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The Pillsbury Doughboy

Image: Dan Depew, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

You only need to see a tiny bit of his fluffy body to recognize him: Poppin’ Fresh, better known as the Pillsbury Doughboy, is a global star. The Pillsbury Company created him in 1965, and over the decades, he has appeared in hundreds of commercials and on all kinds of merchandise. Now, 60 years later, his cute image is still familiar to Americans everywhere. He’s even part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

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Tony the Tiger

Image: SqueakyMarmot from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Our childhood memories include a character who was and still is right there at the breakfast table. We're talking about Tony the Tiger, the beloved mascot of Frosted Flakes. Introduced in 1952 by Kellogg’s, many of us grew up with him and watched him become a cereal icon. And of course, no one can forget his iconic catchphrase: "They’re grrrreat!"

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The Energizer Bunny

Image: Jazz Guy from New Jersey, United States, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Style, attitude, energy: The Energizer Bunny has it all. With his signature sunglasses, drum, and flip-flops, this bunny first appeared in 1989 as a parody of the Duracell bunny, and he quickly grew far beyond Energizer batteries. In fact, he became a symbol of vitality and nonstop energy, so much so that when someone can’t sit still, they’re often compared to this bunny. You know, he just keeps going and going and going.

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Mr. Clean

Image: JESHOOTS.COM

His style is unmistakable: that celebrity tan, bald head, bright white eyebrows, and even a cool earring. Of course! It’s Mr. Clean, the magical helper who shows up when stains get stubborn. Procter & Gamble introduced him in 1958, and he quickly became more than just the face of a product; he is a full character with his own personality and identity, deeply tied to the idea of household cleaning.

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Mr. Monopoly

Image: Fluffybuns, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

We already talked about Mr. Clean, but there’s another Mister who is just as famous, if not more: Mr. Monopoly. While we all know him by that name today, he originally had a much funnier one: "Rich Uncle Pennybags." His mustache and top hat are unmistakable, and his fame has long transcended the Monopoly game, turning him into a visual symbol of wealth and capitalism in pop culture.

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The Jolly Green Giant

Image: greefus groinks, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The Green Giant Company introduced its giant mascot in 1928, and he quickly became synonymous with frozen vegetables across America. The Jolly Green Giant originally had a somewhat intimidating look, but a later redesign turned him into the friendly, smiling giant everyone knows and loves today. Decades of TV commercials, packaging, toys, and pop-culture references made him famous even among people who don’t buy the products.

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Mr. Peanut

Image: InOttawa.ca, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

With his classic top hat and monocle, Mr. Peanut is undoubtedly a sophisticated mascot. And since he’s literally a peanut, it’s almost impossible not to think of Planters every time we grab a handful, right? Surprisingly, despite his excellent condition, Mr. Peanut is over 100 years old, having been introduced in 1916.

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Mickey Mouse

Image: Brian McGowan

If there’s one truly world-famous mascot, it’s definitely Mickey Mouse. His round ears, white gloves, red shorts, and big yellow shoes are so familiar that most of us could sketch them from memory. Mickey started as a character but quickly became the unmistakable icon of Disney. Over time, he even transcended the brand itself, appearing in all kinds of products, commercials, shows, and parades, becoming a symbol of childhood around the world.

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Colonel Sanders

Image: Marques Thomas

Every time you see this face, you instantly crave fried chicken. That’s the magic of the iconic Colonel Sanders, who is much more than a mascot. He was a real person, the founder of KFC. Because of that, his face has become so familiar to Americans that he feels almost like a father figure. His fame is so strong that KFC often doesn’t even need the brand name; the Colonel’s friendly face says it all.

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Geico Gecko

Image: Roland Balik, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The GEICO Gecko is so famous that seeing any lizard instantly brings him to mind. This friendly character has been tied to the brand since 1999, and the idea for him came from people mispronouncing "GEICO" as "gecko." Over the years, he has become a celebrity, so recognizable that he doesn’t even need the brand name for people to know exactly who he is.

