Culture & Traditions
Cultures and Traditions takes a look at how people interact with each other. This might be through sub-cultures, relationships, fads or religion and spirituality.
Inside LA's Forest Lawn, Where the Biggest Celebrities Rest in Peace
Is Human Composting the Greenest Burial Option?
What's With Germany's Strict Burial Regulations?
Try a Tattoo Without the Commitment
Ways to Keep Your Old Tattoos Looking Fresh and New
The Nose Knows: 5 Questions to Ask Before a Septum Piercing
What Are the 10 Largest Cities in the World by Population?
Sacred Pipes Mean Way More Than Peace for Native Americans
Chautauqua Has Promoted Free Speech and Learning for Nearly 150 Years
Januarius, Februarius, Mars, Aprilis? How Each Month Got Its Name
New Oxford Dictionary Will Document African American English Lexicon
How Are Words Removed From a Dictionary?
Celebratory Yard Signs Are Having a Major Moment
Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia! You Know the Jingle, Now Hear the Chia Pet Story
Has Guinness World Records Set Any World Records?
5 Family Traditions for New Babies
5 Family Anniversary Traditions
5 Family Traditions for Daughters
La Pascualita: Bridal Shop Mannequin or Embalmed Corpse?
What Is the Real Meaning Behind 'Ring Around the Rosie'?
If You Hear the Cries of La Llorona, Run
The Firm vs. the Family: How Does the British Monarchy Really Work?
What's the Difference Between a Duke and an Earl?
Having a Cherokee Ancestor Doesn’t Necessarily Make You Cherokee Too
How the Millennial Generation Works
Millennials Are Making Birthday Cards a Thing Again
Nope, Boomers and Xers Don’t Work Harder Than Millennials
What Do A.M. and P.M. Stand For?
The 'X' Factor: Why Some Advocates Prefer 'Latine' to 'Latinx'
Why Do We Say White Collar and Blue Collar?
Mexico's Night of the Radishes, a Quirky Christmas Tradition
How the 19th Century Invented Modern Christmas
Official White House Christmas Ornaments Are a 40-Year Tradition
What Are the Most Common Last Names in the World?
A Look at the White House's Most Memorable Weddings
The Immigrant Paradox: Why Acculturation Should Not Mean Assimilation
There's More Than One Way to Be Monogamous
Hey Dad! The Famous Fathers Quiz
Famous Mothers Quiz
Why Are the Biblical Gog and Magog Considered Sinister?
The Sacred History of 'Mormon Underwear'
What Does 'Shana Tova' Mean?
Reading the Rails: What Was the Hobo Code?
Afrofuturism: Where Technology, Culture and the Black Experience Meet
Who Is Karen and Why Is She So Mad?
Quiz: Finish That Jingle!
How One Woman Unexpectedly Became the Voice of Siri
There's a Healthier Way to Consume Your Media
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It's a strange phrase when you think about it, as people don't normally ride pigs. So where did it come from?
The origin of this false grammatical no-no is lost to history. But, we still shy away from starting sentences with coordinating conjunctions. And here's why.
The Chautauqua Institution, where Salman Rushdie was attacked Aug. 12, 2022, was founded nearly 150 years ago to promote the free exchange of ideas and learning to benefit individuals and society.
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In today's world of endless self-promotion, this beautiful little memorial celebrates those who gave their lives to save someone else.
By Muriel Vega
The recent attack on author Salman Rushdie led many to conclude that it was the result of the fatwa issued against him in 1989 by the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. But what exactly is a fatwa?
When you're holding something together with nothing more than spit and perhaps some duct tape (duck tape?), what is the correct term, jury- or jerry-rigged?
Not ready for a permanent tattoo? Get one that's designed to fade over time instead.
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Ashura is a very important holiday to both Shiite and Sunni Muslims but the two groups attach very different meanings to the day.
By Dave Roos
In recent years, the word "demisexual" was added to dictionaries, while "aerodrome" was dropped. But just who is making these lexicographical decisions?
Tattoos age just like we do. But that doesn't have to be a bad thing. There are simple ways to make them pop and look good, no matter how old they are.
She's the hero of one of the best-known Bible stories and also described as one of Jesus' ancestors, even though she was a Canaanite prostitute. Who was Rahab, really?
By Dave Roos
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The Flower of Life is one of those patterns that shows up in repeatedly in nature and architecture. But what does it mean and why is it considered part of "sacred geometry?"
By Alia Hoyt
Some of the most paradoxical, profound words that Jesus spoke can be contained within these eight beatitudes. So what do they really mean?
By Dave Roos
Did Jesus speak Hebrew? Greek? Aramaic? Or some unknown tongue?
By Dave Roos
The hamsa, a depiction of a human hand, often with a central eye motif, is a protective symbol meant to ward off evil.
By Robert Lamb
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Just a few people have gotten married at the White House in the last 200-plus years. Who were they and what's required to score a wedding there?
By Alia Hoyt
When you hear the word "Samaritan," you might think of a hospital or charity or the Bible story about the Good Samaritan. But "real" Samaritans still exist in Israel, though their numbers are small.
By Dave Roos
To be "on the lam" means to be on the loose or on the run, but what does "lam" mean and where does this colorful phrase come from?
Smudging, or the creation of sacred smoke, for the purpose of cleansing energy and promoting healing and wisdom, has become increasingly popular, but what is it exactly?
By Katie Carman
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You've probably seen Tibetan prayer flags fluttering in the breeze, but what do they symbolize and who should hang them?
Seemingly everywhere in the barrage of photos out of Ukraine is the letter 'Z' – on tanks, T-shirts, signs and buildings. But how did it become a political symbol?
The pink and white blooms of the cherry blossom tree often herald the arrival of spring. But in Japan, the cherry blossom is also a well-loved symbol of fleeting beauty, nostalgia and loss.
By Dave Roos
Why have numbers like 2/22/22 been fascinating humans for more than 2,000 years? It has a lot to do with our brains' desire to find meaning and connection.
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John Calvin is best known for his doctrine of predestination, a controversial belief that continues to be popular in some churches. But what who was he, and what is predestination?
By Dave Roos
Hoboes were a widely displaced brotherhood who illegally hopped trains and journeyed across the country, taking odd jobs wherever they could find them. The hobo code helped them survive.
By Carrie Tatro