People have mixed feelings about October. Before I get to the facts about October, let me say I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for the month. As an introvert, I don’t need a reason to enjoy staying inside, but I do like the cooler weather of the autumn, snuggling up in a big hoody and reading a book with a cup of tea close at hand. There’s a sort of cosy contentment that the tenth month brings.
Five Facts About October
As always, I can’t resist including some historical references about the tenth month of the year.
- October gets its name because it used to be the eighth month in the ancient Roman calendar. Their calendar was based on lunar rather than solar cycles, so it had ten months until January and February were added in 451 BCE.
- In England, the Saxons called the month Wyn Monath (wine month). This was because it was the month for making wine after the harvest.
- The first full moon after the Harvest Moon often falls in October and is known as the Hunter’s Moon when the tribesmen gathered meat for the winter ahead.
- The annual Bavarian beer festival, Oktoberfest takes place for sixteen days prior to the first Sunday of October. The event was first held in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.
- I can’t talk about October without mentioning Hallowe’en. On 31st October, Celtic and Gaelic peoples celebrated the end of the harvest and the arrival of darker nights with the festical of Samhain. During Samhain, the barriers between the the physical and the spiritual world break down.
On social media, I’ve noticed lots of writers adore the month that heralds piles of golden leaves, pumpkin spice latte (never had one because I hate coffee), sweater weather and Hallowe’en. However, let’s not forget, in the southern hemisphere spring has already sprung, and the days are getting warmer.
Some people really don’t look forward to the longer nights and October can bring them anxiety and depression associated with seasonal affective disorder. Theories around SAD suggest the lower levels of vitamin D due to reduced sunlight affect the function of the hypothalamus and the production of serotonin and melatonin. This can lead to reduced physical activity, poor dietary habits and disrupted sleep patterns.
How do you feel about October?
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