Rituals and Traditions

People who eat too many croissants for breakfast or visit during August.

Swimming in Paris

Lap-swimming in Paris takes cultural openness and skimpy bathing attire

Fishermen pass the hours along the Bosporus Strait. They occasionally catch sardines.

Istanbul: The Maddest City in Europe

“That’s the fattest stray dog I’ve ever seen.” A lot has changed here since Mark Twain wrote about the city, but there's still plenty of mayhem

A relic from the communist era lies along the road to the Kabata Hut.

Uphill All the Way in the Rhodope Mountains

I have my dinner—cheese, a four-pound organic tomato, a sack of figs and a jar of pickled chanterelles—and I’m ready to get lost on the mountain roads

Spring-fed fountains are refreshing rest spots in the Bulgarian countryside.

What to Drink in Bulgaria

The fountains are a marvel of local social infrastructure; the spouts pour out spring water along almost every mile of mountain roads

Pink and blue arrived as colors for babies in the mid-19th century; yet, the two colors were not promoted as gender signifiers until just before World War I.

When Did Girls Start Wearing Pink?

Every generation brings a new definition of masculinity and femininity that manifests itself in children’s dress

Cracking Open the History of Fortune Cookies

That crunchy confection whose unobtrusive vanilla flavor is always a welcome complement to a heavy, savory meal

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How to Celebrate Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere

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Fruitcake 101: A Concise Cultural History of This Loved and Loathed Loaf

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Food Fit For the Dead—And the Living

Every September for 86 years, Santa Fe residents have gathered to witness the burning of Zozobra.

Zozobra: The Boogeyman of Santa Fe

Each year, New Mexicans gather around a giant burning effigy, casting off their bad memories into the consuming bonfire

Pumpkin Carving Ideas From Around the Smithsonian

Print out and tape these stencils to your Halloween pumpkin for a different kind of jack o'lantern

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Giving Thanks at Sukkot

Reservations "are strongholds of community," says Chris Eyre.

A Youth Renaissance for Native Americans

Filmmaker Chris Eyre says Native pride will embolden the next generation of first Americans

Hanamikoji street, Geisha district, Gion, Kyoto

In Kyoto, Feeling Forever Foreign

Travel writer Pico Iyer remains both fascinated and puzzled by the ancient Japanese city

Isolation allowed the Kurds to survive for thousands of years while other cultures faded from history.

Kurdish Heritage Reclaimed

After years of conflict, Turkey's tradition-rich Kurdish minority is experiencing a joyous cultural reawakening

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Cinco Non-Alcoholic Mexican Beverages

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Model Moralist

Wayne Wheeler had a mission

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May Day Fritters and Beltane Cakes

The first bite into the bunny tells all.

Why Are Chocolate Easter Bunnies Hollow?

Isn't it cruel to disappoint kids, who bite into what looks like solid chocolate and are confronted with emptiness?

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Cooking with Easter Candy

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