Halloween (or Hallowe'en) is an annual holiday observed on October 31, which commonly includes activities such as trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, carving jack-o'-lanterns, bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays dates back to the Middle Ages and includes Christmas wassailing. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of souling, when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls' Day (November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy.

Halloween as it is celebrated these days is but a pale representation of its rich and multicultural history. It is not, as some would call it, a celebration of the Devil or of Hell or of the Damned, but rather a blending of the celebrations marking the end of the growing season, a heralding of the coming of the winter months and folk traditions that told of the day when the veil between the living and the dead, ever a transparent, gossamer veil at that, would lift and ghosts and ghouls would walk among the living. From those many traditions, coming to us from the Celts, the Roman rituals and even Catholic tradition, we get the stirrings of what would eventually become Halloween.

Back in the old days, or once upon a time, in the tradition of fairy tales, there were the Celtic people and their Druid priests. The Druids were believed to have the ability, among other skills, to commune with the dead. Their powers, it was rumored, were much more powerful on the day of Samhain (pronounced sow-en), which was the last day of the year in the Celtic calendar. But, before believing that the Halloween celebration came directly from Samhain, a day mistakenly attributed directly to the Wiccans rather than to the Celts, you must understand that it is a blend of Hallowmas, a celebration of Catholic origins, as well as the Roman festival called Feralia.

On the day of Samhain, the Celtic people would all extinguish their home’s hearth fire. They would gather in front of a blessed bonfire and would sing, dance and listen to the stories that were told during the celebration. At the end of the evening, each person would take some of the bonfire home to relight their heart fire in hopes of ensuring good fortune to their home and family for the coming year. It is said that if your hearth fire would not light from the sacred bonfire, misfortune, even death, would befall someone in the house that very year.

By the 19th century, most of the religious aspects of the Halloween celebration had dwindled away and it was mostly a secular holiday, a gathering of community with only some of the remnants of the past clinging to it like the cobwebs of a haunted house. People would still dress up in costume, but less for the original reason of confusing the dead and more for just plain entertainment and fun.

European immigrants brought many of their traditions and beliefs with them to the New World, even those that were sometimes frowned upon or scoffed at. Halloween itself was largely disallowed, even forbidden, but in Maryland, the tradition was not only allowed but encouraged. The people there held what they called “play parties” where they would take turns telling each other’s fortunes, dancing, singing and telling ghost stories. The children would dress in costumes and try to scare one another as well.

The Irish immigrants came to the new world in great masses, fleeing from the Potato Famine that was starving them to death, and brought with them the Halloween tradition of going door to door looking for sweets and other treats. The tradition of trick or treating is still a favorite among little children today.

