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
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Halloween
Get the facts on Halloween history and traditions, including its ancient roots and today's candy craze.
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Thanksgiving
In 1621, Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared a harvest feast, acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations.
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Christmas
Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon.
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Valentine's Day
This holiday celebrates love, romance and the story of St. Valentine.
Holiday Calendar 2012
Holiday Calendar 2012
- New Year's Day - January 1
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day - January 16
- Chinese New Year - January 23
- Black History Month - February
- Valentine's Day - February 14
- Presidents Day - February 20
- Mardi Gras - February 21
- Women's History Month - March
- St. Patrick's Day - March 17
- Passover - Sunset of April 6
- Easter - April 8
- Earth Day - April 22
- Cinco de Mayo - May 5
- Memorial Day - May 28
- July 4th - July 4
- Ramadan - July 20
- VJ Day - August 13
- Labor Day - September 3
- Rosh Hashanah - Sunset of September 16
- Yom Kippur - Sunset of September 25
- Columbus Day - October 8
- Halloween - October 31
- Veterans Day - November 12
- Thanksgiving - November 22
- Hanukkah - Sunset of December 8
- Christmas - December 25
- Kwanzaa - December 26
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.
- History of the Jack O' Lantern
- Halloween Around the World
- Pumpkin Facts
- Video: All About the Pumpkin
- Halloween History
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.
- Christmas Trees
- Christmas Traditions Worldwide
- Santa Claus
- Video: North Pole Deconstructed
- Christmas History
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?
- Valentine's Day Facts
- Valentine's Day Quotations
- Great Romances
- Video: Science of Love
- Valentine's Day History
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.
- Who was St. Patrick?
- St. Patrick's Day Symbols and Traditions
- St. Patrick's Day Facts
- Video: Ireland Deconstructed
- St. Patrick's Day History
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
Holiday Calendar 2013
Holiday Calendar 2013
- New Year's Day - January 1
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day - January 21
- Black History Month - February
- Valentine's Day - February 14
- Chinese New Year - February 3
- Presidents Day - February 18
- Women's History Month - March
- Mardi Gras - March 8
- St. Patrick's Day - March 17
- Passover - Sunset of March 25
- Earth Day - April 22
- Easter - March 31
- Cinco de Mayo - May 5
- Memorial Day - May 27
- July 4th - July 4
- Ramadan - July 9
- VJ Day - August 14
- Labor Day - September 2
- Rosh Hashanah - Sunset of September 4
- Yom Kippur - Sunset of September 13
- Columbus Day - October 14
- Halloween - October 31
- Veterans Day - November 11
- Hanukkah - Sunset of November 27
- Thanksgiving - November 28
- Christmas - December 25
- Kwanzaa - December 26
Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!
This Day in History
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