The new year tradition of Mitaarfik in Greenland features a bunch of people in masks hanging out in your house without saying a word. Plus: Today in 2022, Preet Chandi became the first woman of color to successfully make a solo expedition to the South Pole. Mitaartut – The silent masked performances (Visit Greenland) Preet Chandi is the first woman…

About this time in 1910, a member of Congress thought the next big food trend would be hippo meat. Plus: Williams Lake, British Columbia designates every January 2 as Wrestling Day, but it's not related to a sport. Lake Bacon: The Story of The Man Who Wanted Us to Eat Mississippi Hippos (The Daily Beast) A city in B.C. has an actual civic holiday c…

We’re ringing in the new year (as well as marking National Ring a Bell Day) with the story of a bell that’s been ringing year in and year out for almost two centuries. Plus: a new year’s tradition on US Navy ships is to write up the first deck watch of a new year in verse. This Battery Has Lasted 175 Years and No One Knows How (VICE) Midwatch In Ve…

Watching TV on the last night of the year? That's fine; in fact, there’s a tradition on German TV of showing a classic comedy sketch every December 31. Plus: today in 2023, a Connecticut family has a baby a minute before midnight... and another shortly after. How An Obscure British Comedy Sketch Became The World’s Most Repeated TV Program (Mental F…

Today in 1952, a double decker bus driver in London had to make a split second decision to protect his passengers… and realized the safest option was to gun it and jump a city landmark. Plus: today in 1999, the passing of Sarah Knauss, who at age 119 was the longest-lived American ever. The day a bus jumped Tower Bridge (TowerBridge.org) World's ol…

There’s a tradition around this time of year in Wales called Mari Lwyd. It starts with a knock at the door in the winter night, and it only gets spookier from there. Plus: feeling harried after the holidays? Tree.fm features the sounds of forests from around the world so you can commune with nature wherever you are. The midwinter majesty of the Mar…

Happy Hanukkah! The eight day Festival of Lights takes place toward the end of each year, but due to some unusual circumstances, there won't be a Hanukkah at all in 3031 (!) Plus: Untapped New York has some recommendations for NYC menorahs you might want to check out. This Year's Dates for Celebrating Hanukkah are Odd—Here's Why (Newsweek) 9 GIANT …

Merry Christmas! On this day of giving, you deserve a treat: a holiday favorite in Caribbean countries known as black cake. Plus: Christmastime in Budapest, Hungary means a chance to ride the Light Tram. In the Caribbean, It's Not Christmas Without Black Cake (HowStuffWorks) Long Exposure Photos of Budapest Trams Lit Up with 30,000 LED Lights (Colo…

There are lots of different kinds of celebrations on Christmas Eve. In Iceland, book lovers take part in Jólabókaflóð , which means "the Christmas flood of books." And they're not exaggerating. Plus: Iceland may have a flood of books at Christmas, but New York City’s got a whole lot of unique outdoor Christmas trees. Jólabókaflóð: the Christmas flo…

Today in 1814, the incorporation of the city of Cleveland, Ohio. There’s a famous sign on top of a building so that people flying in airplanes can see the message “Welcome to Cleveland," though that sign’s not actually anywhere near Cleveland. Plus: Today in 2021, an acrobat from Vietnam set a world record for most consecutive stairs climbed while …

Today in 1988, a report in the New York Times noted that restaurant chain Denny's was shutting its doors for Christmas Day, only to run into a little hiccup around those doors. Plus: Kazumasa Yamashita’s Face House was an attraction in Kyoto that looked exactly like what its name suggested. Diner Chain Has to Buy Locks for First Holiday Closing (Ne…

Cuetlaxochitl, flor de Noche Buena, poinsettia, estrella federal… here’s the story of a plant with a lot of names. Plus: today in 1997, the US release of the movie “Titanic,” and there’s a guy in Florida who’s trying to collect a titanic number of VHS copies of the film. The checkered history of the poinsettia’s namesake and the flower’s origins ge…

