1. Burning Herbs in the Streets When plague swept through medieval towns, people often set piles of herbs and spices on fire right in the middle of the streets. The idea was that the sweet or pungent smoke would drive […]
1. Fire Whistles at Night Many older generations passed down the belief that if you whistled near a fire at night, evil spirits would come calling. Parents would warn children to stay quiet around campfires, fearing that a simple tune
1. The Door That Never Closed in Salem In the heart of Salem, Massachusetts, there’s a tale about a wooden door that refuses to stay shut. Locals say it belonged to a home where accused witches once sought refuge, and
1. Lawn Darts (a.k.a. Jarts) If you grew up in the ’70s or ’80s, you probably remember these heavy metal darts that were meant to be tossed into a plastic ring target on the lawn. The idea was simple enough,
1. Harvey Wallbanger If you walked into a disco in the ’70s, there’s a good chance someone was sipping a Harvey Wallbanger. This bright, citrusy drink was basically a screwdriver with a splash of Galliano on top, giving it that
1. Lighting Candles to Ward Off Spirits In some parts of Europe, families would light candles in every window of the house once the sun set during the darkest days of winter. It wasn’t just for decoration or warmth, but
1. Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour If you grew up in the ‘70s or ‘80s, chances are you remember Farrell’s. This over-the-top ice cream parlor was known for its massive “Pig’s Trough” sundae and a team of servers who sang loudly
