In Norse mythology, Freyja is a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, sex, war, gold, and seiðr, a type of...
Holiday, folklore and Traditions
Lupercalia was one of the most ancient of the Roman holidays, one of the feriae listed on ancient calendars from...
In the Victorian era, and also into the 20th century, lovers exchanged elaborate lace-trimmed cards on Valentine’s Day, expressing their...
In history there were multiple St. Valentines (including decapitated ones) but, apparently, was a medieval poet who first established the...
The Romans held their dead in great respect. They were "di manes", the "good" dead, or honoured ancestors never to...
In these days, from 7 to 17 February, ancient Romans were celebrating agricultural festivals of Fornacalia. It was a festivity...
February 3th is the day dedicated to the holy protector of the throath, Saint Biagio (known in English as Saint...
Candlemas, also known as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ, the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed...
Groundhog Day, on February 2, claim that if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day sees its shadow...
Imbolc is a holiday with a variety of names, depending on which culture and location you’re looking at. For istance,...
The ancient Romans had a festival for nearly everything and, if you were a god, you got your own holiday....
In ancient times, it was common to track the changing seasons by following the lunar month rather than the solar...
In ancient Rome, late January marked the beginning of the agricultural calendar because this literally was the time that the...
According to traditions, Saint Anthony the Abbot, celebrated on this day, is Patron Saint of Amputees, animals, basket makers, brush...
The name "Carmentalia" indicates the festivals in honor of Carmenta and her nymphs, the Camene, called Antevorta and Postvorta, in...
January 12th marks the feast day of Saint Benedict Biscop (born about 628, Northumbria, died on Jan 12th 689/690). He...
The 11th January is the day in honor of Juturna, born as a nymph of the sources and later became...
An Agonalia was an obscure archaic religious observance celebrated in ancient Rome several times a year, in honor of various...
Fufluns (or Puphluns) was the Etruscan was a god of plant life, grape harvest, happiness, wine, health, and growth in...
The small Indian village of Gummatapura is famous all over the world for its unique way of ending the annual...
In some areas of Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Berchtold Day, or locally Berchtoldstag, is celebrated on this day, January 2. The...
Around the world, lucky foods for the new year range from collard greens (representing green cash) to long noodles (representing...
Toshikoshi soba (年越し蕎麦), delicious buckwheat noodles, is one of Japan’s unique New Year’s customs. The history of this curious tradition...
When clocks strike midnight on New Year’s Eve many revelers are engaged to pop champagne, set off fireworks, or kiss...
We are in Greece where, on New Year’s Day, a centuries-old tradition is observed in almost every household, that of...
Many years ago, all the birds of the world gathered to decide which of them would be their king. After...
In the 19th century, a regular Christmas was a little different. For holiday fun, revelers in the United States, Canada...
In some areas of England, during the late medieval and early Tudor periods, especially through the reign of King Edward...
Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, whatever your holiday, most of the December holiday traditions that we celebrate today can be traced back...
Norfolk Island is tiny, both in size and population. It is an Australian territory hundreds of miles from the mainland,...
