Welcome October!

October

Season:  Autumn (Northern hemisphere)

Zodiac Signs:  Libra & Scorpio

Birthstones:  Opal & Pink Tourmaline

Flowers of the Month:  Calendula & Cosmos

Moon name:  Hunter's Moon

Events to look forward to in October:

10/1  National Day in China
10/1  Independence Day in the Republic of Cyprus
10/1  Independence Day in Nigeria
10/1  Feast of Saint Therese of Lisieux [new] (Roman Catholic)
10/3 - 10/9  National Fire Prevention Week (US & Canada) (lots of fire-drills in schools!)
10/2  Gandhi Jayanthi in India/Birthday of Mahathma Gandhi/International Day of Non-Violence
10/2  Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels (Roman Catholic)
10/3  Feast of Saint Therese of Lisieux [trad.] (Roman Catholic)
10/3  Oktoberfest ends in Germany
10/3  German Unity Day (Germany)
10/4  Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi (Roman Catholic)
10/5  Proclamation of Portuguese Republic
10/5  International World Teachers' Day
10/5  Feast of Saint Faustina Kowalska (Roman Catholic)
10/6  Armed Forces Day in Egypt
10/7  Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (Roman Catholic)
10/7  Yom Kippur begins at sundown (Judaism)
10/7  Feast of Saint Mark (Roman Catholic)
10/8  Yom Kippur (Judaism)
10/8  Independence Day in Croatia
10/9  Leif Erikson Day (USA, especially the Upper Midwest & Saskatchewan, Canada)
10/10  Columbus Day (USA)
10/10  Thanksgiving Day in Canada
10/10  National Day in Taiwan
10/11  Feast of Blessed Pope John XXIII (Roman Catholic)
10/12  National Day in Spain {Columbus' Discovery of America in 1492}
10/12  Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar (Roman Catholic)
10/12 - 10/19  Sukkot (Judaism)
10/13  Miracle of the Sun in Fatima (Roman Catholic)
10/15  Feast of Saint Teresa of Avila (Roman Catholic)
10/16  Feast of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (Roman Catholic)
10/16  National Boss Day (USA)
10/17  National Boss Day, observed (USA)
10/17  Feast of Saint Ignatius of Antioch (Roman Catholic)
10/18  Feast of Saint Luke (Roman Catholic)
10/18  Alaska Day (USA)
10/19  Constitution Day in Niue
10/19  Shemini Atzeret, at sundown (Judaism)
10/19 OR 10/20  Simchat Torah: 10/19 at sundown, 10/20 outside of Israel (Judaism)
10/21  Apple Day (UK)
10/21  Trafalgar Day (UK)
10/23  Hungarian Revolution of 1956 Remembrance Day (Hungary)
10/23  Mother-in-law Day (USA)
10/24  Feast of Saint Raphael, the Archangel (Roman Catholic)
10/24  United Nations Day
10/25  Day of the Romanian Army (Romania)
10/26  National Day of Austria
10/26  Diwali (Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism)
10/27  Independence Day in St. Vincent + the Grenadines
10/27  Independence Day in Turkmenistan
10/27  Navy Day (USA)
10/28  Feast of Saints Simon + Jude (Roman Catholic)
10/29  Republic Day in Turkey
10/30  Mischief Night (Canada + USA)
10/30  Reformation Sunday (USA)
10/31  Reformation Day (Slovenia, parts of Germany, Chile
10/31  Halloween aka All Hallows Eve
10/31  Samhain (Northern hemisphere)

October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month (USA + Canada), National Down Syndrome Awareness Month (USA), German American Heritage Month (9/15-10/15), Italian American Heritage Month (9/15-10/15), & Polish American Heritage Month.

In Roman Catholicism, October is dedicated to the devotion of the Holy Rosary.

American football season is going strong (and tailgate parties!), baseball (MLB) goes into postseason, and basketball (NBA) starts scheduling games. Many students participate in sports & athletic activities such as cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, American football, golf, soccer, tennis, & crew.... along with celebrating high-school homecomings.

We really get into the swing of Autumn activities by raking & jumping into piles of fallen leaves, going leaf-peeping to view the gorgeous changing colors, Autumn walks & hikes, anything to do with harvesting apples (picking, bobbing, baking, cooking, cider, wine, etc), anything to do with harvesting pumpkins (picking, carving, drawing, decorating, baking, cooking, etc), enjoying squash & gourds, scarecrows, hay rides, corn mazes, Indian corn, trips to the cider mill & haunted houses....  Fall festivals & costumed Halloween parties.  Trick-or-treating... ghosts, ghouls, witches, vampires, zombies & werewolves.... That crisp fall air, with a cup of warm cider - can you tell it's my favorite season?!