Bodies in barrels and lights from a ghost, these are the stories we have loved the most. But as Christmas comes and the weather turns cold, let's turn our attention to holiday tales of olde.

As the holiday season gets underway, we're back with a special Christmas episode of Cape Fear Unearthed to share three stories of local festive traditions -- the John Kuners performances, the World's Largest Living Christmas Tree and The Christmas Flounder.

A special thanks to WHQR in downtown Wilmington, where we recorded this episode; and Cammie Bellamy, who helped us dream up the little rhyme at the top of this post. Please enjoy this special holiday episode and join us in January for season two! Happy Holidays!

Cape Fear Unearthed is sponsored by Northchase Family Dentistry.

Sources:

- "Stories Old and New of the Cape Fear Region," by Louis T. Moore

- John Kunering at Christmas, Cape Fear Historical Institute, www.cfhi.net

- Wilmington Chamber of Commerce memo, 1959

- The State magazine, Dec. 21, 1946, pgs. 8-9

- "Flounding in Tradition," Wilmington StarNews

- "The Tall Tale of The Christmas Flounder," Our State Magazine, Dec. 12, 2015