I Have a Little Dreidel: The Customs and Traditions of Hanukkah

Colorful dreidels by Adiel lo - CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6587839

anukkah is one of the most celebrated holidays in the Jewish calendar. It’s known by some as the Festival of Light, and usually falls in December each year. Many people outside of the faith know about the traditions of lighting the menorah and giving gifts, but fewer understand the meaning behind these customs. The temple […]

The Dreaded Headless Horseman and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The Headless Horseman Pursuing Ichabod Crane, John Quidor https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Quidor

he Headless Horseman captures the imagination like nothing else at Halloween. Regional American history and urban legend influences the interpretation of this apparition more than supposed.

May Day, Weddings and Births – Folklore Trees and Traditions in Bavaria

Kindsbaum detail © Steve Toase

Maypoles are often seen as a quintessentially English tradition, yet in Bavaria the raising of the Maibaum (or May Tree) is also an important event, and it is not the only time a tree is hefted aloft in celebration.

The Victorian Language of Flowers: Hiding Secret Messages in Plain Sight

Poppies. CC0, https://pxhere.com/en/photo/960192, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=78130850

If a bouquet of flowers arrives at our door, we’re more interested in who sent them. The Victorians were more concerned with what it meant.The Victorian language of flowers, also known as floriography, was a way to send messages using specific plants and flowers. Combining different flowers allowed them to send more complex or sophisticated messages.Let’s look at how this language developed and how to use it.

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