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New York’s many names…

Image: ian dooley

Did you know that New York has had several names throughout its history? The first documented European visit to New York Harbor was in 1524 by Giovanni da Verrazzano, an Italian explorer who claimed the area for France and named it Nouvelle Angoulême (New Angoulême), after the French city located on the banks of the Charente River.

Almost a century later, English explorer Henry Hudson rediscovered New York and claimed it for the Dutch East India Company, who christened Manhattan Island as Nieuw Amsterdam (New Amsterdam). In 1664, due to the war between The Netherlands and the United Kingdom, the British took over the area and renamed it New York , as a tribute to King Charles II's brother, James, Duke of York.

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…and nicknames

Image: Artem Zhukov

In addition to its various official names, New York City has earned a good number of nicknames over the years. For example, Canvas Town, The Empire City, The City of Churches, Second City of the World, The Melting Pot, The City that Never Sleeps, The Center of the Universe, The City So Nice They Named It Twice, The Five Boroughs, and Metropolis, among many others.

But perhaps the most iconic New York City monikers are Gotham —coined by writer Washington Irving in 1807— and, of course, The Big Apple . In May 1921, sportswriter John Joseph Fitz Gerald of the New York Morning Telegraph first used The Big Apple in a feature on horse racing. As he later explained, that was the way New Orleans grooms' referred to New York City. Later, in the 1970s, an advertising campaign revived the nickname, and the rest is history.

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National capital

Image: Cornelius Tiebout, artist and engraver of the original; this copy engraved by Hatch & Smillie and printed by J. &. G. Neale., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Given its cultural, political, and financial richness, it's curious that New York is not the capital of the United States. However, although it was only for five years, at one point in history it became a reality. Between January 11, 1785, and August 12, 1790, The Empire City served as the last capital under the Articles of Confederation and the first capital under the U.S. Constitution .

While the capital resided in New York, the representatives of Congress met in Federal Hall, a building located close to the current site of the Wall Street Stock Exchange. In fact, this is where George Washington was sworn in as president in 1789. However, a year later the Residence Act established the temporary seat of government in Philadelphia until the construction of the new capital, Washington, DC, was completed. Congress met for the first time in its new and current location on November 17, 1800.

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Linguistically diverse

Image: Dan Gold

Did you know that New York is one of the most linguistically diverse places in the world? It’s like a modern-day Tower of Babel, which is no surprise given its nickname, The Melting Pot . It is estimated that up to 700 different languages are currently spoken in New York, many of them endangered. For example, in Queens, there is a small community that speaks Tagalog, the language on which Filipino is based. In the Bronx, on the other hand, several families still speak Laotian at home.

Alongside these lesser-known dialects, other more widespread languages such as Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Hebrew, Russian, and Italian, are spoken daily by communities that migrated to New York from their native countries. And that today, after several generations, still have a relevant representation in the most cosmopolitan city on the planet.

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First pizza

Image: Jon Tyson

Not surprisingly, the first pizzeria in the United States is located in New York. The Italian immigrants who arrived in the city at the end of the 19th century brought with them their language, customs, and of course, their delicious food. One of these immigrants, Gennaro Lombardi, used leftover dough from the bread he sold in his Little Italy grocery store to make "tomato pies," following his Neapolitan family's recipe.

This pizza was so successful that in 1905, Lombardi converted his store into a pizza place. Little by little, he adapted his pizza to American ingredients and tastes, and lo and behold in a short time he had created what we now know as New York-style pizza. Lombardi's Pizza, today one of the most legendary pizzerias in New York, is the oldest in the United States. Be sure to grab a slice next time you visit The Big Apple — you won’t regret it!

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Golden city

Image: Zlaťáky.cz

A city of firsts and mosts, New York is also home to the world's largest known depository of monetary gold. Buried 80 feet below street level, on the bedrock of Manhattan Island, hides an incredible treasure. Established in 1924, the vault of the main building of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, located in the Financial District, stores more gold than The United States Bullion Depository, better known as Fort Knox.

