A Spooktacular Feast: Celebrating Christmas Eve at the Haberdashery Cryptid Preserve

While the veil between worlds thins on All Hallows' Eve, a lesser-known time for heightened supernatural activity falls on Christmas Eve. For our Italian-American cryptid enthusiasts, this December 24th marks the Feast of the Seven Fishes, a joyous tradition centered on a magnificent seafood spread!

Though not originating in Italy itself, the Feast of the Seven Fishes, or Festa dei Sette Pesci, is a cherished custom among Italian-American families. It stems from the Catholic tradition of abstaining from meat on Christmas Eve, a vigil day before the celebratory Christmas feast. Here at the Haberdashery, we believe this abstinence extends to the more... ghoulish aspects of the menu as well.

Forget the usual suspects like cod and shrimp! Embrace the spirit of the season with these unique, perhaps unsettling, seafood selections:

• Wolffish: This deep-sea dweller, with its ferocious teeth and eel-like body, is sure to send shivers down your spine. Legend tells of a colossal wolffish, the Kraken's right-hand man, lurking in the frigid depths.

• Hagfish: These slimy, eel-shaped creatures are scavengers with a taste for carrion. Their resemblance to the mythical Lamprey, a monstrous eel said to feed on human blood, adds a touch of the macabre to your plate.

• Monkfish: Named for its resemblance to a hooded monk, this anglerfish uses a bioluminescent lure to attract unsuspecting prey. Its grotesque appearance might make you think twice about taking a bite, but hey, that's what makes it a Feast of the Seven Fishes, not a feast for the faint of heart!

Don't worry, these are just a few suggestions to get your eldritch culinary gears turning. Feel free to include your favorite spooky sea creatures, as long as they're from the finned and scaled variety.

Here at the Haberdashery Cryptid Preserve, we celebrate all traditions, even the slightly unsettling ones. So, gather your ghoulfriends and goblin family, and prepare for a hauntingly delicious Feast of the Seven Fishes!