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.

Were Halloween ‘Blood Rave’ Attendees Sprayed with Real Blood? It supposedly happened at a night club in Amsterdam.

False

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? This story has circulated in various forms since at least the 1960s.

Legend

‘Clown Purge’ on Halloween? The social media clown panic has inevitably merged with "purge" rumors, just in time for...

False

Did ‘Killer Clown’ Leave Warning Note to Cancel Halloween or ‘Kids Will Die’? The story of a "killer clown" leaving a threatening note at a school was published...

Labeled Satire

Is Halloween the second-biggest U.S. holiday in terms of retail sales?

Is Halloween the Second-Biggest US Holiday For Consumer Spending? Between costumes for pets and candy for trick-or-treaters, the cost of the annual holiday can...

False

Was Valentine’s Day Invented by Greeting Card Companies? It's a pithy line for the lovelorn and screenwriters to say, but is it true?

False

How Old Is Punxsutawney Phil? According to legend, the world's most famous groundhog has been predicting the weather since 1886.

Legend

Was Alabama the 1st US State To Declare Christmas an Official Holiday? "One of the original fake news stories," said a former archivist of historical records.

Unproven

Is the US Postal Service’s ‘Operation Santa’ Real? The U.S. Postal Service may be answering your letters to Santa Claus.

True

Did CNN Compare Journalists to Soldiers on Veterans Day? While this article was reshared on Veterans Day 2021, it was originally published in August...

Outdated

Is USPS Issuing No New Christmas Stamps in 2021? The never-ending "War on Christmas" finds its battleground in the postal service.

False

Did Christmas Presents Never Arrive Late Under Trump? "What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means...

False