October Famous Birthdays

October 1, 1904- Vladimir Horowitz, pianist
October 1, 1920- Walter Matthau, actor
October 1, 1921- James Whitmore, actor
October 1, 1924- Jimmy Carter, 39th U.S. President (1977-1981)
October 1, 1924- William Rehnquist, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
October 1, 1927- Tom Bosley, actor
October 1, 1928- George Peppard, actor, the leader in TV series "A-Team"
October 1, 1935- Julie Andrews, actress, singer, "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music"
October 1, 1950- Randy Quaid, actor, "cousin "Eddy" in "Vacation" movies
October 1, 1963- Mark McGwire, MLB baseball slugger, home run record holder
October 2, 1890- Groucho Marx, comedian, "Marx Brothers"
October 2, 1895- Bud Abbott, comedian, comedy team "Abbott & Costello"
October 2, 1928- George McFarland, actor "Spanky" on "Spanky and Our Gang"
October 2, 1937- Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., attorney
October 2, 1945 -Don McLean, singer, songwriter, wrote and sang "Miss American Pie"
October 2, 1951- Gordon Sumner, musician, songwriter "Sting"
October 2, 1970- Kelly Ripa, actress, "Regis and Kelly" and TV series "Hope & Faith"
October 3, 1902 -Harvey Kurtzman, created "Mad" magazine
October 3, 1941- Chubby Checker, singer, musician
October 3, 1959- Jack Wagner, actor
October 4, 1181- St. Francis of Assisi, Catholic religious leader
October 4, 1822- Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th U.S. President (1877-1881)
October 4, 1861- Frederic Remington, painter, sculptor
October 4, 1895- Buster Keaton, comedian
October 4, 1924- Charlton Heston, actor , NRA President
October 4, 1941- Jackie Collins, author
October 4, 1946 -Susan Sarandon, actress
October 4, 1976- Alicia Silverstone, actress
October 5, 1829- Chester A. Arthur, 21st  U.S. President (1881-1885)
October 5, 1882- Robert Hutchings Goddard, father of the Space Age
October 5, 1902- Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's
October 5, 1923- Glynis Johns, actress, played in "Mary Poppins" 
October 5, 1963- Laura Davies, LPGA golfer
October 5, 1965- Mario Lemieux, NHL hockey player
October 5, 1975- Kate Winslet, actress, "Rose" in movie "Titanic"
October 6, 1846- George Westinghouse, engineer, inventor, developed AC electric power
October 6, 1906- Janet Gaynor, actress
October 6, 1914- Thor Heyerdahl, anthropologist, explorer
October 6, 1956- Stephanie Zimbalist, actress
October 6, 1963- Elisabeth Shue, actress
October 7, 1917- June Allyson, actress
October 7, 1931- Desmond Tutu, archbishop, won Nobel Peace Prize
October 7, 1943- Oliver North, National Security Council
October 7, 1951- John Mellencamp, singer
October 7, 1059- Simon Cowell, judge on "American Idol"
October 7, 1966- Toni Braxton, singer
October 8, 1890 "Eddie" Rickenbacker, WWI flying ace
October 8, 1936- David Carradine, actor
October 8, 1939- Paul Hogan, actor
October 8, 1941- Jesse Jackson, civil right leader
October 8, 1943- Chevy Chase, actor, comedian, SNL, "Vacation" movies
October 8, 1943- R. L. Stine,  author of children's books
October 8, 1949 -Sigourney Weaver, actress, "Ellen Ripley" in movie "Alien"
October 8, 1956- Stephanie Zimbalist, actress, starred in "Remington Steele"
October 8, 1970- Matt Damon, actor
October 9, 1938- Russell Myers, cartoonist, created "Broom Hilda"
October 9, 1940- John Lennon, singer, songwriter, musician, member of the "Beatles"
October 9, 1948- Jackson Browne, singer, songwriter
October 9, 1953- Sharon Osbourne, actress, wife of Ozzie Osbourne
October 9, 1955- Scott Bakula, actor, TV series "Quantum Leap" and "Star Trek- Enterprise"
October 9, 1981- Zacary Ty Bryan, actor, "Brad" on TV series "Home Improvement"
October 10, 1900- Helen Hayes, actress
October 10, 1914- Dorothy Lamour, actress
October 10, 1946 -Ben Vereen, actor, singer
October 10, 1958- Tanya Tucker, singer
October 10, 1969- Brett Favre, NRL Green Bay Packers quarterback
October 10, 1974- Dale Earnhardt Jr, auto racer
October 11, 1844- Henry John Heinz, founded Heinz Ketchup company
October 11, 1884- Eleanor Roosevelt, first lady, wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt
October 11, 1932- Dottie West, singer
October 11, 1937- Ron Leibman, actor
October 11, 1948- Daryl Hall, musician, singer
October 11, 1961- Steve Young, NFL San Francisco 49er's quarterback
October 11, 1962- Joan Cusack, actress
October 11, 1966 Luke Perry, actor
October 12, 1935- Luciano Pavarotti, opera singer
October 12, 1947- Chris Wallace, TV news correspondent
October 12, 1950- Susan Anton, actress, singer
October 12, 1950- Ronald McNair, astronaut, physicist, died in Challenger space shuttle explosion
October 12, 1970- Kirk Cameron, actor
October12, 1975- Marion Jones, Olympic track star
October 13, 1925- Margaret Thatcher, former prime minister of England
October 13, 1941- Paul Simon, singer, songwriter, "Simon & Garfunkel"
October 13, 1949- Sammy Hagar, singer, musician
October 13, 1957- Chris Carter, created "The X-Files"
October 13, 1959- Marie Osmond, actress, singer ,Brother-Sister duo "Donny & Marie"
October 13, 1962- Jerry Rice, NFL San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
October 13, 1969- Nancy Kerrigan, Olympic figure skater
October 13, 1980- Ashanti, singer, songwriter
October 14, 1644- William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania
October 14, 1890- Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th U.S. President (1953-1961)
October 14, 1894- E. E. Cummings, poet
October 14, 1916- C. Everett Koop, U.S. Surgeon General
October 14, 1927- Roger Moore, actor , played "James Bond"
October 14, 1938- John Dean, Nixon White House counsel during Watergate
October 14, 1939- Ralph Lauren, fashion designer
October 14, 1979- Usher, Rap singer
October 15, 1908- John Kenneth Galbraith, economist
October 15, 1917- Arthur Schlesinger Jr., historian
October 15, 1920- Mario Puzo, novelist, wrote "The Godfather"
October 15, 1924 -Lee Iacocca,  Chrysler auto executive, led turnaround of company
October 15, 1943- Penny Marshall, actress, director
October 15, 1946- Richard Carpenter, singer, with sister Karen Carpenter
