October: The Start of the Holiday Season

October is the tenth month of the year and the start of the holiday season. Although it’s only the beginning of autumn, October often feels like the holiday tsunami is already upon us, heralding in the start of cozy fires, colorful decorations and sweet treats. And that’s a wonderful thing! Embrace the excitement, the joy and the anticipation this October.

The History Behind October

The Romans originally split the year into 10 months and October was the eighth. It was added to the calendar after an additional two months January and February were added by King Numa to reflect the lunar calendar. October was given its name by the Romans and it literally means “the eighth month”. In terms of why they named it such they refer to Octomore which literally means “the eighth” from the eight month in the old Roman Calendar.

October Traditions and Celebrations

October has a lot of celebrations associated with it. Halloween is by far the biggest celebration and is full of spooky decorations, trick-or-treating, costume parties and pumpkin carving. But October is also the month of Oktoberfest, which is one of the largest and oldest folk festivals in the world and is celebrated in Germany, Austria and many countries around the globe.

Another traditional October celebration is Thanksgiving, when families and friends come together to give thanks. In the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month, while in Canada it is on the second Monday of the month. Finally, October is also the month of Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, which is celebrated in the homes, streets and temples throughout India with colorful lights, paper lanterns and lots of fireworks.

No matter your religion or culture, October is a month of joy, optimism and celebration. So, embrace the chaos and get ready to get festive.