Grinch Tales: When the Holidays Go Wrong

The holidays are supposed to be about warmth, generosity, and a sense of safety — especially at home. But every year, there are stories that remind us how fragile that sense of security can be.

In our latest episode, “Grinch Tales,” we teamed up once again with our friends from Pretend and Murder, She Told for a special holiday crossover exploring real cases where seasonal cheer took a disturbing turn. These aren’t fictional morality plays or viral headlines — they’re real incidents involving real people whose lives were disrupted during what should have been a joyful time of year.

Some of the stories you’ll hear sound almost absurd at first glance. A stranger decorating someone else’s home. Gifts disappearing from beneath a Christmas tree. Holiday traditions twisted into something unsettling. But when you slow down and look past the novelty, what remains is something far more sobering: the lasting impact on the people who were the victims of these crimes.

One story takes us to the Midwest, where a family’s home was invaded in a way that felt more surreal than violent — until you consider the fear experienced by the child who discovered a stranger inside his house. Another brings us to New York City, where a serial burglar wandered into a townhouse during the holidays, turning a quiet night into a moment of real vulnerability — even in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the country, and even when the homeowner happened to be Robert De Niro.

The most unsettling story, however, comes out of Bangor, Maine, where what initially sounded like a strange holiday mishap turned into something much darker once the full context became clear. Through public records and police body-worn camera footage, we’re able to better understand what it feels like to wake up and realize your home — your safest space — has been violated while you were asleep. That shift from “odd headline” to lived trauma is something we approach with care, because it matters how these stories are told.

This episode isn’t about laughing at bad behavior or sensationalizing harm. It’s about recognizing that crimes framed as “bizarre” or “holiday weirdness” still leave real emotional damage behind. The people at the center of these cases didn’t sign up to be part of a story, and the holidays can make those experiences linger even longer.

If you’re looking for a holiday episode that’s thoughtful, collaborative, and grounded in empathy — while still acknowledging how strange and unsettling these cases can be — this one is for you.

Listen to the full episode here:
https://sinspod.co/105 

For listeners who want to go deeper, including behind-the-scenes conversations about how these stories were researched and why certain editorial choices were made, you can subscribe for ad-free episodes and bonus Swing Shift content:
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