HOLIDAYS

Sugar skulls are just one part of Día de los Muertos.

12 Facts About Día de los Muertos

In Latin America, el Día de los Muertos is a celebration of life and death, and an invitation for the deceased to return home once again to those who love them.

The fast food chain's much-loved Halloween pails are back for 2023.

McDonald’s Boo Buckets Are Back—and Here’s How to Get Them

Boo Buckets are back for 2023, and here’s how you can get your hands on the McDonald’s Halloween buckets that kids have been getting hyped up for since the 1980s.

Now you can trim your tree with the Sentinel Sphere from 'Phantasm'

Deck the Halls With Gore and ‘80s Throwbacks With These Horror-Themed Christmas Ornaments

Middle of Beyond offers holiday ornaments, ugly Christmas sweaters, and more inspired by your favorite '70s and '80s horror classics, including "Evil Dead 2," "Phantasm," and others.

4 Eco-Friendly Ways to Dispose of Halloween Pumpkins

Looking for something to do with your rotting Jack-O'-Lanterns? Here are some tips for recycling, upcycling, and responsibly disposing of old Halloween pumpkins.

Joan Rivers, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Keanu Reeves have all had ghostly encounters.

8 Famous Figures, Past and Present, Who Claimed to Have Encountered Ghosts

Being rich, famous, or influential has plenty of perks—but escaping the spirit world’s torments isn’t necessarily one of them.

Victor Hugo, Anne Rice, and Thomas Hardy were all believers.

9 Authors Who Believed in Ghosts

Some, like Harriet Beecher Stowe and Victor Hugo, believed they had communicated with spirits directly; others, like Nathaniel Hawthorne and Thomas Hardy, had ghostly encounters they couldn’t explain.

The Best Time to Buy a Christmas Tree

Technically, the most cost-efficient time is December 26. But your kids probably won't like that.

Where did this phrase come from, anyway?

Why Do We Say “Trick or Treat” on Halloween?

The origins of the phrase (indirectly) involve smelly cabbage, Donald Duck, and several Canadian journalists.

10 Facts About Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios

In the weeks leading up to Halloween, the family-friendly characters that normally populate Universal Studios are replaced with killer clowns and chainsaw-wielding maniacs.

Carving pumpkins is one of the most famous Halloween traditions.

15 Spooky Halloween Traditions and Their Origins

Love Halloween costumes and spooky decorations? Let’s dig a little deeper and learn the creepy stories behind the holiday's traditions, from carving pumpkins to munching on candy corn.

Get a jumpstart on the holiday season with these festive picks.

These 12 Artificial Christmas Trees Look Just Like the Real Thing—and Are Priced To Fit Any Budget

Discover the best artificial Christmas trees to fit your home décor and budget, whether you’re shopping for something snow-dusted or pre-lit.

‘Sound Effects No. 13 – Death & Horror’ is downright spooky.

Death & Horror: How BBC’s Controversial Sound Effects Album Became a Surprise Hit

The campaign to ban “Sound Effects No. 13 – Death & Horror” didn’t stop it from becoming the first sound effects album to break the UK Top 100 charts in the 1970s.

How UNICEF Transformed Halloween Trick-or-Treating

UNICEF is as big a part of Halloween as a carved pumpkin. Here's how that relationship began.

'Tis the season to restock your COVID test supply.

The Government Is Mailing Out Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests Again—Here’s How to Get Them

The USPS will soon be on its way with more government-issued at-home COVID test kits. Here’s how to make sure they stop at your door.

Whatever you do, don't play that Silver Shamrock jingle.

18 Surprising Facts About ‘Halloween III: Season of the Witch’

The controversial sci-fi horror film wasn’t a hit with critics or fans in 1982, but “Halloween III: Season of the Witch” has morphed into a cult classic over the years.

Is Halloween strictly for kids, or is an age cap warranted?

How Old Is Too Old for Trick or Treating?

Some communities have ordinances banning teens from knocking on doors. But are they justified?

13 Weird Old Words for Witches and Warlocks

Stick these terms in your cauldron and pass them around your coven.

Carving pumpkins isn't always as easy as it seems.

The Best Pumpkin-Carving Tools and Accessories, According to an Expert

Maniac Pumpkin Carvers’ co-founder Marc Evan shares his tips, tricks, and picks for the best pumpkin-carving tools.

Make Your Year Smarter With Mental Floss’s Amazing Facts 2024 Calendar

Mental Floss’s Amazing Facts 2024 calendar can provide the daily serving of trivia your brain craves.

What Exactly Is Canada Day?

Here’s a brief history of Canada’s national day—which celebrates the joining of the three original provinces—and how you can celebrate.

Detroit Tiger Miguel Cabrera sporting stars and stripes during a Fourth of July game in 2017.

The Star-Spangled Batter: A Brief History of Baseball on the Fourth of July

Fourth of July baseball games have been popular since the Civil War era. Here’s how the tradition started.

The Best (and Worst) Times to Hit the Road This Fourth of July Weekend

More than 50 million Americans will travel this holiday weekend. Here's how to avoid most of them.

John Adams predicted people would celebrate Independence Day with fireworks.

The History of Fourth of July Fireworks

The celebration of American Independence Day has never been small, subdued, or quiet. Here’s why the Fourth of July is illuminated with colorful displays in major cities, small towns, and backyards.

12 Fascinating Facts About Juneteenth

Juneteenth has been celebrated since enslaved people in Texas were told about their freedom on June 19, 1865. Here's what you need to know about the holiday.

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