History of the Holidays

Holidays, whether somber or jovial, are a time for families and communities to come together, commemorate historic events and usher in the seasons. Holidays are often a time to reconnect with friends and family. Did you know that Americans send over 1.5 billion Christmas cards and 150 million Valentine's Day cards annually? In addition to cards, holidays are often a time to indulge our collective sweet tooth--Americans buy 58 million pounds of chocolate for Valentine's Day, more than 35 million pounds of candy corn for Halloween and individually consume more than 24 pounds of candy a year. Whether sacred or secular, every celebration has its own unique story. Discover the history behind the holidays.

Recommended Articles

  • Halloween

    Halloween

    Get the facts on Halloween history and traditions, including its ancient roots and today's candy craze.

  • Thanksgiving

    Thanksgiving

    In 1621, Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared a harvest feast, acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations.

  • Christmas

    Christmas

    Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon.

  • Valentine's Day

    Valentine's Day

    This holiday celebrates love, romance and the story of St. Valentine.

Holiday Calendar 2013

Holiday Calendar 2013

Featured Holidays

Featured Holidays

Halloween

Explore the history of Halloween, one of world's oldest holidays. Find out when Halloween was first celebrated, get the story behind the first jack o'lanterns and discover how to carve a historic pumpkin.

Thanksgiving

In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.

Christmas

Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon.

Valentine's Day

Every February 14, couples around the world celebrate Valentine's Day and exchange gifts of candy and flowers. But who was St. Valentine and how did he become associated with love and romance?

St. Patrick's Day

The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland, but in New York City. Find out why, and discover more fun facts about the history of St. Patrick's Day.

Easter

At Easter, Christians around the world celebrate Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead. Find out how this religious holiday became associated with bunnies, bonnets and candy.

Featured Holiday Videos

Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

Advertisement

This Day in History

May 25

Lead Story

Star Wars opens, 1977

On this day in 1977, Memorial Day weekend opens with an intergalactic bang as the first of George Lucas' blockbuster Star Wars movies hits American…

Shop HISTORY

See More