entrance. Ella looked over.
• 8:08
  He's probably just killing time. If he does anything weird, let
• 8:11
  me know. I focused on dismissing the
• 8:14
  unease clouding my head. But as the night wore on, it
• 8:19
  only got worse. Every time I looked toward the
• 8:21
  entrance, he was there. Sometimes he was pretending to
• 8:25
  look at another store, other times he just stood in the
• 8:28
  middle of the walkway, looking straight at me.
• 8:31
  At one point I stepped into the stockroom to grab more items for
• 8:34
  the display racks. When I came back out, Ella was
• 8:37
  at the register, ringing up the last customer in line.
• 8:41
  He's gone now, she said, noticing my worried expression.
• 8:44
  Maybe he finally left. But as I walked toward the
• 8:47
  entrance to adjust a mannequin, I looked out into the mall and
• 8:51
  froze. He was there again, standing by
• 8:53
  the fountain like before, watching me.
• 8:57
  I decided to ignore him. If he wanted to stand there all
• 9:00
  night, that was his business. I finished my task and went back
• 9:03
  to the register to help Ella close up.
• 9:06
  But the cold draft of unease whispered through my mind, and
• 9:10
  no matter what, I couldn't escape the thought that
• 9:12
  something wasn't right. When the store closed at 9 PMI
• 9:16
  was relieved. Ella offered to walk out with
• 9:19
  me, but I didn't want to make a big deal out of nothing.
• 9:22
  I'll be fine, I said. It's probably nothing.
• 9:26
  Big mistake. The parking lot was nearly empty
• 9:28
  when I stepped outside. My car was parked in one of the
• 9:31
  darker corners near the back exit of the mall.
• 9:35
  It had seemed like a good spot earlier, but now the shadows
• 9:38
  felt suffocating. The air was cold, my breath
• 9:41
  visible as I hurried across the lot, clutching my bag tightly.
• 9:45
  Halfway to my car, I heard footsteps behind me.
• 9:48
  I told myself it was just another shopper heading to their
• 9:51
  car. But the footsteps didn't fade.
• 9:53
  They stayed steady, matching my pace.
• 9:57
  My heart began to race. I tighten my grip on my bag and
• 10:01
  quicken my pace, my eyes scanning the rows of cars for
• 10:04
  anyone else. The lot was deserted.
• 10:06
  As I reached my car, I fumble for my keys, the footsteps
• 10:09
  growing louder behind me. My pulse was pounding in my
• 10:12
  ears. I turned around and there he
• 10:15
  was, the man from the mall. He was standing a few feet away,
• 10:20
  his hands still shoved in his coat pockets and a smile
• 10:22
  plastered across his face. Didn't mean to scare you, he
• 10:25
  said. I just wanted to say hi.
• 10:28
  Hi. I said, my voice shaky.
• 10:30
  Can I help you? He took a step closer.
• 10:33
  You just seem nice, Thought maybe you could use some
• 10:35
  company. I stepped back.
• 10:38
  No thanks, I'm fine. Come on, it's Christmas, you
• 10:42
  shouldn't be out here alone. I'm good, I said, more firmly
• 10:45
  this time. You should leave.
• 10:49
  He didn't move. For a moment we just stared at
• 10:51
  each other, the tension thick. Then, without thinking, I hit
• 10:56
  the panic button on my car key. The horn blared, echoing through
• 10:59
  the lot. The sound startled him.
• 11:02
  He mumbled something I couldn't catch and turned, walking
• 11:05
  quickly toward the mall entrance.
• 11:07
  I didn't wait to see where he went.
• 11:09
  I climbed into my car, locking the doors behind me.
• 11:12
  My hands were shaking so bad that I had trouble starting the
• 11:15
  engine. Instead of driving straight
• 11:18
  home, I went back to the mall and parked near the security
• 11:21
  office. The guards took me seriously
• 11:24
  when I told them what had happened.
• 11:26
  They sent someone to check the lot, and within minutes they
• 11:29
  found him loitering near the entrance.
• 11:32
  When they brought him back to the office, he was all smiles
• 11:35
  again, insisting he hadn't done anything wrong.
• 11:38
  I was just being friendly, he said.
• 11:40
  It's Christmas for God's sake. But his behavior told a
• 11:44
  different story. The way he'd followed me, the
• 11:46
  persistence in his voice, it wasn't friendly.
• 11:50
  It was unsettling. The guards escorted him out of
• 11:53
  the mall, warning him not to return.
• 11:55
  I talked to my boss to start my vacation a little earlier.
• 11:59
  I didn't want to go back to work, and when I finally did, I
• 12:02
  made sure I was never alone during my shifts.
