October Explained
October is the tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. The eighth month in the old calendar of Romulus, October retained its name (from Latin and Greek ôctō meaning "eight") after January and February were inserted into the calendar that had originally been created by the Romans. In Ancient Rome, one of three Mundus patet would take place on October 5, Meditrinalia October 11, Augustalia on October 12, October Horse on October 15, and Armilustrium on October 19. These dates do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar. Among the Anglo-Saxons, it was known as Winterfylleth (Ƿinterfylleþ), because at this full moon, winter was supposed to begin.[1]
October is commonly associated with the season of spring in parts of the Southern Hemisphere, and autumn in parts of the Northern Hemisphere, where it is the seasonal equivalent to April in the Southern Hemisphere and vice versa.
Symbols
October's birthstones are the tourmaline and opal.[2] Its birth flower is the calendula.[3] The zodiac signs are Libra (until October 22) and Scorpio (from October 23 onward).[4] [5]
Observances
This list does not necessarily imply either official status or general observance.
Non-Gregorian: dates
(All Baha'i, Islamic, and Jewish observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted.)
Month-long
United States
The last two to three weeks in October (and, occasionally, the first week of November) are normally the only time of the year during which all of the "Big Four" major professional sports leagues in the U.S. and Canada schedule games; the National Basketball Association begins its preseason and about two weeks later starts the regular season, the National Hockey League is about one month into its regular season, the National Football League is about halfway through its regular season, and Major League Baseball is in its postseason with the League Championship Series and World Series. To date there have been 30 occasions in which all four leagues played games on the same day (an occurrence popularly termed a sports equinox), with the most recent of these having taken place on October 30, 2023.[18] Additionally, the Canadian Football League is typically nearing the end of its regular season during this period, while Major League Soccer is beginning the MLS Cup Playoffs.
United States, health-related
United States, culinary
Movable dates
October 1
October 6
October 7
October 9–15
First Sunday
First Monday
First Tuesday
First Wednesday
First Thursday
First Friday
First full week
Second Sunday
Second Monday
Second Tuesday
Second Wednesday
Wednesday of second full week in October
Second Thursday
Second Friday
Second Saturday
Week of October 10
Second Week of October
Third Sunday
Third Monday
Third Thursday
- International Credit Union Day
Third Saturday
Fourth Monday
Fourth Wednesday
Fourth Friday
Fourth Saturday
Week of Fourth Wednesday
Last Monday
Last Friday
Last Sunday
Fixed
Miscellaneous
- Eric Whitacre composed a piece based on this month, titled October.
- Neil Gaiman wrote a story personifying the month, titled "October in the Chair", for his 2006 collection Fragile Things.
- Ray Bradbury published a collection of short stories titled The October Country in 1955.
- The song October doth before us go celebrates the progression of spring (from the perspective of the Southern Hemisphere).[40] [41]
Notes and References
- October.
- Web site: Gemstone Leaflet . . Jan 22, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120222185020/http://www.jewelers.org/pdf/ConsEdcn/Gemstone%20Leaflets.pdf . 2012-02-22 .
- Web site: SHG Resources . Birth Months, Flowers, and Gemstones . SHG Resources . 2011-11-01 . https://archive.today/20120911093344/http://www.shgresources.com/gems/birthflowers/ . 2012-09-11 . dead .
- The Earth passes the junction of the signs at 22:59 UT/GMT October 22, 2020, and will pass it again at 04:51 UT/GMT October 23, 2021.
- . Signs in UT/GMT for 1950–2030.
- Web site: CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Special Devotions For Months . Newadvent.org . 2012-10-24.
- Web site: Health Literacy Month – Finding the Right Words for Better Health. www.healthliteracymonth.org.
- Web site: SDMS Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month. www.sdms.org.
- Web site: Home - Rettsyndrome.org. www.rettsyndrome.org. 2016-10-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20161010053152/http://www.rettsyndrome.org/get-involved/october-awareness-month. 2016-10-10. dead.
- http://www.aao.org/aao/patients/eyemd/world_blindness.cfm
- Web site: Hultin G. Why Celebrate Vegetarian Awareness Month? Food & Nutrition, October 7, 2014, Accessed November 14, 2018. 13 October 2021.
- Web site: Vegetarian Awareness Month: Celebrating Meatless Mindfulness, Oldways website, September 28, 2017, Accessed November 14, 2018.
