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In 2015, this effigy of the Pagan goddess Marzanna met a fiery end.
witchcraft

In Poland, Drowning the Pagan Goddess Marzanna Ushers in Spring

A straw effigy of the winter goddess is burned and then submerged in chilly waters.
Sarah Laskow May 3, 2023
The cover of this Red Haggadah from the National Library of Russia, features a search for leavened bread, which is forbidden on Passover.
food

The Soviet 'Red Passovers' Where Jews Gave Thanks for Communism

Instead of celebrating freedom from Egypt, people celebrated liberation from capitalism.
Sam Lin-Sommer March 28, 2023
Fresh-pressed pandan leaf adds a limey glow to this refresher.
List

13 Great Green Foods to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

From pandan crepes to minty cocktails, there are better options than dyed beer.
Sam O'Brien March 16, 2023
Before artist Courtney Senior launched International Art and Found Day in 2020, she would regularly leave packages with this message around Toronto.
paintings

Inside the World of 'Art Dropping'

Why you should be on the lookout for free paintings this March 12th.
Hannah Steinkopf-Frank March 9, 2023
Churches from Poland to Missouri claim to possess some of Saint Valentine's remains. This, from the Basilica di Santa Maria in Rome, is supposed to be his skull.
relics

4 Truly Unexpected Ways to Express Your Feelings on February 14th

What does Valentine's Day have to do with wounding insults, bone relics, and meat juice?
April White February 9, 2023
Punxsutawney Phil is far from the only weather-predicting marmot on Groundhog Day.
holiday

The Alternative Groundhogs Vying for Punxsutawney Phil's Weather Forecasting Job

Don't forget about Big Al the Alligator and Scramble the Duck's predicting powers either.
Jennifer Byrne February 2, 2023
A feast of pancakes for <em>Sólardagur.</em>
food

The Holiday That Welcomes Back the Sun With Pancakes and Coffee

Around January 25, winter-bound villages in Iceland celebrate the return of the sunlight.
Alexandra Yingst January 24, 2023
A man makes a traditional dragon heads for the Lunar New Year celebration in Bogor, Indonesia.
holidays

5 Colorful Stories About the Pageantry of the Lunar New Year

Go behind the scenes of celebration, from molten metal to sticky cakes.
April White January 24, 2023
A local version of a colonial tradition, the Winneba Fancy Dress Festival rings in the new year in Ghana.
festivals

In Ghana, the New Year Starts With a Fancy Dress Masquerade

Once a colonial tradition, a creative festival has been elevated to new heights.
Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing January 11, 2023
On January 5, in the historic harbor of Grado, Italy, the witches of the sea approach.
pirates

In This Seaside Town, the New Year Brings a Battle With the ‘Witches of the Sea’

The local Epiphany celebration of Grado, Italy, is inspired by a mysterious band of 16th-century pirates.
Vittoria Traverso January 3, 2023
Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians played "Auld Lang Syne" at midnight on December 31 for almost a half a century. Lombardo became known as "Mr. New Year's Eve"—but the song always reminded him of Easter.
music

Do Americans Sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ Because of a Frat Party?

Or maybe it was the cigars that gave us this New Year's Eve staple.
April White December 29, 2022
All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura
holidays

Puzzle Monday: Ring It In Crossword

AO Puzzles December 26, 2022
A traditional Liberian Christmas masquerade in the streets of Monrovia in 2015.
holidays

In Liberia, Christmas Is the Time of the Dancing Devils

These masked dancers are part of traditional celebrations in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast.
Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing December 21, 2022
Public Christmas trees, like Rockefeller Center’s famous tree, didn’t start appearing in the U.S. until the 20th century.
trees

The Christmas Tree Is One of the World's Oldest and Most Evergreen Traditions

Long before your living room's seasonal centerpiece, cultures around the world marked the darkest time of year with palms, pines, and other greenery.
Troy Bickham December 19, 2022
deserts

Podcast: Tumbleweed Christmas Tree

This is how you do the holidays in the desert.
The Podcast Team December 19, 2022
Children in Carabobo, Venezuela, participate in a state skating program.
holidays

Will Venezuela's Christmas Roller-Skating Tradition Make a Comeback?

Las patinatas—"the skating"—dates back to the 1950s.
Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing December 13, 2022
holidays

Podcast: Luciadagen

Dive into the origins of a Swedish holiday tradition that evolved from sinister pagan lore to a celebration of light, warmth, and music.
The Podcast Team December 12, 2022
All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura
holidays

Puzzle Monday: Atlas Obscura Christmas Crossword

AO Puzzles December 12, 2022