Winter Plants: The Magic of Mistletoe
Mistletoe is known to most people for its Christmas associations, but holds a long folklore of magical associations, where it is connected with healing, travel to the Underworld, and even resurrection.
The Burning Heart of Scotland’s Yule – Charring the Old Wife
Plant lore is the verdant heart of Scottish folk holidays and traditions. Nature’s gift and sacrifice is found in the burning heart of Yule – the Yule log of ash or birch.
I Have a Little Dreidel: The Customs and Traditions of Hanukkah
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 […]
A Californian Krampus
Relentlessly sunny and known for a love of trend over tradition, Los Angeles is an unlikely home to a new incarnation of the old Alpine devil. It helps, perhaps, that make-believe is serious business in my town, and that it’s filled with creative people prone to see in an old tradition of folk Catholicism a revolutionary way to shake up the holidays.
The Lessons of Monsters: As Learned from Cultural Demons Krampus and Namahage
Chris Kullstroem delves into the world of monsters, their cultural festivals and scare tourism…