Scandinavians toast with an emphatic ‘skål!’

Anglo-Saxons toasted the new year

The lord of a manor toasted his subjects at the start of a new year with the Old English phrase “waes hael,” which roughly translates to “be well.” “Wassailing” involved traveling from house to house, singing songs, and continuing to drink, a practice that eventually influenced caroling.

Toasting with ‘cheers!’ comes from Anglo-French

Etymologists trace the word back to about 1200 CE, when Anglo-French became the vernacular after the Norman Conquest of 1066. “Chere” meant “the face,” or an expression, often of joy. After that, it was used in the 18th century as a form of encouragement before becoming a common toast in the 20th century.

'Salud!' is a toast to one's health

The word is a shortened form of “para tu salud,” or “for your health.” The toast has become popular in Spanish-speaking countries as a shorthand for good health and general well-wishing. In Peru, the toast is usually made on New Year’s Eve with a sparkling wine, like Champagne or pisco sour.

In Japan, elders lead toasts

Older family members and colleagues, or senpai, are expected to take the lead at formal gatherings, pouring drinks and offering toasts. Younger people should accept pours by holding their glasses with both hands and waiting to drink until their older adults have done so. Finally, before drinking, participants should say “kampai!”

Toasting goes back to at least ancient Greece

The Greeks regularly held symposia featuring wine, food, music, entertainment, and intellectual conversation, hosted by a symposiarch, who acted as emcee. The wine was often drunk in honor of Dionysus, the god of wine and ritual madness, which often led to excess.

Alcohol often accompanies memorial ceremonies around the world

“Pouring one out” for the dead is something that exists across the globe, in various cultures and forms. From the Irish wake to the Korean Sangnye, alcohol is frequently used as a way to honor the deceased and comfort the living.

The Irish 'sláinte!' spread outside the country thanks to immigration

The toast has spread globally because of the waves of Irish immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries. It’s not uncommon to find an Irish pub outside of Ireland, and if you step inside, you’re lucky to hear someone offer a hearty “sláinte!”

'Chin chin' is a Mandarin toast that became popular in Europe

The phrase roughly translates to “please, please” and became popular in Europe after the Renaissance, when travelers, missionaries, and merchants returned from China with some of the customs they’d witnessed. Ironically, it’s rarely used in China today.

Sweden's coffee breaks are protected by law, and thought to increase worker happiness

Coffee breaks in Sweden, called "fika," are an important social ritual. Introduced in workplaces in the 1900s, many Swedish firms today have mandatory fika breaks. The relaxation is thought to also boost joy and productivity for employees, while also reducing stress levels.

Some people smash Champagne bottles on ships for good luck

Long before Champagne existed, people performed good-luck rituals before setting sail. But since animal sacrifice is generally frowned upon these days, a new tradition developed before a ship’s maiden voyage: smashing a bottle of Champagne against the hull.

Ghosts didn't say 'boo' until the 19th century

The word derives from Scotland in the early modern era and was often used to assert oneself. Eventually, it became a way to startle someone, and by the 19th century, was the go-to utterance of literary spirits.

Touring the northernmost brewery in the world

Svalbard Brewery is located in the Arctic village of Longyearbyen—in a region known for polar bears, reindeer, and miles of uninhabited frozen tundra—and caters to a diverse, international clientele who appreciate the beer's unique ingredient: 2,000-year-old glacier water.

Viking raids spread Scandinavian culture far beyond northern Europe

Between roughly 800 and 1200 CE, seafaring Vikings from Scandinavia combined skilled craftsmanship with violent coastal raids. Their expeditions extended cultural influence from the British Isles to Northern Africa, reshaping medieval trade, warfare, and settlement patterns.

The standing ovation comes from an ancient Roman military tradition

Ovation is derived from the Latin for “I rejoice” and was a ceremonial salute to military generals who'd been victorious in battle.

Why a Nobel Prize winner was awarded 30 years of free beer

Niels Bohr, the Danish physicist who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1922, moved into the Carlsberg Honorary Residence in 1932 and was entitled to free delivery of Carlsberg beer for as long as he lived there. He did so until he died in 1962.

Danish folklore suggests families should treat mischievous elves to some porridge

The “nisse” is a small, demonic figure who was said to creep into barns, sometimes killing livestock. Over time, the character evolved into a friendlier Christmas elf that families could satisfy with a bowl of porridge.

One NHL team tosses salmon to its fans

Detroit Red Wings fans have thrown octopuses on the ice since 1952, and fans of other teams have tried their own hand at tossing things in the rink ever since. It's now become a calling card for the Seattle Kraken, whose fans nod to the city's Pike Place Market by tossing salmon onto the ice.

‘Namaste’ was popularized in the English language after India gained independence

The word, which roughly translates to “I bow to you,” is a greeting often used in yoga. The word began appearing in American publications more frequently following the country’s liberation, and was standardized shortly thereafter.

Wander through an Oktoberfest celebration

Feel like you’re in the center of the action with this walk-through video of the modern Oktoberfest experience. A former Munich resident covers everything you could want to know, including how to not anger the locals with boorish behavior. She explains the layout of the grounds, what to wear (hint: not cheap, mass-produced German costumes), and a few vital German phrases. Don’t forget to say "bitte" (thank you) when ordering your next round!

