Which holiday do you first think of when someone says October? If you're a kid, it's probably Halloween, right? This spooky holiday kicks off the big holiday season and it ranks right up there with Christmas for many children.
October is the tenth month of the year in the internationally-accepted Gregorian calendar (named after Pope Gregory XIII). October retained its Latin name octo meaning "eight" from its position in the old Roman calendar.
Columbus Day and Leif Erikson Day
On the second Monday in October, many people observe Columbus Day, which can be controversial. For example, should Columbus be celebrated as an explorer or condemned for his crimes against the indigenous population of America? Before you decide which story to tell, learn the Truth About Christopher Columbus.
Leif Erikson was a Norse explorer believed to have set foot on the Americas before Columbus.
Halloween Costumes
Planning and making or assembling your Halloween costume can be a fun way to get ready for the spooky end-of-the-month holiday. Here are a few resources to get you started.
- Top Halloween Costume Trends of 2011
- Homemade Halloween Costumes for Kids
- Cheap and Easy Last-Minute Halloween Costumes
More Halloween Fun
How about some
- free pumpkin carving patterns and designs,
- Halloween mandala coloring pages, or
- roasted pumpkin seed recipes.
Holidays and Observances in October
- October 1 - Children's Book Week (England)
- October 2 - International Day of Non-Violence
- October 3 - National Fire Prevention Week (U.S. and Canada)
- October 5 - International World Teacher's Day
- October 9 - Leif Erikson Day
- October 10 - Columbus Day (or 2nd Monday)
- October 12 - Freethought Day
- October 21 - Apple Day
- October 31 - Halloween, Samhain, Harvest
Historical Events in October
- October 12, 1492 - Columbus reaches New World
- October 6, 1866 - First U.S. train robbery
- October 21, 1879 - Thomas Edison invented first workable electric light
- October 25, 1881 - Pablo Picasso born
- October 26, 1881 - Shootout at the OK Corral
- October 1, 1890 - Yosemite National Park established
- October 24, 1901 - First barrel ride over Niagara Falls
- October 1, 1920 - Scientific American reports radio music will be transmitted to homes
- October 14, 1947 - Yeager breaks sound barrier
- October 4, 1957 - Sputnik launched, Space Age began
- October 2, 1967 - Thurgood Marshall, first African-American appointed to U.S. highest court
- October 11, 1968 - Apollo 7, first manned Apollo mission
- October 11, 2002 - Jimmy Carter wins Nobel Prize
- October 7, 2003 - Arnold Schwartzenegger becomes Calif. governor
Columbus Day and Halloween are only the beginning of October's notable observances. It's a good month for making costumes, thinking about historical accuracy and perspective, taking note of fire prevention and non-violence actions, or some combination thereof. Historical costumes, the history of Halloween, world peace, etc.
Next month, get ready for: Thanksgiving and Christmas Printables and Sharing the Truth About Thanksgiving.
Sara McGrath - Sara is a veteran homeschool mom of three, Usborne consultant, and the author of Unschooling: A Lifestyle of Learning.
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