Today in 1966 CBS first broadcast a holiday classic, “Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas.” It came to the small screen largely because a giant in the cartoon industry happened to be an old friend of the author. Plus: today in 1998, rocker Alice Cooper opened a rock and sports-themed restaurant and club in Phoenix, Arizona he called Coopers’…

Today in 1960, Chas Newby of Liverpool got a temp job that would give him a story he could dine out on for the rest of his life: for two weeks, he played bass for the Beatles. Plus: today in 1985, a radio DJ in Iowa tried to ward off the holiday blues in an extremely repetitive way. When Chas Newby Was With the Beatles for Two Weeks (Ultimate Class…

Today in 1901, a newspaper article proclaimed 16 year old May Kaarlus as perhaps the greatest trick shot billiard player in the whole world. And she really could play that well, though the career of this pool table prodigy went on to take a surprise turn. Plus: around this time in 2020, a baker sent a friend some hot chocolate bombs as gifts, thoug…

If you’re doing an Advent calendar this month, you’re just over halfway finished opening up those little windows to see what’s inside. So let’s open up a few windows into where they came from. Plus: engineering students at ETH Zurich are trying to build robots that can drop little presents down scale model chimneys. Advent calendars, explained: Whe…

Today in 1986, a newspaper column by film critic Gene Siskel helped to turn a local snack favorite in Chicago into a signature of the city. Plus: if you like holiday displays, there’s a pretty unusual one in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, a family of plywood moose. Chicago’s love affair with popcorn goes back 150 years, from Cracker Jack to Garrett Mix (C…

Today in 1972, Apollo 17 landed on the moon. So far, it’s the last mission that put human beings on the lunar surface. And it was the only Apollo mission where the dust all over that surface gave an astronaut a strong allergic reaction. Plus: around this time in 2011, a cat in Italy named Tommasso kind of inherited a multi-million dollar estate. Th…

Kids have been writing letters to Santa for well over a century. Those letters are a fascinating, hilarious and sometimes jaw-dropping window into our own history. Plus: iIf you’re looking for an attraction worthy of the holiday season, you might head to Williams Bay, Wisconsin, to see the World’s Tallest Glass Tree. A Brief History of Sending a Le…

Today in 1965, CBS broadcast “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” It's one of the iconic TV holiday specials today, but pretty much everyone who put the TV special together thought it was going to be a failure. Plus: today in 2004, a basketball comeback for the books, courtesy of Houston Rockets star Tracy McGrady. Life After Snoopy (Stanford Magazine via …

Nothing says the holidays like a creepy devil creature hitting you with sticks! In some European countries, there are parades focused on Father Christmas's evil counterpart, Krampus. Plus: starting tomorrow in Oklahoma, it’s the Minco Honey Festival. Austria's Krampus Parades, Where Santa's 'Evil Twin' Will Beat You With a Broom (Travel + Leisure) …

This month in 1893, the formal start of an effort to build a new kind of seagoing vessel: a ship with rolling wheels. Plus: now underway in Louisiana, it’s the Natchitoches Christmas Festival. Across the Ocean in One Hundred Hours (The Illustrated American via Google Books) 98th Annual Natchitoches Christmas Festival Roll on over to our Patreon pag…

Today in 2023, a news report on the end of an era: a pastry chef in Anchorage, Alaska was, for the last time, building his massive and renowned holiday village out of gingerbread. Also on this day in 2023: a diner in China posted a photo of their food on social media, and ended up with a lot more entrees than anybody could eat. ‘I had a good run’: …

Today in 1976, Pink Floyd was trying to take a photo of an inflatable pig flying over a power plant for one of its iconic album covers… only the situation literally got out of hand. Plus: today in 1971, the release of the debut album by the Electric Light Orchestra, which accidentally got released with the wrong album title because of a phone call …

During National Car Donation Month, some drivers may trade out gas-powered cars and trucks for electric ones. But EVs aren't the only alternative: for decades, people have built and driven cars powered by firewood. Plus: this Saturday in Milwaukee, it’s the Santa Cycle Rampage. Wood Gas Vehicles: Cars That Run on Firewood (Amusing Planet) Santa Cyc…

