Title: Holidays Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
Open Graph Title: Holidays Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
X Title: Holidays Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
Description: Discover fun holiday trivia and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
Open Graph Description: Discover fun holiday trivia and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
X Description: Discover fun holiday trivia and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
Opengraph URL: https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays
Domain: www.mentalfloss.com
{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"WebSite","@id":"www.mentalfloss.com","url":"https://www.mentalfloss.com","name":"Mental Floss","description":"Discover fun holiday trivia and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Mental Floss","url":"https://www.mentalfloss.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1541941289/frontier/sites/logos/mental-floss-logo-120px-height.png"}},"inLanguage":"en-US","mainEntity":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays","url":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays","name":"Holidays Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss","description":"Discover fun holiday trivia and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPageElement","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays#main-content","name":"Main Content","description":"Discover fun holiday trivia and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity."}}}
{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.mentalfloss.com"}]}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/holiday-jokes-funny-share-with-everyone","headline":"75 Holiday Jokes That Are So Funny, You'll Want to Share Them With Everyone","description":"These jokes are sure to add a little laughter to your Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's celebrations! ","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Logan DeLoye"},"datePublished":"2026-11-10T19:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-10T19:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/holiday-jokes-funny-share-with-everyone"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/why-veterans-day-originally-called-armistice-day","headline":"Why Veterans Day Was Originally Called Armistice Day","description":"The name and the meaning of Veterans Day have changed throughout history to include all those who have served in the military.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Chelsea Thatcher"},"datePublished":"2026-11-10T15:00:01Z","dateModified":"2026-11-10T15:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/why-veterans-day-originally-called-armistice-day"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/geography/maps/most-popular-thanksgiving-desserts-by-state-map","headline":"Map Shows America's Favorite Thanksgiving Desserts","description":"DoorDash data reveals the most popular Thanksgiving desserts in every state, from classic pumpkin pie to surprising chocolate cake.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Nitya Rao"},"datePublished":"2026-11-10T01:00:01Z","dateModified":"2026-11-10T01:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/geography/maps/most-popular-thanksgiving-desserts-by-state-map"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/diwali-name-meaning","headline":"What Does “Diwali” Mean—and Why Is It Also Called Deepavali?","description":"This Hindu holiday is celebrated in many different ways, but it always revolves around one theme: the victory of light over darkness.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Eden Gordon"},"datePublished":"2026-11-08T12:00:01Z","dateModified":"2026-11-08T12:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/diwali-name-meaning"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-jokes","headline":"110 Thanksgiving Jokes That Are Surprisingly Easy to Digest","description":"Keep the dinner table laughing with 110 hilarious Thanksgiving jokes, puns, and one-liners that are easy to digest—no matter how dry the turkey is.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Nitya Rao"},"datePublished":"2026-11-08T00:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-08T00:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-jokes"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/culture/religion/why-diwali-different-dates-every-year","headline":"Why Is Diwali Celebrated on Different Dates Every Year?","description":"It all comes down to the calendar it follows. Learn more about the five-day celebration of Diwali.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jane Alexander"},"datePublished":"2026-11-07T17:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-07T17:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/culture/religion/why-diwali-different-dates-every-year"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-dinner-cost-1970s-vs-today","headline":"What Thanksgiving Dinner Cost in the 1970s Compared to Today","description":"Think Thanksgiving dinner was cheaper in the 1970s? Government price records show the turkey and milk took a far bigger bite out of your paycheck back then.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Matt Hoffman"},"datePublished":"2026-11-06T21:00:01Z","dateModified":"2026-11-06T21:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-dinner-cost-1970s-vs-today"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/quizzes/movies-tv/match-famous-actors-stephen-king-movies","headline":"Quiz: How Fast Can You Match These Famous Actors to Their Stephen King Movies?","description":"You know the characters and the towns, but can you match the actors to the Stephen King movies? Let's put that movie knowledge to the test.