October 15, 1959- Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and first wife of Prince Andrew
October 15, 1959- Emeril Lagasse, TV chef
October 15, 1969- Vanessa Marcil- actress, TV soap opera "General Hospital"
October 16, 1758- Noah Webster - compiled first American English dictionary
October 16, 1854- Oscar Wilde, poet, playwright
October 16, 1886- David Ben-Gurion, first Prime Minister of Israel
October 16, 1898- William O. Douglas, Supreme Court Justice
October 16, 1925- Angela Lansbury, actress, "Murder, She Wrote"
October 16, 1946- Suzanne Somers, actress, "Chrissy" on TV series "Three's Company"
October 16, 1958- Tim Robbins, actor, director
October 16, 1975- Kellie Martin, actress
October 17, 1912- Pope John Paul I, pope for just 34 days in 1978
October 17, 1918- Rita Hayworth, actress
October 17, 1938- Evel Knievel, motorcycle daredevil
October 17, 1948- Margot Kidder, actress
October 17, 1948- George Wendt, actor
October 17, 1963- Norm McDonald- actor, "SNL"
October 17, 1972- Eminem, Rap singer
October 18, 1926- Chuck Berry, singer, songwriter, starred in movie "Patton"
October 18, 1939- Mike Ditka, NFL Chicago Bears head coach
October 18, 1939- Lee Harvey Oswald, assassinated President John F. Kennedy
October 18, 1956- Martina Navratilova, tennis champion
October 18, 1960- Jean-Claude Von Damme, actor
October 19, 1922- Jack Anderson, columnist, journalist
October 19, 1932- Robert Reed, played the dad on TV series "The Brady Bunch"
October 19, 1945- John Lithgow, actor , comedian
October 19, 1962- Evander Holyfield, champion heavyweight boxer
October 20, 1882- Bela Lugosi, actor, played "Dracula"
October 20, 1925- Art Buchwald, humorist
October 20, 1931- Mickey Mantle, MLB baseball slugger
October 20, 1935- Jerry Ohrbach, actor
October 20, 1953- Tom Petty, singer
October 20, 1972- Snoop Dogg, Rap singer
October 21, 1833- Alfred Nobel, chemist, engineer, established Nobel Prizes
October 21, 1917- Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet player, bandleader
October 21, 1926- Whitey Ford, MLB baseball pitcher
October 21, 1956- Carrie Fisher, actress, "Princess Leia" in "Star Wars"
October 22, 1903- Curly Howard, actor, comedian, one of the "Three Stooges"
October 22, 1917- Joan Fontaine, actress
October 22, 1920- Timothy Leary, psychologist, Harvard professor, and 60's guru
October 22, 1938- Christopher Lloyd, actor
October 22, 1942 Annette Funicello, actress, singer, beach movies
October 22, 1943- Catherine Deneuve, actress
October 22, 1963- Brian Boitano, Olympic champion figure skater
October 22, 1968- Shaggy,  Reggae/pop singer, sang "It wasn't Me"
October 23, 1893- Gummo Marx, agent for the "Marx Brothers"
October 23, 1906- Gertrude Ederle, first woman to swim the English Channel
October 23, 1925- Johnny Carson, Talk show host, "The Tonight Show". Tv Talk Show Host Day
October 23, 1935- Chi Chi Rodriguez, professional golfer
October 23, 1940- Pelé, soccer player
October 23, 1942- Michael Crichton, novelist, wrote "Jurrasic Park"
October 23, 1959- "Weird Al" Yankovic, singer, comedian
October 23, 1962- Doug Flutie, CFL and NFL quarterback
October 24, 1926- Y. A. Tittle, NFL quarterback
October 24, 1930- J.P. Richardson, singer, the "Big Bopper", sang "Chantilly Lace"
October 24, 1936- David Nelson, actor, son of Ozzie and Harriet on TV series "The Nelsons"
October 24, 1947- Kevin Kline, actor
October 24, 1980- Monica Arnold, singer
October 25, 1881 -Pablo Picasso, artist
October 25, 1888- Richard E. Byrd, aviator, Antarctic explorer
October 25, 1912- Minnie Pearl, singer, entertainer, Grand Ole Opry star
October 25, 1940- Bobby Knight, College basketball coach
October 25, 1941- Helen Reddy, singer
October 25, 1941- Anne Tyler, novelist
October 26, 1879- Leon Trotsky, Russian Communist leader
October 26, 1914- Jackie Coogan, "Uncle Fester" on TV series "The Addams Family"
October 26, 1947- Jaclyn Smith, actress, K-Mart fashion line, TV series "Charlie's Angels"
October 26, 1947- Hillary Rodham Clinton, first lady, NY Senator
October 26, 1947- Pat Sajak, TV game-show host , "Wheel of Fortune"
October 26, 1954- Lauren Tewes, "Julie" on TV series the "Love Boat"
October 26, 1962- Dylan McDermott, actor
October 26, 1963- Natalie Merchant, singer
October 27, 1858- Theodore Roosevelt, 26th  U. S President, Quote: "Walk softly and carry a big stick" (1901-1909)
October 27, 1872 -Emily Post, etiquette expert
October 27, 1914 Dylan Thomas, poet
October 27, 1920- Nanette Fabray, actress
October 27, 1940- John Gotti, crime boss
October 27, 1956- Patty Sheehan, LPGA golfer
October 28, 1914- Jonas Salk, physician, developed polio vaccine
October 28, 1936 -Charlie Daniels, singer, songwriter, musician
October 28, 1939- Jane Alexander, actress
October 28, 1944- Dennis Franz, actor, "NYPD Blue"
October 28, 1949- Bruce Jenner, Olympic decathlon champion
October 28, 1955- Bill Gates, Microsoft executive, multi-multi billionaire
October 28, 1967- Julia Roberts, actress, "Pretty Woman", "My Best Friends' Wedding", many more
October 29, 1891- Fanny Brice, entertainer
October 29, 1947- Richard Dreyfuss, oscar winning actor, movies include "Jaws" and "Goodbye Girl"
October 29, 1948 Kate Jackson, actress , TV series "Charlie's Angels"
October 29, 1971- Winon Ryder, actress, "movie "Girl, Interrupted"
October 30, 1735- John Adams, 2d U.S. President (1797-1801)
October 30, 1882- William "Bull" Halsey, World War II Pacific Fleet Commander
October 30, 1885- Ezra Pound, poet
October 30, 1945- Henry Winkler, actor
October 30, 1951- Harry Hamlin, actor, attorney "Michael Kuzak" on TV series "L.A. Law"
October 31, 1795 John Keats, poet
October 31, 1860- Juliette Gordon Low, founder of Girl Scouts of America
October 31, 1887- Chiang Kai-shek, Chinese leader
October 31, 1912- Dale Evans, the "Queen of the West", born Frances Octavia Smith
October 31, 1922- Barbara Bel Geddes, actress "Miss Ellie Ewing" on TV series "Dallas"
October 31, 1931- Dan Rather, TV News Anchorman
October 31, 1936- Michael Landon, actor
October 31, 1950- John Candy, actor, comedian
October 31, 1950- Jane Pauley, TV journalist
October 31, 1963- Dermot Mulroney, actor
October 31, 1967- Vanilla Ice, singer, actor