• 12:06
  Ella and I started walking each other to our cars every night,
• 12:09
  just in case. I still can't walk through a
• 12:12
  crowded mall without thinking about that man.
• 12:15
  The holidays, which used to be my favorite time of year, now
• 12:19
  carry a faint air of anxiety and tension because sometimes, even
• 12:24
  in the brightest, most cheerful places, darkness finds a way to
• 12:28
  creep in. Being a professional driver
• 12:36
  means I spend most of my days sitting in traffic, navigating
• 12:40
  congested streets and dealing with impatient people.
• 12:43
  By the weekend, I'm craving silence and open spaces.
• 12:47
  That's why I've developed a habit of hiking on my days off.
• 12:50
  It's kind of therapeutic. It clears my head and gives me
• 12:54
  some semblance of balance. Christmas morning in 2022
• 12:59
  started just like any other day off.
• 13:01
  I wasn't due at my sister's house until the afternoon, so I
• 13:04
  figured I'd use the morning to hike a trail just outside
• 13:08
  Anchorage that I've been meaning to explore.
• 13:10
  I loaded up my backpack with some essentials, water, a
• 13:14
  thermos of coffee, a protein bar, and my trusty camera and
• 13:17
  hit the road. The weather was perfect for a
• 13:20
  winter hike, bright, crisp and cold, with the kind of fresh
• 13:24
  snow that blankets the world in silence.
• 13:27
  When I arrived at the trailhead, mine was the only car in the
• 13:30
  lot. That's one of the reasons I love
• 13:32
  hiking on Christmas morning. Most people are at home, and I
• 13:35
  get the trail all to myself. The snow was untouched and the
• 13:40
  air was so still it felt like the forest had pressed pause on
• 13:43
  time itself. I tightened my boots, adjusted
• 13:47
  my gloves and started walking. The trail wound through a thick
• 13:51
  forest of spruce trees, their branches heavy with snow.
• 13:55
  I stopped here and there to take pictures.
• 13:58
  The way the sunlight filtered through the trees was stunning.
• 14:01
  The quiet was soothing, and I found myself thinking about how
• 14:04
  lucky I was to have this moment of peace.
• 14:07
  Everything about that morning felt perfect until I heard the
• 14:10
  laughter. At first, it was barely audible
• 14:13
  over the crunch of my boots in the snow.
• 14:16
  I stopped walking. It sounded like a child's laugh,
• 14:19
  light and airy. I looked around, expecting to
• 14:22
  see a family hiking nearby, but the trail was empty.
• 14:25
  The snow was pristine, undisturbed except for my own
• 14:28
  footprints. I ignored it and moved on.
• 14:31
  Sound carries strangely in the woods, and it was probably just
• 14:36
  some distant hikers. Or maybe it was an animal.
• 14:39
  I wasn't an expert on Alaskan wildlife, but I'd heard some
• 14:41
  animals make noises that can mimic human sounds.
• 14:44
  Still, there was something about that laughter that didn't sit
• 14:47
  right with me. I kept walking, trying to push
• 14:51
  it out of my mind. The trail tightened, leading
• 14:54
  into the middle of the dense trees.
• 14:56
  There's snow laden branches arching overhead like a tunnel.
• 15:00
  The laughter came again, closer this time.
• 15:03
  I stopped in my tracks. Hello.
• 15:05
  I called out, my voice breaking the silence.
• 15:08
  Nothing, just the wind through the trees.
• 15:11
  My unease grew. I scanned the forest.
• 15:13
  There was no sign of anyone, no tracks leading off the trail.
• 15:17
  I told myself it was just my imagination, a trick of the mind
• 15:20
  In the quiet of the woods. I tried to focus on the beauty
• 15:23
  around me, snapping a few more photos to distract myself, but
• 15:27
  the laughter didn't stop. It followed me as I walked,
• 15:30
  sometimes faint and distant, other times sharp and close,
• 15:34
  like someone was right behind me.
• 15:37
  I tried to convince myself it was all in my head, but every
• 15:39
  time I stopped to listen, the sound stopped too.
• 15:43
  It was like whoever or whatever was making the noise didn't want
• 15:46
  to be found. I reached a small clearing where
• 15:50
  the trees opened up to reveal a frozen pond.
• 15:53
  It was breathtaking, the kind of scene you'd see on a Christmas
• 15:56
  card. I set my backpack down and
• 15:58
  pulled out my camera, trying to focus on capturing the moment,
• 16:01
  but the laughter was still there, echoing around the
• 16:04
  clearing. OK, who's out there?
• 16:07
  I shouted, my voice cracking slightly.
• 16:10
  The laughter stopped. The silence was immediate and
• 16:13
  absolute. The hair on the back of my neck
• 16:16
  stood on end. I scanned the trees, heart
• 16:18
  racing, and then I saw a shadow moving between the trees on the
• 16:22
  far side of the pond. It was very quick, but it was
• 16:24
  enough to send a jolt of adrenaline through me.