Cava is Spain's sparkling wine

Champagne is delicious, but it’s not the most budget-friendly beverage. Cava is a Spanish wine produced through the same traditional method used to make Champagne but often sold at a lower price. Cava can be produced in several different regions, offering the possibility of more diversity than what is typically found in Champagne.

Watch ABBA perform on Eurovision in 1974

The pop group won the 1974 competition, representing Sweden with the song "Waterloo." It was the first time the country took home the Eurovision title and the start of a long, successful career for ABBA, who'd eventually become one of the world's bestselling musical groups.

'Braai' is South Africa's take on barbecue

Braai—a colloquialism for the Afrikaner word for “grilled meat”—is a South African tradition similar to American cookouts, where communities gather to cook meat over a wood fire.

There's no right way to say 'taco'

While Americans ("tah-co") and Brits ("tack-oh") might argue about the correct pronunciation, both are understood in Spanish-speaking countries. Linguists note that the word's pronunciation is ever-evolving and informed by various cultural, psychological, and historical factors.

Sondheim was the king of the patter song

Patter songs are up-tempo numbers that match beats and syllables, requiring singers to flex serious verbal dexterity. Stephen Sondheim's patter songs are some of the most famous in Broadway history, featuring rapid-fire speech and clever turns of phrase. This video breaks down some of the finest examples.

Davos is also one of Europe’s most well-known winter sports destinations

Davos emerged as a winter sports resort in 1865. The town went on to pioneer modern skiing, ski lifts, tobogganing, and ice sports. The city hosted early ski races, invented key lift technology, and became home to traditions like the Parsenn Derby and the Spengler Cup.

In 2026, Finland was named the world's happiest country for the ninth consecutive year based on its wealth, social safety network, and high life expectancy, among other factors.

After the Boston Tea Party, colonists switched to coffee, which became the main morning drink for revolutionaries.

See how Budweiser's famous Clydesdales spend their days at Warm Springs Ranch, where roughly 70 to 80 of the beer brand's giant horses can be found at any given time.

See the 25 of the best photos of auroras from around the world.

The word 'jazz' evolved from 'jasm,' 19th-century American slang for 'energy'

An investigation suggests a Scottish island became awash in forever chemicals via seafoam and seaspray—raising questions about what that means for the safety of other coastal areas.

'Shogun,' a 1980s TV series, helped popularize sushi in the US by stimulating an American interest in Japanese culture.

'Silent' fireworks have gained more interest in recent years as a quieter celebratory option.

In preparation for this weekend's Eurovision finale, which is something like the World Cup of pop music, here's a young Céline Dion performing (for Switzerland?) at the 1988 competition.

The Dracula character, now seen as the vampire archetype, was inspired by a seafood-induced nightmare its creator experienced.

A small portion of The Winstons' 'Amen, Brother,' an obscure '60s gospel record, is the basis for thousands of hip-hop tracks, making it one of the most sampled records ever that's informally known as 'the Amen break.'

After NASA's Voyager 1 captured Earth as a single pixel as it left the solar system in 1990, astronomer Carl Sagan used the image to reflect on humanity's fragility and the responsibility to protect 'the only world we've ever known.'

The Brothers Grimm were lawyers before they were storytellers, but became interested in fairy tales as they began investigating how rules and customs had been passed down through cultures.

The term 'algorithm' originated from the Latinized name of al-Khwārizmī, a 9th-century mathematician whose works introduced Arabic numerals and the decimal-based numeral system to Europe and whose treatise 'Al-Jabr' gave algebra its name.

Dozens of S&P 500 stocks, including Coca-Cola and Walmart—known as the dividend aristocrats—have increased dividends every year for 25 years

Comedy legend Catherine O'Hara, star of 'Schitt's Creek' and 'Home Alone,' quit 'Saturday Night Live' after just one week to return to her old job.

Graffiti dates back to at least ancient Pompeii, where citizens scrawled messages to one another on public walls

Fast-casual restaurant Chili's is experiencing a resurgence, with its parent company recently reporting a nearly 32% increase in sales, thanks to passionate Gen Z fans on TikTok.

Browse a detailed visual analysis of over 200,000 similes—comparisons that often use 'like' or 'as'—from popular fiction to see how frequently writers the same idiomatic expressions.

US consumers collectively owe more than $1T to credit card companies—almost as much as they owe in auto loans.

Venture capital is a form of funding provided to early-stage companies with high growth potential, typically in exchange for an equity (or ownership) stake

Cultural norms about how to handle the bodies of loved ones in communities in West Africa have hampered Ebola responses.

In 1939, baseball star Lou Gehrig delivered his inspirational 'Luckiest Man' speech after retiring due to the health condition that now bears his name.

The deadliest aspect of volcanic eruptions is often not lava, but pyroclastic flows—avalanches of ash, gas, and rock that can move more than half the speed of sound.

Objects can be 3D printed with light by projecting 2D computerized tomography (CT) scans onto rotating cylinders of resin, which solidify upon exposure.