This week we’re replaying some of our past episodes about the holiday and its traditions. In this episode from November 2022, we look at how the sitcom "WKRP In Cincinnati" put together its absolutely legendary Thanksgiving episode. Turkeys Away: An Oral History (Classic TV History) We give thanks today (and every day) for our Patreon backers, and …

This week we’re replaying some of our past episodes about the holiday and its traditions. In this episode from November 2021, the story of the woman who accidentally invited a stranger to Thanksgiving, and then she and her new dinner guest became friends. Plus: in 1957, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade went ahead despite the rain, which led to an…

This week we’re replaying some of our past episodes about the holiday and its traditions. In this episode from November 2019, we look at how Thanksgiving leftovers once changed the entire way we eat. Plus: a big moment for (literally) underground music, the Holiday Cave Sing at Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. The Rise and Fall of the TV Dinner (Cheddar o…

This week we’re replaying some of our past episodes about the holiday and its traditions. In this episode from November 2019, we celebrate that for which we are all most grateful: the bewildering foods that inexplicably become part of our annual Thanksgiving dinners. Plus: at this time of year, enthusiasts who turn their houses into massive holiday…

This week we’re replaying some of our past episodes about the holiday and its traditions. In this episode from November 2020, we remember the 2008 Macy’s parade, the only parade that’s ever been Rickrolled in real time, by Rick Astley himself. Plus: a dad in Thailand has started playing piano concerts for a group of wild macaques living in an aband…

Today in 2012, football fans got to see one of the most spectacularly wrong plays in NFL history, one known today simply as “the butt fumble.” Plus: today in 2017, a report on what could have been the greatest crossover event in movie history, with an icon of slasher movies facing off against two icons of stoner movies. A Decade of Butt Jokes and M…

Today in 1789, North Carolina became the twelfth state to ratify the US Constitution. In the central part of the state there's an unincorporated community that locals named Whynot for a pretty unusual reason. Plus: starting Saturday in Milwaukee, it’s Trainfest, which bills itself as the largest operating model railroad show in the US. Whynot, Nort…

Today in 1969, at a session for soul and funk icon James Brown, drummer Clyde Stubblefield laid down what's probably the most sampled beat of all time. Plus: today in 2021, the premiere of "Sooyii," the first movie filmed entirely in the Blackfoot language. Funky Drummer — pop history was made when James Brown hollered ‘Hit it!’ (Financial Times) F…

For World Toilet Day, we turn our attention to a bathroom at California Polytechnic State University that's unusual even for that campus. Plus: it's National Play Monopoly Day. Do you know the full names of the game's mustachioed mascot and the police officer who sends people to Jail without passing Go? Cal Poly’s unconventional bathroom: A campus …

Today in 1963, AT&T launched the first commercial telephone service where customers could use touch-tone devices instead of rotary dial. It started with just two communities in western Pennsylvania, but of course it spread, way way beyond that. Plus: a couple in southern Australia comes home to find a koala sitting on their floor. 50 years ago, tou…

Today in 1920, the Royal Australian Navy added a woman to its ranks for the very first time. Her name was Nancy Bentley, she was six years old, and the Navy “enlisted” her in an effort to save her life. Plus: starting tomorrow in New Orleans, it’s Beignet Fest. Before her time – the tale of Navy’s first female sailor (NavyHistory.au) BEIGNET FEST W…

Today in 1919 (or, by some accounts, 1922), the birthday of Veronica Lake, a movie star whose iconic hairstyle won over millions of fans, even when she gave up that trademark look to help the US win World War II. Plus: a design studio in Barcelona, Bel & Bel, is giving new life to the front panels of old Vespa scooters by turning them into stylish …

Today in 1965, a landmark moment in the history of televised profanity: an f-bomb live on the BBC! We'll look back at some choice moments where people used choice words on the air. Plus: today in 1957, an article in the Guardian newspaper where a guy suggests bringing the world back toward faith by sending a bishop into space. Bleep This: A Brief H…

