The Surprising History of October

October is a month of colorful change, as leaves turn vibrant shades of yellow, orange and red. It’s a time for Halloween decorations, candy corn and cheering for favorite teams on the gridiron and at the World Series. Historically, almanacs have portrayed October as a transitional period, marking the end of the harvest and the start of winter preparations. From its full moon to forgotten holidays, October holds many surprises. As A.A. Milne wrote in 1920, “The end of the summer is not the end of the world. Here’s to October.” 

In Latin, “octo” means eight—October’s place in the Roman calendar when March was the first month. Now the 10th month in the Gregorian calendar, October was known as Winmonath (“wine month”) in Old England due to wine production at the time, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. It was also called Winterfylleth (“winter full moon”), signaling the arrival of winter.

October’s full moon, known as the hunter’s moon, was named by the Algonquin people as it signaled hunting season before winter. It follows the harvest moon, which can occur in September or October (if the harvest moon appears in October, it replaces the hunter’s moon). According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term “hunter’s moon” was first recorded in 1710.

The Orionids meteor shower, peaking midmonth, comes from debris from Halley’s Comet. NASA notes that it’s renowned for its bright, fast meteors, which sometimes create glowing trails or fireballs. 

October also features one of four cross-quarter days, which mark the midpoint between solstices and equinoxes. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, ancient Celts celebrated Samhain, or “summer’s end,” on October 31, which evolved into Halloween. 

Halloween, practically synonymous with October, stems from Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival marking the end of summer, the beginning of winter and the start of the new year on November 1. Celts believed that on October 31, spirits could return to Earth. Druids built large bonfires for sacrifices, and people wore animal-skin costumes to tell fortunes. 

Though Oktoberfest is widely associated with beer, the ancient festival of Meditrinalia centered on wine. According to William Smith’s 1875 A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, it was celebrated on October 11 and involved tasting new wine and offering it to the gods. Some attribute the festival to Meditrina, the Roman goddess of health and wine. 

Lesser-known national holidays you may want to pencil in this month: 

National Hagfish Day, celebrated the third Wednesday of October, honors the slimy, jawless fish that secretes a sticky goo and eats dead matter. 

International Ship in a Bottle Day, held October 4, pays tribute to the founder of the Ship in a Bottle Association of America.

Sweetest Day, celebrated the third Saturday in October, originated in Cleveland as a day for philanthropy and kindness. According to the State Library of Ohio, the National Confectioners Association initially called it “Candy Day” in 1916.

Think of Halloween, and bats, black cats, spiders and toads often come to mind. But don’t forget the owl. Symbolic of wisdom and omens, the bird is strongly associated with Samhain, when it was seen as a messenger between the living and dead. October is sometimes called Owl Month or hooting season, according to Washington State University, as owls become more vocal during this time as they establish their winter turf or prepare for mating season.