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. Dunkaroos Dunkaroos were like a lunchtime jackpot. Those little cookies with a side of frosting felt like the ultimate treat, especially if you managed to score the chocolate frosting version. Kids who had them became instant trading celebrities at

1. A Candle Can Summon Spirits One of the oldest beliefs around candles is that they can act as a beacon for spirits. Folklore often warned people never to leave a candle burning in an empty room because it might

1. The Crying Baby Bridge Drivers say that if you park in the middle of this bridge at night and turn off your engine, the sound of a baby crying will drift through the air. Some insist it comes from

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

1. Radium Face Cream In the early 1900s, some beauty companies thought radioactive elements were glamorous. Face creams containing radium were advertised as a way to bring a youthful “glow,” without anyone realizing how dangerous it really was. Women were

1. Burning Hair to Chase Away Fever Some families believed that burning a lock of a sick child’s hair would ward off fever and keep other illnesses from spreading through the household. Parents would carefully snip a small piece of