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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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This Day in History

May 19

Lead Story

Lawrence of Arabia dies, 1935

T.E. Lawrence, known to the world as Lawrence of Arabia, dies as a retired Royal Air Force mechanic living under an assumed name. The legendary war hero,…

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