Big Questions Answered, How and Why

Have you ever noticed there’s a pin-sized hole in each coffee cup lid? There’s a reason for that.

Those mysterious white lines you often see on the road right before a storm aren't just for show.

A speech bubble with the words “that’s woke” inside.

Where the word “woke” came from and how it’s used today.

It’s not just because you’re spending more time indoors.

Ever wonder why the new year officially starts on January 1? Turns out, you can thank Pope Gregory XIII—and Julius Caesar.

Giant piles of nasty, filthy snow will still line your streets, long after the most recent winter storm. What gives?

End-of-year smooching has roots in the parties of ancient Rome, but Thomas Edison had a part to play, too.

Jesus’s birthday is subject to interpretation, and there are plenty of intriguing theories to explain how we landed on December 25 to celebrate Christmas.

This has become a distinctly Christmastime saying.

Nobody will think you’re talking about baseball season, open season, or any other season. But why?

While it might seem a little more magical if we told you that nobody really knows why Santa lives there, there is a relatively traceable paper trail.

Americans favor 'Merry Christmas,' while Brits opt for 'Happy Christmas.' Here's how we got here.

Myths about elves predate Christmas and Christianity itself.

A person waving with question marks around them

Looking at the origins of this Jeep-owner tradition.

She probably won't mind the waxier chocolate.

Chocolate is chocolate, isn’t it? If so, then why does the chocolate you find in many Advent calendars taste so weird?

The history of why people started using popcorn as Christmas tree decor.

Why do the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys always take to the field for a Thanksgiving football game? Because it’s tradition! But how did this tradition begin?