Culture & Traditions

Just who is this devilish holiday beast, and where does he come from? Explore the origins and ascent of Krampus the Christmas demon.

By Robert Lamb

In the general sense, a cult is a group of people who come together with a set of unified beliefs and practices. Most of the time, the common values are fanatical views of religion and culture that tend to isolate one particular ideal or standard and then place it above all else. But what separates cults from [...] The post 8 Terrifying Real Life Cults appeared first on Goliath.

By Wes Walcott

We believe that saying curse words always evolves from taboo to eventually acceptable. But sometimes it goes the opposite way, too.

By Dave Roos

Everyone knows that breaking a mirror gives you seven years of bad luck, and that if you step on a crack you'll break your mother's back. It's easy enough to avoid a superstitious catastrophe when you're at home and know all about the culture and folklore, but what about when you're outside your native country? If [...] The post 10 Absurd Superstitions From Around The World appeared first on Goliath.

By Wes Walcott

When there's a big influx of Northerners into a Southern city, why do the locals begin to lose their Southern accents, as opposed to the other way around?

By Dave Roos

Have Halloween decorations gotten so good that when people spot a real dead body, they think it's fake? That's been the case in these ghoulish instances.

By Chris Opfer

This creepy Internet sensation might be just a 21st-century version of folklore, but did he really drive kids to kill?

By Oisin Curran

National Bologna Day is no baloney. This annual October 24 "holiday" offers fans an unapologetic way to pay homage to the most democratic pressed meat of our time.

By Laurie L. Dove

Halloween is fast approaching, and with it comes a number of traditions. From carving a jack-o-lantern to donning costumes, bobbing for apples and handing out candy to neighborhood kids. But there is one Halloween tradition that does not get enough attention, and that is the annual All Hallow's Eve prank. Yes, each October 31st pranksters [...] The post 10 Halloween Pranks That Went Horribly and Tragically Wrong appeared first on Goliath.

By Jack Sackman

The American Halloween is just one of many celebrations around the globe with roots in ceremonies to honor the dead who've returned to visit their loved-ones. Want to join the Hungry Ghosts Festival or snack on a sugar skull?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Comedian Chris Rock once joked that his father's prescription for any ailment was Robitussin. And his dad wasn't alone: Plenty of families swear by various folk remedies handed down through the generations. Problem is, they simply don't work.

By Bambi Turner

Lots of us like to put a little faith in lucky charms. But while they're often taken for granted, many lucky charms are downright strange when you think about they really are.

By Bambi Turner

Did the controversial practice of cult deprogramming do more harm than good? Find out.

By Oisin Curran

You may call your cousin a Luddite because he still plays CDs, but the word didn't originally mean someone who's a technophobe. What other historical words do people use incorrectly?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Every year a bunch of guys in top hats pull a wriggling rodent out of a hole and allow him to predict the weather. And we all take this seriously. Is Phil the groundhog really accurate or is he secretly giggling at us?

By Kate Kershner

Driving through Vermont's scenic countryside, you might see an anomaly in the architecture odd enough to make you do a double take. What's the story behind those strangely angled windows?

By Debra Ronca

Lucky horseshoes are meant to bring good fortune. But which way are you supposed to hang it, and why are there seven holes in a horseshoe? Read on to find out.

By Debra Ronca & Austin Henderson

It's an iconic holiday ritual: two kids fighting over a wishbone. Each struggles to crack the bone and get the bigger piece, ensuring good luck. What's behind this rather odd piece of folklore?

By Debra Ronca & Yara Simón

The "Bloody Mary" ritual, long popular on the sleepover circuit, supposedly causes a ghastly apparition to materialize in a darkened room. Where did this legend come from? Was there a real Bloody Mary?

By Debra Ronca

Knocking on wood, crossing your fingers, fear of black cats ... are some superstitions common around the world, or are they specific to certain cultures?

By Debra Ronca

One piece of American folklore usually passed around as fact is that drowned women always float face-up. Is this true? It might depend on who you ask.

By Debra Ronca

Does your stomach flutter a bit when you cross paths with a black cat? Perhaps no other animal is so surrounded by myth and superstition than the common housecat.

By Debra Ronca

There are so many wives' tales about how to predict your baby's gender. Here's a closer look at one of the more popular: the ring test.

By Debra Ronca

Sailors are known for superstitions about good and bad luck while sailing, including one about the name of the ship itself.

By Debra Ronca

We often see people toss salt over their left shoulders while cooking, but where did this tradition come from?

By Debra Ronca