Rituals and Traditions
12 Facts About ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’
Amaze and astound your loved ones with these pieces of carol trivia
Here's Exactly How Shrunken Heads Are Made
A scientist's visit to a Shuar elder in Ecuador reveals the secrets of the ceremonial tradition of head shrinking
A Plea to Resurrect the Christmas Tradition of Telling Ghost Stories
Though the practice is now more associated with Halloween, spooking out your family is well within the Christmas spirit
The Un-Christmassy Origin of Gingerbread Houses
This tradition dates back to the story of Hansel and Gretel
Take a Virtual Tour of a Mysterious Pictish Cave in Scotland
Archaeologists have created a 3D model of the fascinating, but hard-to-access Sculptor's Cave
A New Way to Show Your Devotion in Mexico City: Wear a T-Shirt
A Smithsonian folklorist makes the pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and discovers an emerging tradition
Colombia Begins the Christmas Season With These Beautiful Light Displays
Día de las Velitas is celebrated on the day before the celebration of the Immaculate Conception
The Pilgrims Weren't the First to Celebrate Thanksgiving
Virginia has a claim to an earlier Christian Thanksgiving celebration
Why Do We Call TV Watchers ‘Viewers’?
It all goes back to a quirky BBC subcommittee working in the 1930s to change the English language
Did Disney Pixar Get Day of the Dead Celebrations Right in Its Film 'Coco'?
Smithsonian folklorist Cynthia Vidaurri says: "It's complicated"
How This Artist's Archival Discovery Sparked High-Tech Art
A photograph from a Smithsonian archives piqued Jordan Bennett's creativity; his work is part of a new exhibition that explores technology and tradition
The First Thanksgiving Parades Were Riots
The Fantastics parades were occasions of sometimes-violent revelry
Presidents From Lincoln to FDR Kept the Thanksgiving Tradition Going
Lincoln started the process of making it a federal holiday in 1863, crystallizing something that had been around since the days of the Pilgrims
How Marshmallow-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole Became a Thanksgiving Classic
Sweet potato pudding has been a part of American cuisine for a century
Yes. The Night Before Halloween Is a Real Holiday
In New Jersey, it's known as 'Mischief Night." In Detroit, it's 'Devil's Night.' And in Cincinnati, it's ... 'Cabbage Night'?
Even Colonial Americans Liked Pumpkin Spice
A recipe for pumpkin (or rather, “pompkin”) spice appears in America’s oldest cookbook
Check Out These Stunning Photographs of a Tibetan Horseback Sport
Kings in ancient Tibet promoted the sport to save money on military training
What Does the Gender Reveal Fad Say About Modern Pregnancy?
A new ritual speaks to anxieties surrounding the medicalization of childbearing
The Juggling Genius of Paul Cinquevalli
Remembering a showman who gave his life to his craft
How We Can Support the World's Rich Musical Diversity
Some music thrives, while other musical traditions are on the verge of disappearing
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