Mental Floss

ALCOHOL







No siestas during this major holiday.

There’s a lot to learn about the rich history surrounding Cinco de Mayo, the annual springtime celebration of Hispanic heritage and culture in the United States. Discover the origins of the holiday here, plus so much else.

Jessica Bloustein Marshall


NASA officially prohibits alcohol aboard its missions, but that didn’t stop some American astronauts from enjoying a wee nip with their Russian colleagues.

Nick Keppler








Illustration of people enjoying wassail, circa 1800.

Here‘s everything you need to know about this beloved Christmas tradition, from how it evolved to a fun guide for doing it yourself.

Lucas Reilly
A dash of nutmeg on top never hurt.

Eggnog started out as a fancy English drink called posset and made its way into American holiday celebrations.

Ethan Trex






Just a shot in the dark.

One theory suggests that we call liquor “spirits” because of alcohol’s association with one spirit in particular: the Holy Spirit. But there are other possible origins.

Ellen Gutoskey