BirthStones for October

Zodiac Signs do not run by the calendar month, so October contains two signs: Libra and Scropio.

Libra (Sept 23 to Oct 22)
Opal

Scorpio (Oct 23 to Nov 22
Topaz

The traditional birthstone for the month of October (1-31) is the Opal.

October Daily Observances

October 1

Fire Pup Day
Fall Astronomy Day
Inter-American Water Day (First Saturday)
International Day of Older Persons
National Lace Day
World Card Making Day
World Vegetarian Day

October 2

Change A Light Day
Guardian Angels Day
International Day of Non-violence
Phileas Fogg's Wager Day
National Custodial Workers Day
Techie's Day
World Communion Day
World Farm Animals Day

October 3

Child Health Day
World Habitat Day

October 4

Blessing of The Animals Day (aka Blessing of the Pets Day,
World Pet Day)
Improve Your Office Day
Kanelbullens Dag (Cinnamon Roll Day)
Ten-Four Day
World Animal Day

October 5
World Teachers Day
Balloons Around The World Day (First Wednesday)

October 6
Ecological Debt Day
Jackie Mayer Rehab Day
Mad Hatter Day
National German-American Day

October 7

Cephalopod Awareness Day
Lee's National Denim Day
National Diversity Day
World Smile Day
Yom Kippur

October 8
Alvin C. York Day
National Depression Screening Day
Universal Music Day
National Pierogy Day

October 9
International African Diaspora Day
Leif Erikson Day
National Chess Day
National Pro-Life Cupcake Day
World Post Day
Clergy Appreciation Day ( Always 2nd Sunday)

October 10
Columbus Day
National Day of Mourning (Native Americans)
International Newspaper Carrier
Native American (2nd Monday)
National Kick Butt
Naval Academy
World Mental Health

