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?
Unleashing Majestic Power: Exploring the Symbolism of Lion Tattoos
Unveiling the Profound Symbolism of Spider Tattoos
Unraveling the Symbolic Tapestry of Dragonfly Tattoos: Meanings, Designs, and Transformative Power
Does Sound Bowl Healing Work?
Every Celtic Knot Holds Meaning Within Its Intricate Design
What in the World Is a 'Shoey'?
The Most Common Words in English Aren't Nouns or Verbs
10 Most Common Letters in English That Every Wordle Player Should Know
The Hardest Tongue Twister in English Is...
What's the Science Behind Mood Rings?
10 Things We Love to Hate About the '70s and '80s
Celebratory Yard Signs Are Having a Major Moment
5 Family Traditions for New Babies
5 Family Anniversary Traditions
5 Family Traditions for Daughters
Are Black Magic Spells Powerful? The Truth Behind Their Strength
Is a Solar Eclipse a Rare Spiritual Event? Rituals for Aligning Your Energy
Is Witchcraft Dangerous? Debunking Myths vs. Reality
20 Most Common Surnames in the U.S. (and What They Mean)
What Are the Most and Least Popular Birthdays in the U.S.?
The Firm vs. the Family: How Does the British Monarchy Really Work?
Deciphering Generation Names, Birth Years and Stereotypes
How the Millennial Generation Works
Millennials Are Making Birthday Cards a Thing Again
How Many Sentences Are in a Paragraph, Really?
All About Adjectives: Examples, Types and Uses
Simile Examples in Literature and Everyday Language
What Is Holi? Celebrating Community, Renewal and Forgiveness
St. Patrick's Day: Spiritual Meaning in a Simple Shamrock
14 Weird Christmas Traditions to Perplex and Delight You
5 Black-Red-Yellow Flag Designs Around the World
Which Blue and White Flag Is That? 9 Possibilities
Telling One Green-White-Orange Flag From Another
How to Tell If She’s Cheating: Common Clues and Behaviors
Signs She’s Not in Love with You – She’s Just Playing Along
7 Signs He Likes You More Than Just a Friend
The 'Memento Mori' Meaning Is Meant to Inspire and Humble
Methuselah Lived Nearly 1,000 Years, According to the Bible
Cherubim According to the Bible (Not Arrow-shooting Cupids)
The Zizians: A Strange and Dangerous Techno-Cult
How Synanon Went From Rehab Philosophy to Violent Cult
Branch Davidians and David Koresh's End of the World
Quiz: Finish That Jingle!
How One Woman Unexpectedly Became the Voice of Siri
There's a Healthier Way to Consume Your Media
Learn More / Page 38
In kindergarten, it may have been the girl who always gave you the frosting from her cupcake. As an adult, it may be the guy who will answer the phone at 2 a.m. when you need to talk. How do you define a friend?
By Alia Hoyt & Molly Edmonds
"Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." So said legendary football coach Vince Lombardi, but how do these words help us understand society?
When Pandora opened the box she wasn't supposed to open, all of the evils of the world flew out: hate, pain, destructiveness, starvation. When she saw what she'd done, she closed the box before the last thing in there could escape. What was it?
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You can get a pretty good idea of how American society interprets gender by walking through the children's section in a typical clothing store. But not everyone fits into these ideas of what boys and girls should be. What do sex and gender even mean?
You're scanning your friend's baby shower registry and find all the usual suspects: diapers, onesies, rattles and pacifiers. But what's with the Spanish language DVDs and Mandarin vocabulary flash cards? When is the perfect time to start learning another language?
A required language class in high school or college has been the academic downfall of many a student. But for students who have a so-called "ear for languages" and pick them up easily, German 101 is a piece of cake. What accounts for the difference?
Let's say that you're traveling to a country where you don't speak the language. You didn't have time to pick up a dictionary, so you'll have to get around using only hand gestures. The problem? Every hand gesture you do offends someone. What gives?
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When you're struggling through intro to Latin or intermediate German, at some point it's likely that you'll shut your book and wonder why we can't all just speak the same language. How did we end up with so many? And why can't we just pick one and put an end to the confusion?
Your DNA is unique and can tell a lot about you. You and your parents share genetic markers, and so will your other relatives. Some people use DNA to research their family history, but how well does it work?
Attaching a crest or coat of arms to one's family history sometimes fuels a sense of pride or belonging. However, it will take some serious research to locate your crest.
There aren't many blank spots left on the map -- geographically or anthropologically. But for a few isolated hold-outs, privacy means everything. Where's the most isolate culture in the world, and what little do we know of them?
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In the past, people who acted abnormally were carted off to prisons or insane asylums for mental health conditions beyond their control. Now, we have a greater understanding, but there are still unsolved mysteries of the mind.
We may think that mental illnesses are rare, or things that simply happen to other people. We may think that they'll be easy to spot. We might not be willing to consider that we could have a mental disorder ourselves.
Many Mother's Day customs spread to Mexico from the United States in the early 20th century. But did you know that the holiday got its official start because of an editorial in a newspaper?
On the third Sunday of every June, sons and daughters across the U.S. honor their fathers with cards and gifts. It was started by a woman to honor the single father who raised her.
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Burqas are commonly associated with repression and religious extremism. But to many people, the veil is a sign of modesty and piety, as well as a badge of honor. What is the true meaning of the veil?
Much of country music would have gone unwritten without someone's cheatin' heart, and we can't underestimate the importance of extramarital affairs to centuries of written drama. But in real life, how do men and women differ when it comes to breaking their marital vows?
Aborigines are the world's oldest continuous culture, and they arrived in Australia between 40,000 and 60,000 years ago. Learn more with Aborigine pictures.
How often have you seen a couple interact like oil and water throughout an entire romantic comedy, only to realize that they're fated to be together? Princes marry scullery maids and Harvard lawyers fall for the mechanics who fix their cars. Is there any science to the story?
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Avoid the holiday shopping rush with these tips for starting your shopping early -- preferably before Black Friday.
Time is a precious commodity around the holidays, but while you're making your lists and checking them twice, don't forget that you're doing more than shopping, decorating, wrapping and cooking. You're also helping make memories for your family.
By Sara Elliott
Much like a Christmas tree and a jolly Santa Claus, the tradition of hanging up stockings signals that the Christmas season has arrived. So, what's popular to stuff in them?
Time for family visits, chestnuts roasting on an open fire and that other holiday tradition -- receiving a glut of boring, boastful newsletters from distant friends, co-workers and long-lost family. So, make yours stand out from the pack.
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On the first Thanksgiving, the pilgrims wore buckles, the Native Americans brought corn and everyone made merry until the sun went down. Right? That's not the most accurate portrayal of the historical event.
Why do children don ridiculous costumes and bang down doors demanding candy once a year? And what do the ancient Celtic clans of Britain have to do with it?