2023-12-25 What White House Gardens Say about America
The earliest presidents who lived in the White House did not want the large outdoor areas that the monarchs of Europe might enjoy. Marta McDowell is writer of All the…
2023-12-23 VOA Learning English Presents ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’
In 1822, an American professor named Clement Clarke Moore wrote a poem that redefined the image of Saint Nicholas. It was called “Account of a Visit from Saint Nicholas.” He…
2023-12-22 A History of Christmas in America
From VOA Learning English, I’m Caty Weaver. Today, Steve Ember and Shirley Griffith present a special program on Christmas traditions in the United States during the first half of the…
2023-12-18 The Story of Santa Claus
Santa Claus is someone who will remain in the hearts of children forever. He is the make-believe person who brings toys and other gifts to children at Christmas. To grown-ups,…
2023-12-17 Mickey Mouse Will Soon Belong to You, Me, Everyone
An early version of Mickey Mouse, the famous Disney character, will soon belong to you, me and everybody else. The mouse that started a Hollywood empire, along with several other…
2023-12-14 Boston Common: America’s First Public Park
Almost 400 years ago, America’s early European colonists voted to tax each household in Boston about $70 in today’s money. The money was used to buy a local farm. The…
2023-12-13 How Do You Say That Name Again?
News reporters, politicians and public figures have had trouble saying some of the words that relate to the top stories of the year year. Last week, the online language learning…
2023-12-11 Japan’s Ohtani Gets $700 Million, Biggest Team Sports Deal
Everyone expected Japan’s Shohei Ohtani to receive the biggest deal in baseball history. Over the weekend, the two-time Most Valuable Player award-winner received the biggest deal in team sports history.…
2023-12-08 Rock Group Ends Live Concerts, Becomes Computerized Avatars
Recently, members of the American rock band Kiss closed out their final performance. The group’s “The End of the Road” concert series ended in New York City’s famous Madison Square…
2023-12-07 How Hanukkah Is Celebrated around the World
Hanukkah (also written as Chanukah) is Judaism’s “festival of lights.” On eight straight nights, Jews come together with family and friends at the end of daylight to light one additional…
2023-12-02 US City Wants Woman to Clean up Rock Art
Iris Logan was having a hard time growing grass at her home in St. Paul, Minnesota. So, she covered the space with stones, statues, and other art. More than 30…
2023-12-01 The Grinch Is Back with a New Christmas Story
One year has passed since the Grinch stole Christmas from the imaginary town of Whoville. Now, the green creature is back in a follow-up book called How the Grinch Lost…
2023-11-30 South Korean City Turns to Matchmaking to Increase Low Birth Rates
While Christmas music played, 100 South Korean men and women gathered at a hotel near the capital of Seoul with their names written for others to see. They were hoping…
2023-11-27 What the White House Looks Like for Christmas
U.S. first lady Jill Biden wants everyone who visits the White House around Christmas to feel like a kid again. On Monday, Biden held a gathering to show the White…
2023-11-25 Clergy Connects with Young People through Music
Guilherme Peixoto, a religious official in northern Portugal, has been busy this month. He celebrated religious services, watched over remembrances for the dead, and prepared electronic music for his next…