Holiday Traditions

Christmas Traditions in the Spanish-Speaking World is a warm, beautifully written guide to how Hispanic communities celebrate the season across Latin America and Spain. It blends history, food, music, and faith with the small, familiar details that make December feel like casa. Plus, the research behind this collection also highlights traditions from many other Spanish-speaking countries, revealing the beautiful diversity of how Christmas is celebrated across the Hispanic world.

The winter solstice, the day the "sun stands still," marks the longest night and the shortest day of the year, and it comes either on December 20th or 21st. Celebrations honoring the winter solstice as a moment of transition and renewal date back thousands of years and occur among many peoples on every continent. The Return of the Light makes an ideal companion for everyone who carries on this tradition, no matter what their faith.

Though Halloween today is largely known for its commercialized customs of costumes, candy, and carved pumpkins, its origins trace back more than 2,000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain. Celebrated by ancient Celts in the lands that are now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the colder, darker half of the year.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrates the life of the civil rights movement leader. Some people observe the day by singing, reading, or watching movies about him. Others volunteer in their community or make peace-inspired crafts. Listeners will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.

Indigenous Peoples' Day is about celebrating! The second Monday in October is a day to honor Native American people, their histories, and cultures. People mark the day with food, dancing, and songs. Listeners will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.

Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. Across the country, people observe the day with speeches, poetry readings, festivals, picnics, street fairs, and family reunions. It is a day for people to come together and continue working toward equality.

Christmas is about celebrating! It is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus. Some people mark the holiday with Christmas trees and other decorations. People gather with family and friends to eat meals and give gifts. Listeners will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.

Diwali is about celebrating! It honors the Hindu story of Rama. Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains also celebrate Diwali. To celebrate this Festival of Lights, people light lamps, watch fireworks, and dance. Others might exchange cards and presents. Listeners will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.

Kwanzaa is about celebrating! It honors African American heritage. Some people mark the holiday by lighting the kinara. Families and friends gather to eat a big feast. Listeners will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.

Día de los Muertos is a special holiday to remember and celebrate loved ones. It is a Mexican tradition held to honor those who have died. Some people dress up and go to parades. Others sing, dance, and eat special food. Others decorate altars with flowers and make offerings. Listeners will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.

Cinco de Mayo is about celebrating! It honors a Mexican Army victory during the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Some people mark the holiday with folk dancing or traditional foods such as chalupas and mole poblano. Others watch parades or attend cultural festivals. Listeners will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.

Groundhog Day puts weather prediction in the paws of a rodent! To celebrate this holiday, some people watch Punxsutawney Phil in person, on TV, or online. Others make springtime crafts or have groundhog parties. Listeners will discover how a shared special day can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.

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Former secretary of education and New York Times bestselling author William Bennett blends his historical expertise with his gift for storytelling into a heartwarming book about the man who ultimately became known as Santa Claus. Beloved writer and speaker William Bennett brings the legendary...

A five-day travel guide to unforgettable French travel! Have no idea where to start? Or maybe you have an idea but could use some great insider tips? Well, listen on! You see, we know your trip begins before you even book your flight, and this guide is chock full of dynamite tips on everything you need to know before you go and much, much more!

A rescued beagle and his boy owner seek love and understanding for their troubled small town in this holiday companion to the Newbery Medal–winning Shiloh, from Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Christmas is coming and Marty and his rescued pup Shiloh are sure glad about that—for their town is...

This program contains music and full sound design. Start your own holiday tradition inspired by this bestselling Yuletide story. Based on a real Icelandic tradition where people gift books to their family and friends on Christmas Eve, The Christmas Book Flood brings all the sparkle and...

The cheerful, diminutive creatures of Santa's North Pole workshop stand in stark contrast to their folkloric ancestors. In ancient pagan traditions, particularly those of Norse and Germanic cultures, elves were not the jolly, toy making sprites we know today, but rather powerful and often mischievous supernatural beings.

It's easy to think of Santa Claus as just a jolly, plump man in a red suit, a cozy figure who perfectly sums up the magic of Christmas. But what if I told you that the story is a lot weirder and a lot older than you’ve been led to believe? Forget the North Pole for a minute, and picture something a bit more primal: a flying shaman on a mushroom fueled trip, a wild god leading a ghostly hunt through the winter sky, and ancient tree spirits honored long before Christianity came around.

Of all the traditions that define the holiday season, none is more iconic than the Christmas tree. From a simple pine decorated with care to a towering spruce aglow with a thousand lights, it is a centerpiece of our holiday celebrations, a familiar and unchanging symbol that welcomes us home each winter. For many, the sight of a decorated evergreen instantly evokes childhood memories of glittering ornaments and family gatherings, making its annual return feel both timeless and profoundly personal.