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American Seasonal Traditions

Holiday and seasonal customs shaped by folklore and community.

Parchment-style artwork of Selu, the Corn Mother, blessing a cornfield, Cherokee folktale scene.

The Corn Mother’s Gift: Cherokee Folktale

by Ayomide Adekilekun

October 21, 2025

American Seasonal Traditions·American Traditions & Beliefs

Long ago, before the world knew the sweetness of corn, the Cherokee people lived on roots, nuts, and wild berries. They wandered the forests and river valleys of the Southeastern lands, their days filled with hunger and hope. Food was scarce, and the people prayed for a blessing from the Great Spirit to end their suffering. One evening, as the

Parchment-style artwork of a groundhog emerging under winter sun, Pennsylvania Dutch folktale scene.

American Seasonal Traditions·American Traditions & Beliefs

The Groundhog’s Shadow: Pennsylvania Folktale

In the rolling hills and farmlands of Pennsylvania, where the winters were long and cold, the early German settlers brought with them old folklore from their homeland. They believed that animals could sense the rhythms of nature far better than humans and that one small creature, the hedgehog, could predict

Parchment-style artwork of the Snow Woman on a frozen river guiding a traveller, French-American folktale scene

The Snow Woman: American Folktale of the Northern Winter

In the frozen wilderness of the Upper Great Lakes, where icy winds

Parchment-style artwork of Jack holding a glowing turnip lantern on a misty road, American folktale scene.

The Jack-o’-Lantern and the Devil: American Folktale of Halloween Origins

In the misty hills of New England and the shadowed valleys of

Visitors walking through almond orchards in bloom in California Central Valley during late winter festival

California Almond Blossom Festival

February 28, 2026

American Seasonal Traditions·American Traditions & Beliefs

Each late winter, California’s Central Valley comes alive with the delicate beauty of almond blossoms, and communities gather to celebrate the season through the Almond Blossom Festival. This festival marks the renewal of agricultural life and the anticipation of spring planting, serving both as a cultural celebration and a tribute

Community members performing Los Pastores nativity play in a Southwestern courtyard with costumes and musical instruments

Los Pastores Nativity Dramas (Southwest)

February 28, 2026

American Seasonal Traditions·American Traditions & Beliefs

Los Pastores is a cherished folk tradition performed during the Christmas season in Hispanic communities across the American Southwest. These nativity dramas depict the journey of the shepherds to witness the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Rooted in both Spanish colonial and Indigenous cultural influences, the plays blend religious devotion,

Late winter forest with maple sap collection and boiling kettles during traditional sugaring season

Maple Sugaring Season in the Northeast

February 28, 2026

American Seasonal Traditions·American Traditions & Beliefs

Maple sugaring has long marked the transition from winter to spring in the northeastern United States. For centuries, Indigenous communities such as the Algonquian peoples have harvested sap from sugar maple trees, recognizing the subtle signals of seasonal change. Early European settlers adopted the practice, learning the techniques of tapping

Crowd at Texas Juneteenth celebration with banners, drums, and food in a community gathering

Texas Juneteenth Emancipation Celebrations

February 28, 2026

American Seasonal Traditions·American Traditions & Beliefs

Each year, communities across Texas come together to celebrate Juneteenth, a day that marks the formal announcement of emancipation in 1865. This historic observance began when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston to inform enslaved African Americans that the Civil War had ended and they were free, more than two years

Hawaiian Makahiki festival showing dancers, games, and offerings in a village setting

Hawaiian Makahiki Season

February 28, 2026

American Seasonal Traditions·American Traditions & Beliefs

Every year, Hawaiian communities once observed the sacred Makahiki season, a time dedicated to Lono, the god of fertility, agriculture, and peace. During this season, all conflict and warfare were suspended, allowing communities to focus entirely on gratitude, reflection, and communal celebration. Makahiki combined ritual, sport, and social gathering into

Groundhog emerging from burrow as people watch in Pennsylvania winter morning for Groundhog Day tradition

Groundhog Day Folk Weather Tradition

February 28, 2026

American Seasonal Traditions·American Traditions & Beliefs

Every February 2nd, a quiet anticipation spreads through towns across the northeastern United States, particularly in Pennsylvania. People gather early in the morning, braving winter cold, eyes fixed on a small rodent emerging from its burrow. This is Groundhog Day, a folk tradition that links nature, weather, and human curiosity

A candlelit Día de los Muertos altar decorated with marigolds, photographs, and sugar skulls.

Dia de los Muertos in the United States

February 28, 2026

American Seasonal Traditions·American Traditions & Beliefs

Candles flicker softly in the early November night as families gather around tables covered in marigolds, photographs, and favorite foods once enjoyed by loved ones. The air carries the scent of copal incense and warm pan dulce. In Mexican American communities across the United States, Día de los Muertos unfolds

Farmers pressing apples into cider inside a rustic autumn barn during a harvest festival.

Apple Cider Pressing Festivals

February 28, 2026

American Seasonal Traditions·American Traditions & Beliefs

Golden leaves drifted slowly from orchard branches as the scent of ripened apples thickened the cool air. Wagons rolled along dirt paths, piled high with bushels gathered from trees heavy with fruit. In farming communities across the Northeastern and Midwestern United States, this scene marked one of the most anticipated

Winter preparation scene at an Appalachian homestead with neighbors gathered near a fire and farmhouse.

Hog Killing Day of Winter

January 21, 2026

American Seasonal Traditions·American Traditions & Beliefs

Winter announced itself in the Southern Appalachian hills without drama but with certainty. The air sharpened. Morning frost lingered longer on the ground. Breath showed even after the sun climbed. Families watched the signs closely, because timing mattered. This was the season when work decided comfort and mistakes decided hunger.

Sugar maple trees tapped for sap during late winter thaw

The Turning of the Sugar Maples

January 21, 2026

American Seasonal Traditions·American Traditions & Beliefs

Late winter announced itself not with warmth, but with a pause. Snow still covered the ground in thick, uneven sheets. Streams ran beneath ice rather than over it. Breath hung visibly in the air. Yet for families living across New England and the Great Lakes, this moment carried meaning deeper