Holidays

Everyone loves a good holiday, no matter whether you're commemorating a special occasion or just looking for a day out of the office. Read about important holidays in these articles.

Learn More / Page 2

Which three presidents died on July 4? What's the Horribles Parade? And, should America be celebrating on July 2 instead?

ByDave Roos

Today Americans mostly celebrate it as the start of summer. But the annual May holiday has a significant history that's worthy of acknowledgment.

ByMichelle Konstantinovsky

Cinco de Mayo is more than margaritas. Learn how the first Cinco de Mayo celebration in the U.S. was in 1863, as a show of solidarity with Mexico against French rule.

ByJulia Layton&Kathryn Whitbourne

Advertisement

The Easter holiday is on a different date each year. But how is the date determined? Answer: Look to the moon.

ByKathryn Whitbourne

Nope, it's not the police code for marijuana possession. It has a much cooler origin story. Find out about the meaning of 420.

ByNathan Chandler

Why is April 1 a day to play pranks on others? How did this tradition begin? And are you going to prank someone on April Fool's Day?

ByHowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Mardi Gras turns New Orleans into a hotbed of fun and reveling. This might make the festival's religious ties rather hard to imagine. So did how Mardi Gras get started?

ByKathryn Whitbourne

Advertisement

The annual festival of lights signifies the end of Chinese New Year and the beginning of spring.

ByMichelle Konstantinovsky

这个质量igration totally dwarfs Thanksgiving travel in the United States.

ByCarrie Whitney, Ph.D.

This beloved holiday celebrates the poet Robert Burns and is full of whisky, readings and fat juicy haggis.

ByDave Roos

On Christmas Eve, Icelandic families traditionally settle down to a cozy night of exchanging gifts of books and reading. It's all part of jólabókaflóð or the Christmas Book Flood.

ByDave Roos

Advertisement

We tallied up how much dough it costs the big guy to give every kid in the world toys. And it's way more than we expected.

ByMichelle Konstantinovsky

Our theory on St. Nick's sweet ride: It's rustic on the outside and state-of-the-art on the inside. Learn more about the advanced technology we think runs Santa's sleigh (and those reindeer).

ByJohn Fuller&雪妮丝Threewitt

Yes, you read that right. There are several options for renting Christmas trees. They're more eco-friendly and way more convenient.

ByMichelle Konstantinovsky

The price of the average American Thanksgiving increased about 14 percent over last year. Why so much? Blame the supply chain crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, of course.

ByMichelle Konstantinovsky

Advertisement

The Thanksgiving holiday started out very differently from our modern celebration of gluttony. How much do you know about Thanksgiving history myths? Take our quiz and find out!

ByNathan Chandler

Checking your kids' candy for poison or sharp objects? Locking up your black cat so it doesn't get snagged by a Satanist? Maybe you can relax after finding out the real stories behind these urban legends.

ByDave Roos

How did spring break become a booze-fueled rite of passage for American college students? Can we blame this one on the ancient Greeks?

ByDave Roos

Parson Brown? Yuletide? Do you have a clue what the lyrics of Christmas carols are talking about?

ByChristopher Hassiotis

Advertisement

Each country has its own unique way of celebrating the Christmas season. Learn about Christmas traditions around the world, from England to Ethiopia.

BySarah Toast

Whether it's the Nativity display in the public square, the store clerk who says "Happy Holidays" or the tacky holiday sweater, there's something to offend everyone in the season of goodwill.

ByMelanie Radzicki McManus

Get your ugly holiday sweater fill in one go with these nine horrid knits.

ByYves Jeffcoat

Experts and parents are divided on whether to encourage children's belief in Santa Claus.

ByAlia Hoyt

Advertisement

Forget caroling, feasting and having any sort of fun at all on "Foolstide," the catchy but hateful nickname some Puritans gave Christmas in the New World.

ByJohn Donovan

Can a Halloween attraction be sued for being too scary? It's already happened. When else did attractions get out of control — at least for some visitors?

ByMelanie Radzicki McManus