Honoring Lives Lost and Confronting Violence Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), observed every year on November 20, is a solemn day dedicated to honoring transgender and gender-diverse people whose lives were taken by acts of anti-trans violence. The day was founded in 1999 by activist Gwendolyn Ann Smith to memorialize Rita Hester, a Black transgender […]
A Sweet and Spicy Tradition Gingerbread has a long and flavorful history that spans continents and centuries. In China, ginger has been used medicinally for more than 4,000 years. Medieval crusaders returning from the Near East brought ginger and other exotic spices to Europe, where bakers began blending them with honey to create spiced biscuits. […]
The Heart of the Holiday Table Stuffing—or dressing, depending on where you live—has been part of festive tables for centuries. Recipes for filled birds and baked breads span civilizations and continents, from the Roman Empire to the modern American kitchen. National Stuffing Day, celebrated on November 21, pays homage to this humble yet essential dish […]
Uncorking America’s Heritage Grape Wine lovers sometimes speak of Zinfandel as though it were a person—a charismatic rogue with an adventurous past who somehow became a pillar of American culture. […]
Celebrating Alaska’s Most Improbable Creature Alascattalo Day, observed on November 8, pays tribute to one of Alaska’s great inside jokes: the mighty, mysterious, and entirely mythical Alascattalo. This fictional beast—a […]
The Bright Taste of Autumn Cranberries are one of the few fruits native to North America that have become an international symbol of autumn feasts. Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern […]
Gathering in Gratitude Thanksgiving in the United States is rooted in harvest festivals that humans have held since the dawn of agriculture. The holiday most often traced to 1621 in […]
Honoring a Legacy of Compassion Humane Society Anniversary Day, observed on November 22, celebrates the founding of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the global movement it […]
From Chaos to Commerce: The Evolution of Black Friday The term Black Friday originally had nothing to do with holiday bargains. In the 1950s and ’60s, police in Philadelphia used […]
The Art and Alchemy of Espresso There’s something inherently cinematic about the way a shot of espresso is made. The air fills with the scent of freshly ground coffee beans, […]
Celebrating the Companions Who Love Us Unconditionally Thankful for My Dog Day, celebrated each year on November 23, is a gentle reminder to pause and appreciate the four-legged friends who fill our lives with love, laughter, and loyalty. Whether bounding toward us after a long day or quietly curling up at our feet, dogs have […]
When the Wolves Bring Gifts National Wolfenoot Day, celebrated every year on November 23, is one of the most imaginative and heart-warming new holidays to emerge from the internet age. It began in 2018 when a seven-year-old boy in New Zealand told his mother about a dream in which the “Spirit of the Wolf” delivered […]