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Wander into our forest of blood-chilling spring tales—if you dare.
cryptozoology

Spring Is for Monsters, Ancient Rituals, and Scary Stories

From haunting tales of the Bell Witch to child-eating swamp monsters, the season is full of frights.
Sarah Durn May 8, 2023
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
However long this snowman effigy, known as the Bӧӧgg, takes to burn will determine the remaining length of winter.
ancient

To Banish Winter in This Tiny Wisconsin Town, Burn a Swiss Snowman

The burning of the Bӧӧgg is like a fiery version of Groundhog’s Day, but with fireworks and sausages.
Tea Krulos May 2, 2023
The bonfire and procession at the Beltane Fire Society's 2019 event.
festivals

Why 18th-Century Scots Performed Mock Human Sacrifices Over Cake

This May Day, make Beltane bannock, a simple snack with a long history of superstition and divination.
Sam O'Brien May 1, 2023
Torre Federici from across Piazza della Torre
Sonico, Italy

Torre Federici

A family accused of witchcraft once called this medieval tower home.
Adam Johnson (center) dresses up as Heikki Lunta as part of the Upper Peninsula's Heikinpäivä festival in Hancock, Michigan.
holiday

The Dancing Snow God That Brings Blizzards to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Heikki Lunta even has his own song.
Daniel Bromfield January 5, 2023
Archaeologists believe this head belonged to a figurine representing a high priestess of Ur.
relics

History’s First Named Author Was a Mesopotamian Priestess

Her name was Enheduanna.
Sarah Durn December 22, 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
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
Biko's toppings vary depending on the region, but toasted coconut and coconut-cream curds are favorites.
food

The Disappearing Philippine Tradition of 'Souling' for Rice Cakes

Pangangaluluwa means singing, costumes, and treats.
Barbara Woolsey October 24, 2022
cemeteries

Podcast: St. Brigid’s Well

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
The Podcast Team March 1, 2022
Statue of King Æthelberht
Kent, England

Queen Bertha and King Æthelberht

Today, Kent's medieval monarchs hold court on a busy pedestrian thoroughfare—or at least their statues do.
vikings

Meet the Woman on a Quest to Attend Every Wondrous British Festival

The historian behind an online database of eccentric traditions has already visited more than 550 events.
Bonnie Nicol December 9, 2021
Croft Moraig Stone Circle entry stones
Aberfeldy, Scotland

Croft Moraig Stone Circle

This Neolithic stone circle is the most complete of its kind in Scotland.
Urnes Stave Church and graveyard.
List

8 Viking-Style Churches to Visit (Not Pillage)

These epic, wooden stave churches are scattered across two continents.
Sarah Durn November 4, 2021
The little marzipan bones are traditionally filled with egg-yolk marrow.
saints

The Bone-Shaped Sweets That Honor the Dead in Spain

Make the marzipan "limbs" that commemorate loved ones on All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.
Vera Armus October 15, 2021
Burryman Andrew Taylor parades through South Queensferry with his attendants.
Edinburgh, Scotland

The Burryman

As part of an 800-year-old tradition, a man parades through town covered in a suit made out of spiky burrs.
Glasgow, Scotland

Sighthill Stone Circle

This astronomically-aligned stone circle was the first of its kind to be built in Great Britain after a 3,000-year hiatus.