Holidays

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Did Slavery in the U.S. End on Juneteenth?

By Olivia B. Waxman

What Was Memorial Day Originally Called?

By Olivia B. Waxman

Why 250 Million People Celebrate Christmas in January

By Solcyre Burga

Why We Say 'Merry Christmas.' The Surprising Origins of 5 Christmas Traditions

By Olivia B. Waxman
More in Holidays

Read Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation

On Oct. 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation declaring the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving. He saw the occasion as a peaceful interlude amid the Civil War.

By Olivia B. Waxman

Where This Labor Day Fits Into American History

“This is going to be one of the most hopeful Labor Days that the American labor movement has seen in many a year,” says Joe McCartin, an expert on U.S. labor history at Georgetown University

By Olivia B. Waxman

The History Behind the Ukrainian Easter Egg Tradition

Decorating a 'pysanka' has become a gesture of peace, as war has brought new meaning to an old tradition that dates back to pre-Christian times

By Olivia B. Waxman

How Tribe That Fed Pilgrims Spends Thanksgiving

It’s been 400 years since the meal known as the first Thanksgiving took place in Patuxet, the area now known as Plymouth, Massachusetts. Two prominent figures in the Plymouth Colony described it as a three-day...

By Olivia B. Waxman

How Columbus Day Became Known as an Italian-American Holiday

How Columbus Day became a U.S. holiday and a source of pride for the Italian-American community

By Olivia B. Waxman

Soviets Banished Santa, Then Brought Him Back

Around the world there are different versions of the jolly, bearded man who gives gifts to children in December or, in some countries, January. Unlike the bloated, red-coated father Christmas of the West, Russia’s Santa...

By Madeline Roache

Lessons From 1918 on Holidays Amid COVID-19

Then, as now, spikes occurred after small family holiday gatherings

By Olivia B. Waxman

How People Celebrated Halloween During the 1918 Flu Pandemic

The cancellation of costume parties and street celebrations makes Halloween 2020 eerily similar to an earlier celebration: Halloween 1918

By Olivia B. Waxman

The Push to Make Juneteenth a National Holiday

In the mid-20th century, amid a widespread push to raise awareness of Black history, many felt that the American calendar ought to reflect that past too

By Olivia B. Waxman

The Overlooked Black History of Memorial Day

Historians like the Pulitzer Prize winner David Blight have tried to raise awareness of freed slaves who decorated soldiers' graves in 1865

By Olivia B. Waxman

Here's Everything You Need to Know About Holi

Holi has come to symbolize the vivid, colorful joy of Indian festivals

By Abhishyant Kidangoor

104-Year-Old WWII Veteran Is Asking People to Send Him Valentines

"I'll save every one of them"

By Megan McCluskey

Don Lemon, Tipsy and Tattooed, Won New Year’s Eve on Twitter (Again)

Commenting on the CNN anchor's antics has become an annual tradition

By Melissa Locker

See How 2020 Is Celebrated Around the World

From Sydney, Australia to Hong Kong

By Rachel E. Greenspan

Here's Everything Open and Closed on New Year's 2020

Including coffee shops, banks and grocery stores

By Rachel E. Greenspan

People Are Really Into Celebrating Festivus on Twitter Because There's No Better Place to Air Grievances

Celebrants include political leaders, airports and even the dictionary

By Melissa Locker
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