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandria Ingham"},"datePublished":"2026-10-31T23:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-10-31T23:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/quizzes/movies-tv/match-famous-actors-stephen-king-movies"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/literature/books/zombie-novels","headline":"8 Zombie Novels to Feast On","description":"Zombies might be most famous as onscreen villains, but they're the subject of a whole lot of gory, funny, and thought-provoking novels, too.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Lorna Wallace"},"datePublished":"2026-10-31T17:00:03Z","dateModified":"2026-10-31T17:00:03Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/literature/books/zombie-novels"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/culture/folklore-mythology/why-associate-ravens-death","headline":"Why Do We Associate Ravens With Death?","description":"Ravens have been almost universally connected with death, horror, and grief for centuries, but why?","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Chelsea Thatcher"},"datePublished":"2026-10-31T14:00:01Z","dateModified":"2026-10-31T14:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/culture/folklore-mythology/why-associate-ravens-death"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/geography/maps/most-popular-thanksgiving-sides-state-2026","headline":"2026’s Most Popular Thanksgiving Sides By State, Mapped","description":"Do you agree with the side your state ranks as number one? Check out every state’s favorite Thanksgiving side, according to Campbell’s 2026 report.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jenny Cohen"},"datePublished":"2026-11-12T00:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-12T00:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/geography/maps/most-popular-thanksgiving-sides-state-2026"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/misconceptions/real-pocahontas-facts","headline":"5 Facts You Might Not Know About the Real Pocahontas","description":"Find out the real history of Pocahontas, from her true names (Matoaka and Amonute) to the truth behind John Smith’s famous execution story.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Colin Scanlon"},"datePublished":"2026-11-08T15:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-08T15:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/misconceptions/real-pocahontas-facts"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-trivia-questions-holiday-iq-test","headline":"50 Thanksgiving Trivia Questions to Put Your Holiday IQ to the Test","description":"How much do you really know about the food, festivals, and facts of Thanksgiving? ","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Logan DeLoye"},"datePublished":"2026-11-06T19:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-06T19:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-trivia-questions-holiday-iq-test"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/what-was-menu-first-thanksgiving","headline":"What Was Really on the Menu at the First Thanksgiving?","description":"The first Thanksgiving spread was a flavorful illustration of the realities of survival, local resources, shared cultures, and short-lived alliances.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Logan DeLoye"},"datePublished":"2026-11-04T19:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-04T19:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/what-was-menu-first-thanksgiving"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/geography/states/how-likely-your-state-have-white-christmas-2026","headline":"How Likely Is Your State to Have a White Christmas in 2026?","description":"And which major city in each state has the best chance of seeing snow on Christmas Day. ","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Logan DeLoye"},"datePublished":"2026-10-15T12:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-10-15T12:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/geography/states/how-likely-your-state-have-white-christmas-2026"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/christmas/5-environmentally-smart-ways-dispose-your-christmas-tree","headline":"6 Eco-Friendly Ways to Dispose of Your Christmas Tree","description":"When it’s time to say goodbye to this year’s Christmas tree, don’t just dump it in the trash. Try one of these eco-friendly methods instead.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"D.J. MacLennan"},"datePublished":"2018-12-27T14:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-12-22T17:39:56Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/christmas/5-environmentally-smart-ways-dispose-your-christmas-tree"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/live-smarter/recycling/how-to-dispose-of-wrapping-paper","headline":"How to Properly Dispose of Wrapping Paper","description":"Can wrapping paper be recycled? As you may have guessed, correctly disposing of wrapping paper can be a bit complicated.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Zoë Randolph"},"datePublished":"2021-12-20T11:30:00Z","dateModified":"2025-12-09T16:49:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/live-smarter/recycling/how-to-dispose-of-wrapping-paper"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/christmas/25-non-christmasy-things-have-happened-december-25","headline":"25 Non-Christmas Things That Have Happened on December 25","description":"Other momentous events have happened on December 25, like Washington crossing the Delaware and the birth of Jimmy Buffett.