Holidays

Leap year. It’s a delight for the calendar and math nerds among us. So how did it all begin and why? Ancient civilizations had calendars that made periodic corrections to realign with lunar and solar cycles. But it was Julius Caesar who put into practice what we now consider leap years back in 46 BC. In large part, the idea...

George Washington was uneasy about the idea of commemorating his life. He was the first leader of a new republic — not a tyrant. And yet the nation will once again celebrate the first U.S. president on Monday, 292 years after he was born.

What is the Lunar New Year and who celebrates it? What do you say, eat or do? Experts explain traditions and give tips on welcoming the new year.

Every February, a furry animal tells Americans how long winter will last, but do you know why?

Starbucks made $212 million in 2022 from unspent gift cards, but not all unused gift card money goes back to the company.

How long will Chicago’s Christmas tree stay lit this holiday season?

While gift-giving is a big part of the Christmas holiday, so too is gift returning, but before you head to the store to bring back your unwanted gifts, there are some things experts say you should know.

While gift giving is a big part of the Christmas holiday, so too is gift returning, but before you head to the store to bring back your unwanted gifts, there are some things experts say you should know. Sandra Torres reports.

Here’s what the Boxing Day holiday is all about…and it doesn’t have anything to do with the sport of boxing.

The anti-holiday holiday made famous on “Seinfeld” is celebrated annually on Dec. 23.

“Chicago Today” unveils the ultimate last-minute Christmas gifts from local Chicago vendors, ensuring a memorable and meaningful holiday season.

Chicago Today’s own Cortney Hall makes a dazzling film debut in “Reporting for Christmas,” a heartwarming holiday romance that has captured the hearts of viewers, securing its spot in Hulu’s top ten.

For more than half a century, the holiday has brought together millions of people to celebrate family, community and culture.

Nothing like a coconut-flavored, eggnog-like drink from Puerto Rico to spicy things up during the holidays.

Here are the steps you need to follow to prepare the traditional Puerto Rican drink.

Before you add gift cards to your holiday list this year, there’s a warning you need to hear about.

“Home Alone” fans are reeling about a memorable scene that, at first glance, does not appear to age too well for the iconic holiday movie.

Like Christmas trees, Santa and reindeer, the poinsettia has long been a ubiquitous symbol of the holidays in the U.S. and Europe. But nearly 200 years after the plant with the bright crimson leaves was introduced in the U.S., attention is again turning to the poinsettia’s origins and the checkered history of its namesake. The name “poinsettia” comes from the...

“The holiday magic that woman created for everyone … and no attention was paid to her.”

During Cook County’s ‘Shop with a Sheriff’ event, where deputies take 100 local kids shopping to pick their Christmas gifts, they noticed that Carlos didn’t pick any gifts for himself.