Make your October Overflowing with, joy, love, laughter and all things fun and spooky.  In the Northern Hemisphere, October ushers in fall like no other month. Its capital O shouts pumpkins and if the leaves haven’t turned, they soon will. Keep reading to learn more about October.

October Holidays and History

Well, before the Julian and Gregorian calendars, October was the 8th month of the Roman calendar. Octo means eight in Latin. At the time, there were only 10 months. In 700 BC, Numa Pompilius added January and February to the calendar. This change more accurately reflected the length of a year on Earth. As a result, October became the 10th month on the calendar. While other months on the calendar have had days added and subtracted, October has always had 31 days.

Weather & Seasons

During the second month of autumn, asters bloom and so do chrysanthemums. Their colors often pair well with the pumpkins and gourds collected from gardens. And speaking of pumpkins and gourds, holidays like National Pumpkin Seed Day, National Farmer’s Day, National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day, and National Pumpkin Day all offer ways to set the mood.

The Hunter’s Moon is aptly named considering many seek game in the fields and forests. Two meteor showers appear in October. They are the Draconids and the Orionids.

The month is full of sporting events, too. From the World Series to Rugby World Cup finals, sports fans fill the seats. In other activities, October brings a shift in hunting and fishing seasons. Did we mention that National Sports Day is a holiday in October?

Celebrate All Month

National Pork Month    
National Fair Trade Month
National Family Sexuality Education Month
National Fire Prevention Month
National Go On A Field Trip Month
National I’m Just Me Because Month
National Kitchen & Bath Month
National Learning and Development Month
National Liver Awareness Month
National Medical Librarian Month
National Orthodontic Health Month
National Pasta Month                              Global Diversity Awareness Month
Halloween Safety Month
Head Start Awareness Month
Health Literacy Month
Home Eye Safety Month
Italian-American Heritage Month
International Walk To School Month
LGBT History Month
Long-Term Care Planning Month    National ADD/ADHD Awareness Month
National Animal Safety and Protection Month
National Apple Month
National Applejack Month
National Arts & Humanities Month
National Audiology Awareness Month
National Bake and Decorate Month
National Book Month
National Bullying Prevention Month
National Caramel Month
National Chili Month
National Chiropractic Month
National Cookbook Month
National Cookie Month
National Crime Prevention Month
National Critical Illness Awareness Month
National Cyber Security Awareness Month
National Dental Hygiene Month
National Dessert Month
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Depression Education & Awareness Month
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Dropout Prevention Month
National Dwarfism Awareness Month
National Ergonomics Month                   National Economic Education Month
Adopt A Shelter Dog Month
Antidepressant Death Awareness Month
Bat Appreciation Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Caffeine Addiction Recovery Month
Celebrating The Bilingual Child Month
Christmas Seal Campaign (10/1-12/31)
Church Library Month
Church Safety and Security Month
Co-op Month
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Dyslexia Awareness Month
Eat Better, Eat Together Month
Emotional Intelligence Awareness Month
Emotional Wellness Month
Employee Ownership Month
Financial Planning Month
German-American Heritage Month
National Pretzel Month
National Principals Month                  National  Physical Therapy Month       National Pizza Month
National Protect Your Hearing Month
National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
National Reading Group Month
National Roller Skating Month
National RSV Awareness Month
National Sarcastic Awareness Month
National Sausage Month
National Seafood Month
National Sensory Awareness Month
National Spina Bifida Awareness Month
National Stamp Collecting Month
National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month
National Toilet Tank Repair Month
National Window Covering Safety Month
National Women’s Small Business Month
National Work and Family Month
National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month                                  October Birthstone: Opal – The Gem of Rainbows
Organize Your Medical Information Month
Pear and Pineapple Month
Photographer Appreciation Month
Polish American Heritage Month
Positive Attitude Month
Raptor Month
Rett Syndrome Awareness Month
Rhizomes and Persimmons Month
Rhubarb Month
Right Brainers Rule! Month
Self-Promotion Month
Spinach Lovers Month
Squirrel Awareness Month (Different Than Squirrel Appreciation Day in January)
Tackling Hunger Month
Talk About Prescriptions Month
Wishbones for Pets Month (10/15 – 11/30)
Workplace Politics Awareness Month
World Blindness Awareness Month
World Menopause Month             Vegetarian Month

What’s Your Sign?

In October, Libra (scales) and Scorpio (the scorpion) represent those born in September.

Marigolds and Cosmos both represent October babies. Marigolds bloom all summer and fall long, but in the fall is where they shine, accenting the harvest season. They symbolize positive emotion and energy. Cosmos delicate blooms represent order and harmony.

October is the month when the five-day workweek was first sanctioned. The U.S. Naval Academy opened its doors in Annapolis, Maryland in 1845 (and Navy Day is the holiday that celebrates it!)  The World Series of baseball begins in October.  Several U.S. presidents were born in October, too. 

Fall (including October) is a good time to be born if you want to live a long life. More centenarians are born in the fall months.  Hugh Jackman, Luciano Pavarotti, Sigourney Weaver, Julie Andrews, John Keats and this Author all were born in October.

Six US presidents were born in October, more than any other month.

• John Adams
• Rutherford Hayes
• Chester Arthur
• Theodore Roosevelt
• Dwight Eisenhower
• Jimmy Carter