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Kenneth Partridge"},"datePublished":"2018-12-25T08:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-12-09T19:32:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/christmas/25-non-christmasy-things-have-happened-december-25"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/christmas/12-things-you-might-not-know-about-twelve-days-christmas","headline":"12 Things You Might Not Know About “The Twelve Days of Christmas”","description":"The actual 12 days of Christmas start on December 25—here are some fun facts about the song you can enjoy during the festivities.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Dakota Morrison"},"datePublished":"2013-12-14T12:55:00Z","dateModified":"2025-12-10T18:40:48Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/christmas/12-things-you-might-not-know-about-twelve-days-christmas"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/christmas/25-things-look-while-watching-24-hour-christmas-story-marathon","headline":"25 Things to Look for During the 24-Hour ‘A Christmas Story’ Marathon","description":"Watch ‘A Christmas Story’ in a whole new way—however many times you want—with these blink-and-you’ll-miss-‘em gaffes, anachronisms, and fun facts.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jennifer M Wood"},"datePublished":"2018-12-23T12:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-12-03T15:29:27Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/christmas/25-things-look-while-watching-24-hour-christmas-story-marathon"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/christmas/8-famous-christmas-babies","headline":"8 Famous Christmas Babies","description":"Jesus likely wasn’t born on December 25—but these people most definitely were.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jill Harness"},"datePublished":"2010-12-24T01:30:43Z","dateModified":"2025-12-02T22:04:29Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays/christmas/8-famous-christmas-babies"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/why-do-we-kiss-under-mistletoe","headline":"Why Do We Kiss Under Mistletoe During the Holidays?","description":"The everlasting tradition of kissing under the mistletoe during the Christmas holiday season goes back to ancient times.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Sam Hindman"},"datePublished":"2025-12-24T15:00:03Z","dateModified":"2025-12-24T15:00:03Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/why-do-we-kiss-under-mistletoe"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/presidents/founding-father-refused-celebrate-independence-day","headline":"The One Founding Father Who Refused to Celebrate Independence Day","description":"This diplomat remained convinced that Americans were celebrating the wrong day.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Logan DeLoye"},"datePublished":"2026-07-04T19:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-07-04T19:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/presidents/founding-father-refused-celebrate-independence-day"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/language/words/fireworks-word-origins","headline":"Where the Word \"Fireworks\" Comes From","description":"Accidents, the search for immortality, and war may have all played roles in the development of these aerial attractions. Here's how the word \"fireworks\" came to be.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Eden Gordon"},"datePublished":"2026-07-04T16:00:01Z","dateModified":"2026-07-04T16:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/language/words/fireworks-word-origins"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/classic-rock-songs-fourth-of-july-staples","headline":"10 Classic Rock Songs That Became Fourth Of July Staples","description":"From Bruce Springsteen to James Brown, expect to hear these at your holiday barbecue.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Anthony Jones"},"datePublished":"2026-07-04T15:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-07-04T15:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/music/classic-rock-songs-fourth-of-july-staples"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/nostalgia/80s/smells-defined-fourth-of-july","headline":"7 Smells That Defined Fourth Of July in the 1980s","description":"Take a trip down memory lane with these nostalgic scents this Fourth Of July.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jenny Cohen"},"datePublished":"2026-07-04T12:00:02Z","dateModified":"2026-07-04T12:00:02Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/nostalgia/80s/smells-defined-fourth-of-july"}}
| fb:app_id | 350309542584520 |
| fb:pages | 10974002364 |
| og:site_name | Mental Floss |
| og:image:width | 1440 |
| og:image:height | 810 |
| twitter:url | https://www.mentalfloss.com/holidays |
| twitter:card | summary_large_image |
| twitter:image:width | 1440 |
| twitter:image:height | 810 |
| theme-color | #000000 |
| og:type | website |
| og:image | https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1541941289/frontier/sites/logos/mental-floss-logo-120px-height.png |
| twitter:image | https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1541941289/frontier/sites/logos/mental-floss-logo-120px-height.png |
Links:
Viewport: width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0
Robots: max-image-preview:large