• 16:28
  I grabbed my backpack and started back the way I came, my
• 16:31
  pace quickening with every step. The laughter returned louder
• 16:34
  now, echoing from all around me. It wasn't playful anymore.
• 16:38
  It was mocking, taunting, like whoever or whatever was making
• 16:42
  it was enjoying my fear. I tried to keep calm, telling
• 16:46
  myself it was just some kids messing around, but what really
• 16:49
  freaked me out was the fact that there were no other footprints
• 16:52
  in the snow. Whoever was out there wasn't
• 16:54
  walking. The trail felt longer.
• 16:56
  On the way back. My nerves had me looking back,
• 17:00
  expecting to see someone or something following me.
• 17:04
  The forest started to feel like a trap.
• 17:07
  When I finally reached the parking lot, I was out of breath
• 17:10
  and sweating. Despite the cold, my car was
• 17:12
  still the only one there. I threw my backpack in the back
• 17:16
  seat and climbed in, locking the doors immediately.
• 17:20
  For a moment I just sat there, staring at the trailhead.
• 17:23
  And then I saw it again, a shadow moving between the trees.
• 17:28
  It was too far away to make out any details, but it was enough
• 17:31
  to make my hands shake as I fumble with the keys.
• 17:35
  When I got home, I went through the photos on my camera,
• 17:38
  expecting to see something or someone in the background, but
• 17:41
  there was nothing unusual, just the serene beauty of the forest.
• 17:45
  I tried to tell myself it was all in my head, a combination of
• 17:49
  the quiet woods and my imagination, but something
• 17:52
  inside me told me otherwise. I wasn't planning on spending
• 18:02
  Christmas Eve by myself, but after a stupid argument with my
• 18:05
  mom, I decided I needed space. The usual chaos of a family
• 18:10
  Christmas wasn't worth the stress this year.
• 18:12
  Instead, I stayed in my little house in Albany, planning a cozy
• 18:16
  night with some hot cocoa, a stack of holiday movies, and the
• 18:20
  soft glow of my Christmas tree. The snowstorm outside only added
• 18:25
  to the cozy atmosphere, and I let myself enjoy the quiet.
• 18:29
  By 10, PMI was halfway through my second movie, wrapped in a
• 18:33
  fleece blanket and savoring the calm.
• 18:35
  It was the kind of peace I hadn't felt in a while.
• 18:39
  Then a knock came. It was sharp and jolted me out
• 18:42
  of my relaxed state. I looked at the clock just past
• 18:46
  midnight. My first thought was that it was
• 18:48
  one of my neighbors, but why would anyone be out in this
• 18:51
  weather? I set my mug down and shuffled
• 18:54
  to the door, more annoyed than anything.
• 18:57
  I peeked through the peephole, expecting to see someone asking
• 19:00
  for help or delivering A misplaced package.
• 19:03
  Instead, I saw him. A man dressed as Santa, complete
• 19:07
  with a red suit and a slightly crooked fake beard, stood still
• 19:11
  on my porch. His head was tilted slightly, as
• 19:14
  if waiting for me to respond. The porch light cast strange
• 19:18
  shadows over his face, making it hard to see his expression.
• 19:22
  Who is it? I called out, my voice firmer
• 19:24
  than I felt. He leaned closer to the door,
• 19:27
  his gloved hand brushing the frame.
• 19:29
  It's Santa, He said, his voice unnervingly calm.
• 19:32
  I'm here to deliver your gifts. You've got the wrong house.
• 19:35
  I said. No.
• 19:37
  He said, almost cheerfully. This is the right house.
• 19:40
  That was enough for me. I backed away from the door, my
• 19:43
  heart starting to race. I didn't like the way he said
• 19:46
  it, the certainty in his tone. I stood there for a moment,
• 19:49
  unsure of what to do, when the knock came again, louder this
• 19:53
  time. I looked through the peephole
• 19:55
  again. He was still there, staring
• 19:57
  straight at the door. Let me in, he said, his voice
• 20:01
  lower now. I didn't respond.
• 20:03
  Instead, I locked the deadbolt and stepped back further.
• 20:07
  As I grabbed my phone, the knocking started again, harder
• 20:10
  and more frantic, and it stopped.
• 20:12
  I crept toward the living room window, pulling back the curtain
• 20:15
  just enough to peek outside. The porch was empty.
• 20:18
  The man in the Santa suit was gone, but something felt off.
• 20:23
  I scanned the snow covered St. looking for footprints, but the
• 20:26
  storm was covering everything too quickly.
