New stories and folktales from American Folklore

New Year's Day

New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar. Since most countries use the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day is a truly global public holiday, often celebrated with fireworks at the stroke of midnight as the New Year starts.

Kwanzaa Stories

Kwanzaa is a seven day festival which celebrates the African American culture and history. It is a time of community gathering and reflection. Kwanzaa begins on December 26th, the day after Christmas, and continues until New Years Day, January 1st.

Hanukkah Stories

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that starts on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev, which coincides with late November-late December on the secular calendar. It is celebrated for eight days and nights. In Hebrew, the word "hanukkah" means “dedication.” The holiday commemorates the re-dedication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem following the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 B.C.E.

Jewish Folklore

A collection of Jewish folklore from around the Internet.

Christmas Stories

December 25–Christmas Day–has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870. Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For more than two thousand years, people have been observing Christmas Day with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, sharing meals with family and friends and waiting for Santa Claus to arrive.

Saint Nicholas Day

December 6 is the Feast of Saint Nicholas of Myra, a bishop from the fourth century. He is the model for our modern-day Santa Claus, because Saint Nicholas's generosity was legendary. The night before Saint Nicholas Day, children place their shoes in a prominent location-- by a fireplace, or outside their bedroom door. The next morning--usually very early--the children find their shoes filled with little presents from the great saint.

Thanksgiving Stories

In the United States, the modern Thanksgiving holiday tradition traces its origins to a 1621 celebration at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts. The thanksgiving observance at Plymouth was prompted by a good harvest. Initially, the Plymouth colony did not have enough food to feed the colonists, but the Wampanoag Native Americans helped the settlers by providing seeds and teaching them to fish.

Haunted Spots in New Jersey

This Halloween, you may want to check out some of these haunted spots throughout New Jersey.

Spooky South Carolina

All at once, the moon came sliding out from behind a cloud, lighting the scene in front of me. And I screamed. I couldn't help it. The skeleton of a horse was rising out of the water, dripping mud and dead leaves and gunk of all sorts. First came its skull, then the bones of its neck, and then its shoulder girdle and its back. I hadn't seen the figure on its back at first because its torso was hidden by the horse's skull. Now I could see a uniformed body which ended obscenely at the throat...

Spooky Colorado

It was getting real dark in the mountain shadow. It would be night soon. I wanted out of Dead Man's Canyon before night. I urged my horse back into our working jog. Suddenly, he tossed up his head and froze in place. The wind whipped down off the ridge, biting cold as it howled down from the snowline. My teeth began to chatter, but I kept my gun hand still, finger on the trigger. And then the phantom came for me...

Sifty Sifty San

There was once a beautiful old house right on the edge of a lake, surrounded by woods. But no one would live there because a spirit calling itself Sifty-Sifty-San drove everyone away.

The Black Cat's Message

I came home late one night after work and found my wife Ethel puttering about the kitchen with a big yellow cat at her heels. “And who is this?” I asked jovially. “This is our new cat,” said Ethel, giving me a hug and a kiss to welcome me home. “She just appeared at the kitchen door and wanted to come in. None of the neighbors know where she came from, so I guess she’s ours. It will be nice to have some company around the house.”

A Serving of Witch's Stew

Serve yourself a bowl of witch's stew with this fun Halloween game. Great for parties.

Heartbeat

Something was going on. Jason felt it in his bones. Polly was too happy, too cheerful. No woman could be that upbeat and still be faithful to her husband. Jason sat down to a delicious, warm meal every night, and Polly sang to herself as she washed up. What kind of woman could be cheerful doing dishes? Try as he might, Jason never heard anything that hinted of a secret romance. It drove him crazy. Life was not this perfect.

The Brick Wall

Massey was a soldier unfortunate enough to cross me, his commanding officer. He did not live to regret it. There was something very satisfying in the moment when I thrust the tip of my sword into the soldier’s heart during our duel. I watched him fall to the ground with the satisfaction of a job well done.

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