Michele Debczak

Joined: Aug 11, 2015

Michele Debczak is a Senior Staff Writer for Mental Floss. Some of her favorite subjects include defunct theme park rides, weird-looking sea creatures, and fast food history. When she's not writing, she's probably reading about unsolved mysteries on Wikipedia.

A dish of Hoppin’ John is a delicious way to start the new year.

Why Is It Lucky to Eat Black-Eyed Peas on New Year’s Day?

A holly sprig is considered a traditional part of the garnish.

What Is Figgy Pudding, Anyway?

The Pagan Origins of Christmas Ham

9 Festive Facts About ‘The Polar Express’

Some dishes are worth passing over on the holiday.

8 Foods That Are Considered Bad Luck on New Year’s

If you’re superstitious, consider leaving these unlucky food items off your New Year’s menu.

The turkey is always the center of attention on Thanksgiving.

10 Facts About Your Favorite Thanksgiving Foods

From canned cranberries to the world's largest helping of mac and cheese, these fun food facts will wow your Thanksgiving guests.

The Pilgrims give thanks with no turkey or mashed potatoes in sight.

11 Thanksgiving Dishes the Pilgrims Didn't Eat

When the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag shared the first Thanksgiving in 1621, sweet potatoes, apple pie, and turkey were missing from the table.

18 Movies to Get You Into the Thanksgiving Spirit

Before diving into Christmas content, don't forget to add these fun Thanksgiving movies to your watchlist.

Our closest evolutionary cousin, the chimpanzee.

7 Misconceptions About Evolution

‘Survival of the fittest’ is Darwin 101. But did you know that Charles Darwin didn’t actually coin that phrase? Let’s explore some common myths and misconceptions about evolution.