Culture & Traditions

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

By Dave Roos

Some people were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Others were in the right place but at the wrong time. And a few just had bad luck thrust upon them.

By Dave Roos

You know what's totally useless? A pair of umbrellas shoes. But they're so fun you know you want them anyway. Welcome to chindogu.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

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.

By Dave Roos

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.

By Michelle 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).

By John Fuller & Cherise Threewitt

Over the holidays, lots of gift-giving will be going on. But some people get anxious about opening a gift in front of the giver in case they don't like it and can't fake enough enthusiasm.

By Alia Hoyt

That old comedian's advice that the "k" sound is always good for a laugh has been proven true, too.

By Dave Roos

Is a dib an actual thing?

By Tara Yarlagadda

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

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

A tombstone that features the deceased hobbies? Sure. A personalized playlist playing during the celebration of life? Check. Yep, the business of death isn't quite so gloomy anymore.

By Adina Solomon

In the Netherlands, children get gifts from St. Nicholas, who's accompanied by his servant Zwarte Pieten (Black Pete), always wearing blackface. Many Dutch denounce him as racist while others claim it's just part of the culture.

By Dave Roos

Groups of animals sure have some funny names. You can thank the Book of St. Albans for that.

By Jesslyn Shields

The Incas were technologically advanced but never invented a system of written language. Turns out, they encoded more in textiles than we could have imagined possible.

By Jesslyn Shields

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.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

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!

By Nathan Chandler

This tiny village in upstate New York has been channeling spirits since the 1800s.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

A popular Native American aphorism says, "It's not about what you claim, it's about who claims you."

By Dave Roos

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.

By Dave Roos

The famous 1954 letter in which Albert Einstein rejected the concept of God was sold at Christie's auction house for $2.9 million.

By Patrick J. Kiger

If the creator of the electric slide had his way, we'd all be sued for doing the dance wrong.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Although many people use the two terms interchangeably, they don't mean the same thing.

By Dave Roos

In the search for a lost monastery in Scotland, archaeologists came across an unexpected find - an ancient stone game board.

By Stell Simonton

Who is Jim Roberts and the people who fervently follow his doomsday prophecies?

By Diana Brown

They're worshipped by 'cargo cults' on the Pacific Island of Tanna. What can their ideals tell us about our own political and social beliefs?

By John Donovan