15 Festive Facts About Christmas Lights
From Thomas Edison’s ingenious marketing strategy to Carson Williams’ viral “Wizards of Winter” display, here are some facts about fairy lights to keep you warm throughout the season.
From Thomas Edison’s ingenious marketing strategy to Carson Williams’ viral “Wizards of Winter” display, here are some facts about fairy lights to keep you warm throughout the season.
Since the character's inception, Rudolph has more closely resembled a white-tailed deer than the reindeer that live near the North Pole.
The debate about banning “Baby It’s Cold Outside” rages on, but it’s not the only problematic Christmas carol to land on the do-not-play list.
Nuclear war. Prisons unraveling. And using toilet paper for money. People were freaked out about Y2K.
In 2022, Mental Floss readers had trucks, dogs, food, Wordle, and the royal family on their minds.
The Christmas legend that animals gain the power of speech on Christmas Eve has roots all the way back in the manger.
How did we get from one ugly Christmas sweater party in Vancouver to … here? It’s quite a yarn.
In this episode of The History of Fun, Mental Floss producer and host Justin Dodd traces the topsy-turvy track of roller coaster history and explores the science behind being thrilled.
Celebrating the New Year is a big deal in Scotland.
Charles Dickens appreciated a prize turkey as much as Ebenezer Scrooge did. And on Christmas Eve 1869, his was missing.
According to paternalistic hereditary succession, Charles Edward Stuart was directly in line to the throne.
"Carol of the Bells" was adapted from the Ukrainian composition “Shchedryk,” a New Year’s ballad that doubled as a cry for independence in the aftermath of World War I.
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.
The area remains a chilling reminder of nuclear disaster, while at the same time drawing thousands of tourists each year.
When he was an 18-year-old sophomore at Williams College, Stephen Sondheim satirized college life with a musical about a fraternity that tries to swap out philanthropy for more parties.
The transition from radio to a televised broadcast marked a new era for the monarchy.
From scratch-resistant eyeglass lenses to memory foam, here’s all the tech you should be thanking NASA for.
These prehistoric beasts deserve just as much recognition as their dinosaur peers.
For centuries, the Sámi people of Northern Europe have relied on reindeer herding for food, warmth, and income.
Whether he’s coming to town, doublechecking his list, or kissing your mom, that rotund, rosy-cheeked gift bearer is probably Santa Claus to you. But around the world, he goes by many different names.
The tradition of eating ham on Christmas dates back to Nordic animal sacrifices.
No word on how Santa feels about the Jolly Green Giant’s appropriation of his trademark phrase.
Thomas Nast’s illustrations of Santa for ‘Harper’s Weekly’ shaped the Father Christmas we know today.
Mr. Potato Head made history when its first television commercial aired in 1952.