Thanksgiving 2023 – History of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States, and Thanksgiving 2023 occurs on Thursday, November 23. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists from England and the Native American Wampanoag people shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days

The Muffin Man: Is The Beloved Nursery Rhyme Actually Based On A Serial Killer?

We’ve all heard the rhyme: Do you know the muffin man/The muffin man, the muffin man?/Do you know the muffin man/Who lives on Drury Lane? But some claim that the true story of the Muffin Man is a sinister one. They contend that he was a serial killer in 16th-century London. Indeed, some sources insist

The Bittersweet History of Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day! The real history of Mother’s Day in the United States might surprise you. Three women—who championed efforts toward better health, welfare, peace, and love—contributed to this day. This is also a bittersweet tale. Learn more. The Mother’s Day holiday in the United States—always celebrated on the second Sunday in May—wasn’t born out

May Birthstone: The Emerald

The May birthstone, emerald, was a favorite of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Its rich green color has made it a sought-after gem for jewelry and for centuries, it has been thought to possess healing powers and reduce stress. Learn all about the emerald’s history, meaning, and symbolism! Emerald’s Color Perhaps you recall The Emerald City

The Mysterious Lights In This Small Texas Town Are Still An Unsolved Phenomenon

Dozens of people gather at sunset on a decommissioned World War II airbase 6 miles east of Marfa, Texas. This gathering occurs on most nights. There is a long strip of asphalt next to highway US 90 where RVs, cars, and pickup trucks park. A pavilion sits in the center of this area and an

The Weird History of Witch Windows

Remember the folk tale (or the folk song) about the “crooked little man” and his “crooked little house”? When you travel through Vermont, he might come to mind thanks to the many crooked windows adorning area farmhouses. Turns out they’re called witch windows—but why? And why are they so common in New England? Q: On

How Ghost Stories Became a Christmas Tradition in Victorian England

Towards the end of each year, as fireplaces are lit and hot cocoa is made, Americans have made it a tradition to revisit their favorite classic holiday books, movies and songs. And though ghost stories may seem out of place in present-day American holiday celebrations, they were once a Christmas staple, reaching their peak of

What’s the Real History of Halloween—and Why Do We Celebrate It on October 31?

At long last, Halloween has finally arrived! From brainstorming spooky costumes to trying out pumpkin carving ideas with our kids, eating unfathomable amounts of Halloween treats, candy, and chocolate and indulging in everything pumpkin-spice-flavored, there’s so much to anticipate during this frightfully fun October holiday. No matter how old you are or how many times

The Cinder-Tree: Origins Of The World’s Most Famous Fairy Tale Cinderella

The Cinderella tale common in most households is one of the most pervasive narratives in human culture and across global geography. Types of this story exist as far back as 2000 BC in the Sumerian Inanna texts . Classic Greek historians, such as Sappho and Herodotus, recount historical legends with all the elements of the

The Jade Emperor: Taoist Ruler of Heaven – and Celestial Bureaucrat

The Jade Emperor is not only a notable figure in Chinese mythology, but also one of the most important deities in Taoism and in Chinese folk religion. Today, the Jade Emperor is regarded as the supreme ruler of Heaven, guiding the affairs of mortals via a bureaucracy not unlike that which was once used in