HOLIDAYS

Cooking kids was not a tradition (but sending strange cards was).

11 Unusual Victorian New Year's Traditions

For many Victorians, parties, dancing, and festive spirits were staples of New Year’s celebrations. Yet there were many other odd, quaint, and charming customs that for the most part are no longer with us.

Times Square New Year's Eve 2023 celebration.

A Brief History of Times Square’s New Year’s Eve Celebration

New Year’s Eve in Times Square is one of the most famous traditions in New York City. Learn how Manhattan's most colorful party came to be.

8 Sparkling Facts About Champagne

As midnight approaches on December 31, more than a few of us will pop open a bottle or two of champagne to help ring in the New Year. Here are a few nuggets you can share with fellow revelers.

What did Scrooge mean when he said “Bah! Humbug!” anyway?

What Does “Bah, Humbug!” Actually Mean?

The meaning of ‘Bah, humbug!’ is a little more layered than what people normally attribute to Ebenezer Scrooge of ‘A Christmas Carol.’

December 25, 1066, was a big day for William the Conqueror.

25 Non-Christmas Things That Have Happened on December 25

Other momentous events have happened on December 25, like Washington crossing the Delaware and the birth of Jimmy Buffett.

There's a hamper hidden among the presents—can you spot it?

Can You Find the Hamper Hidden Among the Presents?

The record for solving the puzzle is 30 seconds. Can you beat that time?

25 Things to Look for During the 24-Hour ‘A Christmas Story’ Marathon

You know Ralphie Parker’s plight by heart, but can you spot the many flubs in Bob Clark’s ‘A Christmas Story’?

It wasn't always associated with the holidays.

Why Is Holly a Symbol of Christmas?

The hardy plant’s ability to stay vibrant through the winter made it a natural choice for pre-Christian winter festivals, but why is holly now associated with Christmas?

‘The Carol Singers,’ a 1927 print by D.M. Wheeler.

15 Vintage Christmas Songs to Get You in the Holiday Spirit

These obscure Christmas songs from the early 20th century might become your new favorite carols.

George Washington’s Extra-Boozy Eggnog Recipe Will Knock You Sideways

George Washington's preferred eggnog recipe calls for four kinds of booze—and none of them in small quantities.

The Yule Lads didn't always look like Santa.

Iceland’s Yule Lads Bring Gifts, Steal Meat

Thirteen bearded wild men descend upon Icelandic homes to reward children who behave and punish those who don’t.

The winter solstice marks the return of longer days.

25 Facts About the Winter Solstice, the Shortest Day of the Year

Whether you’re a fan of winter or wish it would go away, here are 25 things to note about the winter solstice, a.k.a. the shortest day of the year.

St. Nicholas and the dastardly Père Fouettard.

Move Over, Krampus: France’s Père Fouettard Is St. Nick’s Sidekick—and Possibly a Brutal Murderer

Père Fouettard, or “Father Whipper,” is a butcher whose favorite pastime is eating children. And hanging out with St. Nicholas.

10 Great Gifts for Introverts

Your favorite homebody is sure to appreciate any of the gifts on this list.

15 Alternative Lyrics From Old Versions of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”

Liven up your singing of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" by subbing in these old—and occasionally strange—lyrics.

'Tis the season to watch your favorite Christmas movie.

The Most Popular Christmas Movie in Each State

How many states opted for 'Elf' over 'A Christmas Story'? Did 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' get the shaft? Discover the topography of holiday movies here.

From smart speakers to fitness trackers, give mom the splurge gifts she really wants this year.

16 Gifts Your Mom Will Love

Stressed about what to give to mom this year? From fitness trackers to DNA testing kits, the best gifts for moms run the gamut, but they can help make her holiday season even more meaningful.

Where the ‘nog’ came from is a bit of a mystery.

How Did Eggnog Get Its Name?

The ‘egg’ part of ‘eggnog’ is obvious. The ‘nog’ is a little more mysterious—possibly involving noggins and/or grog.

George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley are coming for you this Christmas (and "Last Christmas").

A Brief History of Whamageddon—the Game that Forces You to Avoid Hearing Wham!’s “Last Christmas”

“Last Christmas” is now the centerpiece of a growing holiday tradition based around ... not listening to it.

18 Fascinating Facts About Charles Dickens

Dickens’s unprecedented celebrity made him the most popular novelist of his century—but the author of Great Expectations, Bleak House, A Christmas Carol, and dozens of other works was more than just a writer.

Bob Geldof (L) and Midge Ure (R) outside a London recording studio while working on "Do They Know It's Christmas?" on November 25, 1984.

Band Aid: The Charitable—and Controversial—History of “Do They Know It's Christmas?”

Band Aid's charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" enlisted everyone from Sting to Bananarama, but its efforts to help the Ethiopian famine didn't go exactly as planned.

There’s hope for your New Year’s resolution past January.

1 Misconception About 9 Major Holidays

We celebrate the same holidays every year, but how much do we actually know about these annual traditions? And how much of what we think we know is actually true?

Margaret O'Brien and Judy Garland in 'Meet Me in St. Louis' (1944).

How “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” Went From Morbid Omen to Holiday Mainstay

The original “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” implied that you’d never have a merry Christmas again.

Macaulay Culkin, Daniel Stern, and Joe Pesci in 'Home Alone.'

Watch More Than 15 Minutes of Deleted Scenes From ‘Home Alone’

These deleted scenes shed more light on Harry's motivations, Kevin's siblings' feelings, and more.

PREV NEXT