- Web site: World Vegetarian Day, October 1. North American Vegetarian Society (the North American WVD sponsor explains that "World Vegetarian Day [on] October 1st is the annual kick-off of Vegetarian Awareness Month", accessed November 14, 2018.
- Web site: Palmer S. World Vegetarian Awareness Month. Vegan Outreach website, October 2, 2017, Accessed November 14, 2018. 3 October 2017.
- Web site: October is National Vegetarian Awareness Month. Fix.com. October 1, 2014, Accessed November 14, 2018. October 2014.
- Web site: Celebrate Vegetarian Awareness Month. Fruits & Veggies: More Matters. Monday, October 14, 2013, at 4:00 am. Accessed November 14, 2018.
- Web site: Gerber J. 9 Easy Wasys to Celebrate Vegetarian Awareness Month. Care2. October 1, 2012. Accessed November 14, 2018 . November 15, 2018 . November 15, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181115112739/https://www.care2.com/greenliving/easy-ways-to-celebrate-vegetarian-awareness-month.html . dead .
- Web site: Sports Equinox 2023: NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB games taking place on same day for 30th time in history. Nivison. Austin. CBS Sports. October 30, 2023.
- News: American Archives Month. 2017-06-22. National Archives. 2018-09-25. en.
- Web site: October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. ASPCA. 2014-10-17.
- Web site: About NCSAM . www.staysafeonline.info . https://web.archive.org/web/20091005011514/http://www.staysafeonline.info/content/about-ncsam . October 5, 2009 . October 7, 2009 . dead .
- Web site: American Pharmacists Month 2011 . https://archive.today/20071011161022/http://www.pharmacist.com/aphm . dead . October 11, 2007 . Pharmacist.com . 2011-11-01 .
- Web site: Little People of the World.
- Web site: Little People of America . 2014-09-30 . 2014-10-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006074930/http://www.lpaonline.org/dwarfism-awareness-month-press-release . dead .
- Web site: Eczema Awareness Month – National Eczema Association. National Eczema Association. 2015-05-19. 2015-05-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20150520184429/http://nationaleczema.org/get-involved/eczema-awareness-month/. dead.
- Web site: ADHA – October is National Dental Hygiene Month . Adha.org . 2011-11-01.
- Web site: Healthy Lung Month – Lung problems. 5 October 2012.
- Web site: Observing Infertility Awareness Month . Library.adoption.com . 2011-11-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080828125101/http://library.adoption.com/resources-and-information/observing-infertility-awareness-month/article/574/1.html . 2008-08-28 . dead .
- Web site: Liver Awareness Month. www.liverfoundation.org. 4 August 2017. 6 October 2016. 29 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160929024939/http://www.liverfoundation.org/education/liverlowdown/ll1013/lam. dead.
- http://www.lupus.org/education/LAM_main.html
- http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=National_PT_Month&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=155&ContentID=28220 APTA | National Physical Therapy Month
- Web site: Spina Bifida Association – Spina Bifida Association . Sbaa.org . 2011-11-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071014011920/http://www.sbaa.org/site/c.gpILKXOEJqG/b.2016945/k.2321/Spina_Bifida_Association_Web_site.htm . 2007-10-14 . dead .
- Web site: October is SIDS Awareness Month. www.nichd.nih.gov. 20 October 2014 .
- Web site: National Pizza Month . Pizza.com . 2012-10-24.
- Web site: Popcorn Poppin' Month . Popcorn.org . 2012-10-24.
- Web site: October is National Pork Month. ThePigSite. 2007-10-02.
- Web site: NOAA Fisheries Celebrates National Seafood Month. NOAA.gov. 2017-10-01. 2017-10-09.
- News: "Brussels should pay attention to the Szeklers" – Day of Szekler Autonomy. Attila. Szoó. Transylvania Now. 26 October 2020.
- Web site: Diversity – UMUC. www.umuc.edu. 2016-08-20. 2016-09-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20160919112457/http://www.umuc.edu/diversity/german.cfm. dead.
- Web site: October doth before us go (feat. Leisha Stevens) . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/Ic78D0yLNUw. 2021-12-11 . live. . 31 October 2020 . 30 September 2021.
- Web site: October doth before us go (feat. Leisha Stevens) . Amazon . 30 September 2021.