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Category: Holidays

Black, white and grayscale illustration of three women standing and two children sitting preparing food. The woman on the left side is mixing batter in a bowl. The woman in the middle is taking a steaming pie out of the oven. The woman on the right side has her back turned and is preparing food at a counter. The text on the bottom of the image says preparedness for the coming feast days.

Historic Holiday Desserts from Around the World

Posted by: Malea Walker

From the feared fruitcake to the mysterious figgy pudding, the winter holidays are a wonderful time to get creative in the kitchen. It may surprise you to learn that many familiar holiday recipes have traveled several centuries and continents from their origins to end up on our tables. Please enjoy these festive recipes from the past and find more to savor in historic newspapers on Chronicling America.

A child carrying a bundle of newspapers in one hand, the other arm held high with a copy of the Anchorage Daily Times, the headline reading

Horror Comics: Happy Halloween!

Posted by: Mike Queen

Halloween is almost here! For a real fright on all hallows’ night, let’s delve into horror comics. I’ve always wondered what titles might make Batman’s Halloween reading list, so I decided to take a stab at it by combing through the depths of the Library of Congress’ vast comic book collection and came up with …

A child carrying a bundle of newspapers in one hand, the other arm held high with a copy of the Anchorage Daily Times, the headline reading

Good Luck in the New Year

Posted by: Malea Walker

Do you know how to bring yourself good luck in the New Year? From saying "rabbits" to walking backwards up stairs, these tips from our historic newspapers will tell you what to do, what to say, what to eat, and even what to wear to bring yourself good fortune in the New Year.

An International Christmas Quiz

Posted by: Heather Thomas

Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noël, Sheng Dan Kuai Le, ¡Feliz Navidad! Christmas celebrations take place around the world and can vary greatly from country to country with traditions that reflect differing cultural history and national customs. Test your knowledge and learn more about how this holiday is celebrated around the globe!

The Origins of Halloween Traditions

Posted by: Heather Thomas

Carving pumpkins, trick-or-treating, and wearing scary costumes are some of the time-honored traditions of Halloween. Yet, the Halloween holiday has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced "SAH-win"), a pagan religious celebration to welcome the harvest at the end of summer, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor saints. Soon after, All Saints Day came to incorporate some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before All Saints Day was known as All Hallows Eve, and later, Halloween. Here is a look at the origins of some of the classic Halloween traditions we know today.