A Visit from La Befana
In the Catholic tradition, Epiphany is the day the Three Kings first met Baby Jesus. But in Italy, it’s also the day La Befana shows up with a basket of gifts.
Banning Christmas Dinner
Poor laws passed in Great Britain in the 1830s reversed a centuries-old tradition to forbid workhouses from serving roast beef and plum pudding at Christmas.
Fighting for the Right to Party at Christmas
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the Reformed Kirk of Scotland tried to shut down holiday celebrations. The Scottish people didn’t give up easily.
Who Was Jesus’s Grandma?
Canonical scripture never mentions the parents of the Virgin Mary, but the body of St. Anne was vital to Christianity in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
How Muppets Add Meaning to a Mass Media Christmas
The Muppet Christmas Carol works hard to get people to engage with Charles Dickens, but its real success is becoming part of the holiday itself.
Christmastime in 1960s Japan
In the years following World War II, the Japanese people looked to Santa Claus as a symbol of not just kindness and beneficence, but of modernity.
Meet the Christmas Tree Doppelgängers of the Sea
More than one marine species is named for the beloved evergreens.
Wreath-Making in National Parks? In Mexico, Yes
Mexico created its national parks system in the 1930s. Today, hundreds of thousands of people live, and work, within its boundaries.
Merry Christmas from the Wellcome Collection
Enjoy these historical Christmas images from the Wellcome Collection.