Culture & Traditions

The folks at HowStuffWorks are here to help you get creative for your next Valentine's Day gift. So read on for their 10 Unexpected Valentine's Day gift ideas.

By Kiersten Aschauer

Every year, more than 20 percent of the world's population plunges into a period of feasts, festivities and fireworks in celebration of Chinese or Lunar New Year. How did this holiday get its start?

By John Kelly

Is decorating a Christmas tree part of your annual holiday traditions?

Even if you weren't around in the 1950s, you're probably familiar with these 10 short-lived but long-loved pieces of golden-decade pop culture.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd. & Matt Cunningham

Maybe you've heard about drinking the Kool-Aid or listening to The Family Jams - but what do you really know about some of the world's most infamous cults?

By Alia Hoyt & Jane McGrath

There's a community out there full of average frustrated chumps who live to sarge HBs. Have no idea what we mean? Enter the saucy world of the pickup artist.

By Cristen Conger

Over its history, bullfighting has had more than its share of fans and detractors. Learn about the glitz, glory and gore of this often-misunderstood sport.

By Karen Kirkpatrick

Commas are notoriously tricky punctuation marks, and with good reason. So how can you know if you're using them correctly? It comes down to one question: Is it essential?

By Julia Layton

Responding to invitations promptly is part of proper etiquette. Learn about what common R.S.V.P. etiquette entails from this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

What if our most advanced technological devices all ran on diesel engines? The dieselpunk subgenre of speculative fiction looks at a world that could have been.

By Jonathan Strickland

Unless you've been living under a rock, chances are good you've heard about flash mobs. What's the deal with these public spectacles? Who first came up with the fad?

By Kate Kershner

Flash mobs have become entrenched in 21st century pop culture. But who "invented" them and how can you plan your own?

By Chris Warren

Flash mobs have taken on a life of their own, occurring all over the world and involving tens of thousands of participants. Which five stand out from the rest?

By Rebecca Fairley Raney

Zoot suits were more than just smart clothes worn by guys in the 30s and 40s. They were suits that made political and cultural statements.

By Chris Warren

Some people will do anything for PEZ -- for example, spend $13,360 on set of Will and Kate dispensers. How did PEZ become so beloved?

By Patrick J. Kiger

In the 1920s, a new kind of woman who defied established gender standards, the flapper, emerged. What actions, outfits and dance moves defined flapper style?

By Cristen Conger

Teens of the 1940s, called bobby-soxers, were known for celebrity-worship and trend conformity, but they were more than just vapid fangirls. How did they set the tone for American teenage culture?

By Cristen Conger

Marge Simpson rocks a beehive, as do the ladies of the B-52s. After more than half a century, it's a hairstyle that's still guaranteed to draw attention.

By Molly Edmonds

In the 1950s, hip teens put on their circle skirts or cuffed jeans, practiced their twist or bop and headed to the sock hop. How did this cultural fad take off, and why was it called a sock hop in the first place?

By Jessika Toothman

Vintage Tupperware, in all its pastel glory, has come to symbolize 1960s domesticity in the United States. But how did these still-popular plastic containers get their start?

By Cristen Conger

Or you could use that goofy, flesh-colored substance to block some low-frequency sounds, clean your keyboard or, of course, copy that cool newspaper article you were reading. Stretch your brain even more in How Silly Putty Works.

By William Harris

The beloved hula hoop has zipped around the hips of fire dancers, video game assassins and regular folks for centuries. Step into the circle of fun with How Hula Hoops Work.

By Robert Lamb

In the 1960s, the concept of "flower power" encapsulated the hippie counterculture's peaceful response to social unrest. Who popularized this idea?

By Cristen Conger

'Come on, baby, let's do the Twist!' That's the call heard 'round the world in 1960 when Chubby Checker's dance song hit the airwaves. But how did the simple Twist leave such an indelible impression on generations since then?

By Julia Layton

What do you get when you take a gooey, rubberlike substance and compress it under 3,500 pounds of pressure? A SuperBall! Do you know what else makes this big bouncer so super?

By William Harris