As of 2024, it houses approximately 507,000 gold bars. This reserve is enclosed in a 140-ton steel-and-concrete frame protected by a state-of-the-art security system. About 98% of the gold belongs to foreign governments, while the rest is owned by the U.S. government and other financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund.

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Unique ZIP codes

Image: William Wachter

Apart from being home to major companies, the most photographed building in the world, and getting struck by lightning about 25 times a year, the Empire State Building is also notable for having its own ZIP code: 10118.

Although located in South Midtown, the building is so large that the U.S. Postal Service needed to assign it a unique zone improvement plan—ZIP for short—to handle its high volume of mail more accurately and efficiently. To be fair, other buildings in New York also have their own ZIP codes , including 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the Chrysler Building, The Pavilion, Park Avenue Plaza, and the Pennsylvania Building, among others.

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Birding paradise

Image: Laila Zouaki

New York has something for everyone, but wildlife? Who would have thought! When it comes to fauna, New York is much more than just rats, squirrels, and cockroaches. In fact, this concrete jungle has had animals at its heart since the beginning: two beavers adorn the official city seal. But not many New Yorkers know that Central Park is one of the nation's top spots for bird-watching.

The city is located at a concentration point on the Atlantic Flyway bird migration route, making it possible to observe birds year-round. In 1886, the park's first official bird census counted 121 species. Since then, 282 have been observed, including cuckoos, warblers, sparrows, owls, gulls, and Peregrine Falcons, among many others. Some of the best places in Central Park for birding are North Woods, The Ramble, Hallett Nature Sanctuary, and The Pond.

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Times Square

Image: graphicsdays1989

The busiest street in the Big Apple owes its current name to a newspaper . Formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street, this area is now a spectacle of lights, screens, neon signs, theaters, and hordes of people. However, it was once the center of New York's horse carriage industry. For this reason, in the late 19th century it was known as Longacre Square.

In the early 20th century, The New York Times moved its offices to a skyscraper on 42nd Street. A new subway station soon followed and the area was given the name we know it by today, Times Square. Although the newspaper moved out a few years later, that building is still famous for the Times Square Ball drop on its roof every New Year's Eve.

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Film mecca

Image: Marta Wave

Declared a National Historic Landmark, Central Park is a staple of New York City. It’s no wonder that this area, in addition to its natural beauty, is a world cultural icon. Central Park is, in fact, the most-filmed location in the world , having been featured in movies as far back as 1908.

With silver screen classics like An Affair to Remember or Breakfast at Tiffany's and modern films including Home Alone and The Avengers , more than 300 productions have chosen this 843-acre park in the heart of the bustling city to film some of the most iconic scenes in movie history. Have you ever spotted Central Park in a film or TV show? Now you won't stop seeing it everywhere!

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#15 - Die Hard (1988)

Image: Jodie Walton

Is it a Christmas movie? That’s a long-held debate surrounding the famous action thriller. But the truth remains: rewatches of Die Hard spike around the holiday season, making it the 15th most-watched movie annually.

After all, John McClane’s heroics to defend Nakatomi Plaza from Hans Gruber do take place during a holiday party . Even the sequel is set, once again, on Christmas Eve.

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# 14 - When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Image: JESHOOTS.COM

A beloved rom-com featuring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan: some argue it’s not strictly a holiday film, but hey, it does have a pivotal New Year’s Eve scene . That’s enough to make it a cozy, rewatchable option for the season.

When asked about his favorite quote from the movie, Crystal said, "When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."

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# 13 - Scrooged (1988)

Image: LILLIT

Of course, Bill Murray's modern-day take on A Christmas Carol made the list. This '80s satire brings laughs to the timeless story of redemption.

In this version, a TV executive transforms from selfish to sincere after encountering a particularly violent Ghost of Christmas Present. A memorable moment from the movie is Frank’s heartfelt broadcast, "It’s Christmas Eve. It’s the one night when we all act a little nicer ."

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# 12 - White Christmas (1954)

Image: David Beale

White Christmas is a musical that blends romance, humor, and, of course, iconic songs like the titular tune and "Sisters."

Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye star as two showbiz buddies who team up with singing sisters—played by Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen—to save a struggling Vermont inn. Audiences keep returning to this classic for its Technicolor charm and a touch of holiday nostalgia.

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# 11 - The Holiday (2006)

Image: Annie Spratt

The holidays, as told from a small English village and L.A. simultaneously. This 2006 movie, in which Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz swap homes across continents , quickly became a beloved classic.

With its cozy English countryside setting, dreamy L.A. vibes, and plenty of holiday cheer, The Holiday is a festive favorite for anyone who believes in personal growth and serendipitous love stories.

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# 10 - Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Image: Alicia Slough

In this 1947 film, Kris Kringle, played by Edmund Gwenn, must prove in court that he is the real Santa Claus . The movie also features a young Natalie Wood as Susan, a precocious girl whose belief in Santa—and magic—is eventually restored.

A feel-good story that questions the existence of Santa, this classic beautifully intertwines a court case with holiday charm and a message of faith.

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# 9 - Frosty the Snowman (1969)

Image: Earl Wilcox

One of the most recognizable Christmas characters, Frosty the Snowman—the hero of the titular song—was brought to life in animated form, complete with his pipe and iconic hat.

A gem released in the late ‘60s, this TV special tells the magical story of the jolly snowman brought to life by a hat , who, aided by children, embarks on a quest to avoid melting.

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# 8 - The Santa Clause (1994)

Image: Mitya Ivanov

In this well-known comedy, a divorced dad—played by Tim Allen—transforms into Santa Claus and must take on his role to preserve the Santa mythos .

Of course, this comedy holiday feature wouldn’t be complete without heartfelt father-and-son moments. Or hilarious sleigh ride scenes!

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# 7 - How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Image: Alex Stone

Jim Carrey is a mean one in this portrayal of Dr. Seuss’s anti-holiday hero ! Although the actor has shared many stories about how grueling it was to film the entire movie wearing the heavy costume—especially during the hot months—no one can argue that this film has become one of the most memorable and rewatched Christmas comedies.

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# 6 - National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

Image: Inna Lesyk

Chevy Chase stars in this comedy about a disaster-prone dad trying to create a perfect family Christmas. From setting up over-the-top house lights to dealing with the chaotic Cousin Eddie, people love returning to this classic for its laugh-out-loud moments.

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# 5 - A Christmas Story (1983)

Image: Erica Marsland Huynh

Simple: Ralphie wants a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Is he going to get it? This movie, set in 1940s Indiana, is full of nostalgia , humor, and iconic scenes like the infamous leg lamp and triple-dog dares.

Fans adore A Christmas Story for its dry humor and the way it captures childhood anticipation during the holidays.

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# 4 - The Polar Express (2004)

Image: Matt Flores

All aboard! This animated film, featuring Tom Hanks in several adult roles, has become ingrained in the memories of millions of kids and their families.

Based on the beloved book, the movie follows a child who takes a magical train ride to the North Pole , where, hopefully, he will start believing in the magic of Santa Claus again.

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# 3 - It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Image: Josh Harrison

This wasn’t an immediate hit, but it became a holiday icon through the magic of TV reruns. In this classic, James Stewart plays George, a man who discovers his worth after an angel shows him what life would be like if he had never been born .

Everybody loves the yearly reminder of the impact that one’s life can have—and of the power of kindness.

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# 2 - Elf (2003)

Image: Rajesh Kavasseri

Will Ferrell’s elfish character takes second place as the most-watched holiday movie every year. In it, a human raised by elves heads to New York to find his biological father.

Slapstick comedy meets wholesome Christmas charm in this holiday staple. Audiences love it for its whimsical humor and quotable lines.

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#1 - Home Alone (1990)

Image: Juliana Malta

Did you guess it? The first place on this list goes to the adventures of young Kevin McCallister. He is left behind when his family goes on holiday and has to set up endless booby traps to defend himself and his home from burglars .

This holiday classic eventually became a franchise, but it was the original Home Alone , starring Macaulay Culkin, that became a perennial favorite.