Holidays Archives - Page 3 of 5

Understanding the Moon Festival

September 1st, 2022

The Moon Festival, which is celebrated in many Asian countries, is an iconic and incredibly popular autumn festival. Sweet or savory mooncakes are baked and gifted in celebration of family and friends.

Uncategorized 2 Comments

The Real History of Easter: a Pagan Holiday

April 8th, 2022

How did colorful eggs and chocolate bunnies come to be associated with the Easter holiday? Many Easter traditions are actually borrowed from a pagan festival called Ostara, which celebrated the Goddess Eostre.

Pagan & Wiccan 76 Comments

How Shakespeare and Chaucer Helped Create Valentine's Day

February 8th, 2022

How did Valentine's Day go from a violent pagan fertility festival involving whips and sacrifices to the lovey-dovey holiday we know today? We can thank William Shakespeare and Geoffrey Chaucer for that.

Pagan & Wiccan 52 Comments

Six Traditional Chinese New Year Customs You Might Not Know About

January 28th, 2022

February 1st marks the beginning of the Year of the Tiger on the Chinese Zodiac. Celebrated as the Chinese New Year, this Spring Festival is one of the most celebrated and revered holidays around the world.

Uncategorized 19 Comments

As Holidays Wind Down, Three Kings Day Approaches in Spain

December 31st, 2021

While the holiday season is winding down for those of us in the United States, it's still in full swing until early January in Spain and Latin America, as they'll celebrate Three Kings Day on January 5th.

Christian 28 Comments

The Secret History of May Day

April 30th, 2021

Most people think of May Day as a festival about welcoming spring where people gather flowers and children dance around a pole. But did you know that celebrations on May 1st have a much deeper history?

Pagan & Wiccan 5 Comments

Secret History of the Easter Bunny: What They Don't Teach You in School

March 26th, 2021

On Easter Sunday, millions of children worldwide will hunt for eggs hidden by the Easter bunny. But why do we hunt for eggs on Easter? Why is a bunny associated with the resurrection of Jesus? There's a lot to uncover.

Christian 63 Comments

The Violent, Sexy, Pagan Origins of Valentine's Day

February 8th, 2021

You're undoubtedly familiar with modern Valentine's Day traditions like giving chocolates and roses. But the romantic holiday has origins in an ancient Roman holiday that has nudity, flagellation, and animal sacrifice.

Pagan & Wiccan 16 Comments

Even During Pandemic, the War on Christmas Continues

December 18th, 2020

We're all familiar with the War on Christmas, but this year it's receiving a very 2020 twist: COVID-19. The international pandemic is opening up a whole new front on everyone's favorite seasonal skirmish.

Political & Religious Controversy 83 Comments

How to Break the News: You Won’t Be Home for the Holidays

November 18th, 2020

Whether you have been looking for an excuse to be dismissed from the holiday chaos, or you have legitimate health concerns due to the pandemic, you may be looking for a way out of this year’s annual family gathering.

Life and Death 20 Comments

Previous 3 of 5 Next

The Universal Life Church proudly welcomes all who feel called to get ordained, regardless of creed. We enable all faiths; Christian, Jewish, Mormon, Muslim, Pagan, Wiccan, Atheist – and more – to join our growing non-denominational congregation. Underlying everything we do is a simple core belief: that we are all children of the same universe.

Ready to share your thoughts? Click here to log in to your account. Not yet ordained? You can sign up in just minutes by filling out a free ordination application.