Christmas

Some of these gingerbread cookies take months to make.

These masked dancers are part of traditional celebrations in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast.

On Saaremaa, a local distillery turns town-square trees into festive mixers.

From pickles on the tree to live carp in the bathtub.

Long before your living room's seasonal centerpiece, cultures around the world marked the darkest time of year with palms, pines, and other greenery.

This is how you do the holidays in the desert.

But did they create the famous one with a starring role in Citizen Kane?

Las patinatas—"the skating"—dates back to the 1950s.

Not a gummy bear was spared during the Great Borough Bake-Off.

Dive into the origins of a Swedish holiday tradition that evolved from sinister pagan lore to a celebration of light, warmth, and music.

At Milwaukee’s Krampusnacht, we go in search of the essence of Santa’s unholy enforcer.

In Mooloolaba, Australia, Saint Nick wears sunglasses.

At least a half dozen communities in North America have claimed the title. 

A gift guide from the Atlas Obscura team.