Foretelling Weather: The Ol’ Goose Bone Method

Can you really predict weather with a wishbone? Back around the turn of the last century, in the days before the National Weather Service, the so-called goose bone method was a famous weather-forecasting technique. Here’s how to try it at home. Of course, many of us have broken the dried “wishbone” with another person. The

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

November Birthstones: Topaz and Citrine

Throughout history, topaz and citrine have often been mistaken for one another. Although they both occur in yellow and look similar, they are, in fact, unrelated mineral species. Learn more about the history, meaning, and symbolism of topaz and citrine: the birthstones for November. Topaz Topaz’s Color Pure topaz is colorless and, for many years,

Jack-o’-Lantern Magic

IF you celebrate Halloween or its coinciding pagan festival Samhain (pronounced sow-in), you probably associate this time of year with traditional macabre symbols, like witches in black garb with pointy hats, ghosts and skeletons, black cats and spiders, bubbling cauldrons and broomsticks, and perhaps most famously, the jack-o’-lantern. For many folks, the jack-o’-lantern is the

How Rare Is a Full Moon on Halloween?

Ever noticed that Halloween pictures always show a full Moon? How rare is a full Moon on Halloween, exactly? Let’s learn more about the mythical Moon on this rather mystical night! How Rare Is a Halloween Full Moon?Despite all the creative Halloween full Moon pictures, a full Moon occurring on Halloween is not a common

Strawberry Moon: Full Moon in June 2023

The full Strawberry Moon rises on Saturday, June 3, 2023. Will it be pink? What is the true origin of the name “Strawberry Moon,” and what are some other June Moon names? Learn more! When to See the Full Moon in June 2023On the evening of Saturday, June 3—just after sunset—look towards the southeast to

Full moon names for 2023 (and how they came to be)

Full moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States. Those tribes of a few hundred years ago kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred. To be sure,

How 25 Christmas Traditions Got Their Start

From its Puritan roots to complaints of rampant commercialism (“What is it you want?” Charlie Brown asks Lucy in A Charlie Brown Christmas. “Real Estate.”), Christmas in America has been filled with traditions, old and new. Some date back to 16th-century Germany or even ancient Greek times, while others have caught on in modern times.

Mother’s Day 2022 – Ancient Traditions and Folklore

Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 8 this year. It may surprise you to know that celebrations honoring mothers are ancient traditions, not a Hallmark invention. Discover more about Mother’s Day—plus 10 fun ideas to celebrate mom! When Is Mother’s Day? In the United States, Mother’s Day is celebrated annually on the second Sunday in

Witches and Walpurgis Night

In modern British and American popular culture, Halloween is the night most associated with the nocturnal activities of witches and the souls of the dead. But in much of Europe the 30 April or May Eve, otherwise known as Walpurgis Night, was another moment when spirits and witches were thought to roam abroad. The life