• 20:28
  My breath hitched as I tried to calm myself, trying to believe
• 20:31
  he was gone. Maybe it was some weird prank,
• 20:34
  or maybe he really was at the wrong house.
• 20:37
  Either way, I wasn't going to let it ruin my night.
• 20:41
  I locked every window and door in the apartment, double checked
• 20:44
  the back door, and returned to the couch.
• 20:47
  An hour passed. I tried to focus on the movie,
• 20:50
  but my eyes kept darting to the windows.
• 20:53
  I told myself I was being ridiculous, that I was letting
• 20:57
  my imagination get the best of me.
• 20:59
  Then I heard the scraping sound, like something brushing against
• 21:03
  the side of the house. I muted the TV and strained to
• 21:06
  listen. The sound came again, like
• 21:08
  someone dragging something along the wall outside.
• 21:11
  I stood there, motionless. My pulse thundered in my ears.
• 21:14
  Slowly, I crept to the window and peeked outside again.
• 21:17
  Nothing. The porch was empty and the snow
• 21:20
  covered St. was as quiet as ever, but the sound didn't stop.
• 21:26
  It moved to the back of the house near the kitchen.
• 21:29
  A new kind of fear settled over me as I tiptoed toward the
• 21:32
  kitchen. I could hear the faint sound of
• 21:34
  footsteps now crunching in the snow just outside the window.
• 21:38
  My hand hovered over the light switch, but I didn't turn it on.
• 21:41
  Instead, I crouched low, peeking through the gap in the curtains.
• 21:46
  He was there, the man in the Santa suit was standing in my
• 21:49
  backyard. My breath caught in my throat as
• 21:52
  I watched him with that fake beard.
• 21:54
  He was just standing there, like he was waiting for something.
• 21:58
  I stumbled back, my hand flying to my mouth to stifle a gasp.
• 22:02
  My phone was still on the couch, but I couldn't move.
• 22:06
  The footsteps started again. I could hear him moving closer
• 22:09
  to the front door. Then came the knock again, 3
• 22:13
  sharp raps just like before. Let me in.
• 22:16
  He called, his voice muffled but still calm.
• 22:19
  I grabbed a kitchen knife and backed into the hallway.
• 22:23
  The knocking turned into pounding, each hit rattling the
• 22:26
  door. Let me in, He shouted now, his
• 22:29
  voice angry and forceful. I ran to the living room and
• 22:33
  grabbed my phone, dialing 911 with shaking hands.
• 22:36
  The operator picked up and I stammered out what was
• 22:39
  happening. She assured me help was on the
• 22:41
  way and told me to stay on the line.
• 22:44
  Then the back door rattled. I whipped around, clutching the
• 22:47
  knife tighter. The man was trying the handle,
• 22:51
  jiggling it violently. I just want to deliver your
• 22:54
  gifts. He called out, his voice taking
• 22:56
  on a sing song tone. Don't you want your gifts?
• 23:00
  Leave now. I shouted.
• 23:01
  The police are coming. The jiggling stopped.
• 23:04
  For a moment, the only sound was the wind howling outside.
• 23:09
  I stayed frozen in the middle of the room.
• 23:12
  The operator was still on the line.
• 23:14
  Her voice reassured me that officers were close.
• 23:17
  I didn't move until I saw the red and blue lights flashing
• 23:20
  through the front window. The police arrived minutes
• 23:22
  later, sweeping the property with flashlights.
• 23:26
  They found footprints around the house and leading into the
• 23:28
  backyard, but no sign of the man.
• 23:32
  The snowstorm had already started to cover the tracks,
• 23:34
  making it impossible to follow them.
• 23:37
  The officers told me I'd done the right thing by calling them
• 23:41
  and assured me they'd patrol the area for the rest of the night.
• 23:44
  But their words didn't erase the image of the man standing in my
• 23:48
  backyard and the sound of the door rattling.
• 23:51
  I packed a bag and drove to my parents house the next morning.
• 23:55
  The fight with my mom seemed meaningless now.
• 23:58
  All I wanted was to feel safe. Now I can't look at a Santa suit
• 24:04
  without thinking of that night. If these chilling Christmas
• 24:11
  tales gave you second thoughts about holiday cheer, don't
• 24:14
  forget to smash that like button and subscribe for more spine
• 24:17
  tingling stories. Have you ever had a holiday
• 24:21
  encounter that was more nightmare than Wonderland?
• 24:25
  Share your story in the comments, I'd love to hear it.
• 24:28
  Send this video to a friend who thinks Santa's the only one
• 24:31
  coming down the chimney. Wishing you a Christmas filled
• 24:35
  with warmth, joy, and just the right amount of chills to keep
• 24:40
  it thrilling. Thanks for watching and I'll see
• 24:42
  you in the next nightmare.