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.

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Outdated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

Is This ‘Karen’ Halloween Costume Real? T-shirts supposedly read, "CAN I SPEAK TO THE MANAGER?"

True

Is Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Returning With Crowds? It was unknown if, or to what extent, viewing locations would have capacity limits.

True

Did ‘Yardi Gras’ Replace Mardi Gras Parades in New Orleans? New Orleans residents marked the holiday a little differently in 2021 due to the coronavirus...

True

Did a Kentucky Man Clear Driveway of Snow Using a Flamethrower? It’s a scene straight out of a "National Lampoon's" flick.

True