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Holidays
By their very nature, holidays are steeped in tradition, folklore, and mythology. Here we present some of the more common legends and superstitions associated with our special days.

Was the 'Star of Bethlehem' Shining for the First Time Since 1226?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Dec. 19, 2022 A holiday copypasta story in late 2022 may have some readers looking up for a star that won't be ...
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Logical Fallacies 101: Your Holiday Guide for Dinner Table Debates

Written by:
Nur Ibrahim
Dec. 14, 2022 Put down that drumstick and listen all ye well.
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The mystery of Mrs. Claus' first name is one with quite a bit of history.

Mrs. Claus' First Name: What Was It Originally?

Written by:
Jordan Liles
Dec. 14, 2022 A quick internet search told us there was an answer from 1849, but that turned out to be a bit o ...
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Some snow globes are toxic and deadly to dogs and cats and other pets due to the antifreeze chemical ethylene glycol.

Do Snow Globes Contain the Antifreeze Chemical Ethylene Glycol, Which Is Dangerous to Pets and Kids?

Written by:
Jordan Liles
Dec. 9, 2022 A Facebook post about the tragic deaths of two dogs led to questions from readers about the dang ...
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Yes, a Massive Barney Balloon Exploded at the 1997 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Nov. 25, 2022 The 1997 parade went down in history for its inflated float mishaps.
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The day after Thanksgiving is known as the busiest day of the year for plumbers, who refer to Black Friday as Brown Friday.

Is a Plumber's Busiest Day the Friday After Thanksgiving?

Written by:
Jordan Liles
Nov. 25, 2022 "It might be a good idea to invite a plumber to the Thanksgiving feast and let him have a drumst ...
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Crowd of people trying to get into a store

Is Black Friday the Biggest Shopping Day of the Year?

Written by:
Snopes Staff
Nov. 27, 2003 The day after Thanksgiving in the United States is the unofficial kickoff of the holiday gift sh ...
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thanksgiving

Fact-Checking Thanksgiving Rumors: A Collection of Stories

Written by:
Snopes Staff
Nov. 27, 2019 When you really think about it, this holiday has accumulated a fascinating trove of traditions, ...
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Did President G.W. Bush pose with plastic Thanksgiving turkey while visiting troops in Baghdad?

Did President Bush Pose with a Plastic Turkey?

Written by:
David Mikkelson
Dec. 4, 2013 A photo taken while Bush visited U.S. troops in Iraq on Thanksgiving in 2003 was mistaken for a ...
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Did Obama want executive order to change name of Thanksgiving Day to Celebrate Immigrants Day?

No, Obama Didn't Float Plan To Change Thanksgiving Day to 'Celebrate Immigrants Day'

Written by:
David Mikkelson
March 6, 2015 Contrary to rumor, then-President Obama did not advocate issuing an executive order to rename th ...
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Thanksgiving Day is the peak day for cooking fires in the US due to people cooking turkey dinners.

Is Thanksgiving the Peak Day for Cooking Fires in the US?

Written by:
Jordan Liles
Nov. 4, 2022 It's true. In the past, Thanksgiving Day had more than three times as many fires when compared t ...
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Christmas cards origin

The Origin Story of Christmas Cards

Written by:
David Mikkelson Barbara Mikkelson
Nov. 22, 1999 The first formal card was designed by an Englishman in 1843.
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A woman seduces her husband at Halloween party, then finds out he switched costumes with someone else.

Legend: Wife Seduces Husband at Halloween Party — but He Switched Costumes?

Written by:
David Mikkelson
Aug. 4, 1999 This story has circulated in various forms since at least the 1960s.
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Is Halloween the second-biggest U.S. holiday in terms of retail sales?

Is Halloween the Second-Biggest US Holiday For Consumer Spending?

Written by:
David Mikkelson Jessica Lee
Oct. 29, 2006 Between costumes for pets and candy for trick-or-treaters, the cost of the annual holiday can ad ...
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Was Anonymous Letter Decrying 'Harmful Impact' of Christmas Lights Sent to Minnesota Resident?

Written by:
Madison Dapcevich
Dec. 10, 2020 An identical letter was reportedly sent to several neighbors in the same area.
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Man holding credit card in front of laptop computer

Cyber Monday

Written by:
David Mikkelson
Nov. 25, 2007 Is the Monday after Thanksgiving the busiest online shopping day of the year?
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Holiday Mail for Heroes

Written by:
David Mikkelson
Nov. 5, 2007 Can Americans send holiday cards to service members and veterans through a Red Cross-sponsored p ...
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Halloween Jack-o-lantern

From the Snopes Archives: Spooky Legends, Halloween Candy Rumors — and More

Written by:
David Emery
Oct. 5, 2022 Here's a peek into our archive of stories about goblins, ghosts, black cats, tainted candy, and ...
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Person, Human, People

Was Alabama the 1st US State To Declare Christmas an Official Holiday?

Written by:
Jessica Lee
Jan. 15, 2022 "One of the original fake news stories," said a former archivist of historical records.
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Word, Text, Flyer

Julius Caesar: He Came, He Saw, He Conquered the Calendar and Gave Us New Year's Day

Written by:
David Emery
Jan. 1, 2022 Yes, you can blame your New Year's hangover on Caesar ... mostly.
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