Tonight in 1833, the beginning of a bright show in the evening sky, one that was so bright and so busy, some people started to freak out about it. Plus: today in 2015, an NFL game featuring a special set of jerseys turns into a washout for colorblind football fans. November 12-13, 1833: The Night the Stars Fell (Newspapers.com) When Red (Bills) Met…

For Veterans Day, the story of Vietnam-era servicemember Douglas Hegdahl. He tricked his captors into thinking he was "the incredibly stupid one," but by using his incredibly sharp memory, he was able to memorize (and later share) information about hundreds of American POWs, in the hopes of keeping them safer and healthier until they could come hom…

Today in 1971, the release of the fourth Led Zeppelin album. The opening track, "Black Dog," still gets played and shared today, and it got its name from a very unusual visitor to the studio. Plus: in 2023, a researcher came across the original version of the photo on the Zeppelin album's cover, the one with the older man carrying a big bundle of s…

On Election Day 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt won 56 percent of the popular vote, a huge majority in the Electoral College, and two ostriches. No, really. Plus: starting tomorrow near Haines, Alaska, it’s the Alaska Bald Eagle Festival. In 1904, Theodore Roosevelt Won a Presidential Election…And a Pair of Ostriches (Smithsonian) Alaska Bald Ea…

Today is apparently National Taxi Day, which means we get to talk about a program in New York City where they got some very famous voices to give safety tips for taxi riders. Plus: this Saturday in Las Vegas, Major League Eating presents its Hotcake Eating Championships. ⁠A Celebrity in Every Taxi⁠ (Ironic Sans) ⁠NORMS Las Vegas: Hotcake Eating Cha…

Whatever you're feeling on this Election Day, you might enjoy a slice of an old-school election cake many Americans used to serve when it was time to vote. Plus: this week in Pelion, South Carolina, it's the Pelion Peanut Party. When Elections in Hartford Were a Piece of Cake (Connecticut History) Pelion Peanut Party Vote for Cool Weird Awesome as …

Happy National Easy Bake Oven Day! It was today in 1963 that kids could start baking by lightbulb thanks to these colorful little toy appliances. We'll explain how it all came together. Plus: today is National Candy Day, so probably a good time to visit the online Candy Wrapper Museum. The Untold History of the Easy Bake Oven (Gizmodo) Take a Peek …

For el Dia de los Muertos, the living honor loved ones who have passed on with music, dancing, elaborate decorations and food, including what's known as pan de muerto, the bread of the dead. Plus: tomorrow at the Nashville Farmers Market, it’s the annual Turnip Green Festival. San Antonio bakers explain pan de muerto's importance during Day of the …

Halloween didn't turn out so great for the title character of “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” But that led viewers to do something nice for him afterward. Plus: if you happen to be in Caracas, Venezuela, on this Halloween, keep an eye out for a spot known as the "Balcony of the Dolls." Charlie Brown’s Halloween Miracle (Now I Know) Creepy …

Today in 1735, the birthday of John Adams, the only president who ever spent a night bickering in bed with Benjamin Franklin. Plus: starting tomorrow in Kansas City, it's the World Series of Barbecue. That Time Ben Franklin Slept in the Same Bed With John Adams (Entrepreneur) World Series of Barbecue Help this podcast stay independent as a backer o…

Today in 1861, the birthday of a woman with a very strange story. For reasons that aren’t at all clear, Karolina Olsson went to bed as a 14 year old and apparently didn’t wake up until she was in her forties. Plus: someone marked Halloween by playing keyboards in a New York subway station dressed up as Michael Myers. To this day, the questions rema…

For National Chocolate Day, the story of a World War II-era chocolate bar that wasn't too sweet, and that’s exactly how it was supposed to be. Plus: there was a couple who had a zombie-themed wedding at a bar in Little Rock, Arkansas back in the 2000s. How Hershey’s Chocolate Helped Power Allied Troops During WWII (History.com) Wild days at White W…