October 11
General Pulaski Memorial
National Coming Out
National Face Your Fears
Native Americans' (2nd Monday)

October 12
Emergency Nurses
Free Thought
International Moment of Frustration Scream
International Top Spinning
National Bring Your Teddy Bear To Work & School

October 13
English Language
International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
Navy Birthday
World Sight Day (2nd Thursday)

October 14
Alternative Fuel
Be Bald and Be Free
World Egg Day (2nd Friday)

October 15
International Day of Rural Women
National Grouch
National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day
White Cane Safety Day
Bridge Day
Sweetest Day

October 16
Dictionary Day
National Feral Cat Day
National Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day (3rd Sunday)
World Food Day
World Toy Camera Day

October 17

Black Poetry Day
Boss's Day
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
Mulligan Day
National Cake Decorating Day
National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day(3rd Monday)

October 18

National Chocolate Cupcake Day
Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity
World Menopause Day

October 19

Evaluate Your Life Day
Hagfish Day (3rd Wednesday) 
Medical Assistants Recognition Day

October 20
Information Overload Day
Miss American Rose Day
Birth of the Bab
Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce
Get to Know Your Customers Day
Get Smart About Credit Day
International Credit Union Day

October 21
Global Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) Prevention Day
Mammography Day
Reptile Awareness Day
Simchat Torah

October 22
International Stuttering Awareness Day
Make A Difference Day

October 23
IPod Day
Mother-in-Law Day (always 4th Sunday)
National Mole Day

October 24
United Nations Day
World Development Information Day
Lung Health Day

October 25
Sourest Day
XTERRA World Championships

October 26

Diwali
Mule Day 
Perigean Spring Tides

October 27

Cranky Co-workers Day
Navy Day

October 28
National Chocolates Day
St. Jude's Day
Frankenstein Friday
International Bandanna Day
National Breadstix (Bread Sticks) Day

October 29
Internet Day
National Cat Day
National Forgiveness Day
World Psoriasis Day

October 30
Checklist Day
Create A Great Funeral Day
Devil's Night
Haunted Refrigerator Night
National Candy Corn Day
Reformation Sunday

October 31
Beggars' Night
Books For Treats Day
Halloween
National Caramel Apple Day
National Knock-Knock Jokes Day
National Magic Day
National UNICEF Day
Samhain         

October Week Long Observances

Albuquerque International Balloon Festival: 1-9
Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend: 1-2
Get Organized Week: 1-7
Universal Children's Week: 1-7
Great Books Week: 2-8
National Newspaper Week: 2-8
Mental Illness Awareness Week: 2-8
Mystery Series Week: 2-8
National Carry A Tune Week: 2-8
Nuclear Medicine Week: 2-8
Customer Service Week: 3-7 .
No Salt Week: 3-10
Spinning & Weaving Week: 3-9  .
World Dairy Expo: 4-8
World Space Week: 4-10
National Physicians Assistant Week: 6-12
National Storytelling Weekend: 7-9
New York Comic Con Week: 7-9
Pet Peeve Week: 8-15
Build Your Business with Business Cards Week: 9-15
Emergency Nurses Week: 9-15
National Chestnut Week: 9-15
Fire Prevention Week: 9-15
National Metric Week: 9-15
National School Lunch Week: 9-15
National Work From Home Week: 9-15
Home-based Business Week: 10-16
Kids' Goal Setting Week: 10-14
Take Your Medicine Americans Week: 10-16
World Rainforest Week: 10-16
Getting The World To Beat A Path To Your Door Week: 16-22
Kids Care Week: 16-22
National Save For Retirement Week: 16-22 .
Teen Read Week: 16-22
National Chemistry Week: 16-22
YWCA Week without Violence: 16-22 .
National Character Counts Week: 16-22
National Food Bank Week: 16-22
National Forest Products Week: 16-22
National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week: 16-22 . 
(always 3rd week)
Freedom From Bullies Week: 16-22
Freedom of Speech Week: 16-22 .
Medical Assistants Recognition Week: 16-22.
National School Bus Safety Week: 17-21
National Respiratory Care Week: 23-29 . (last full week)
Pastoral Care Week: 23-29
Disarmament Week: 24-30
.Peace, Friendship and Good Will Week: 24-30 .
Prescription Errors Education & Awareness Week: 24-31
Red Ribbon Week: 24 - 28  .  (last  week)
International Magic Week: 25-31
National Massage Therapy Week: 25-29
World Hearing Aid Awareness Week: 27-10/3 .
Give Wildlife a Break Week: 31-11/6