October IS:

October is the tenth month of the Gregorian calendar, containing 31 days. October was the eighth month of the ancient Roman calendar as evidenced by the name October (Latin octo, "eight"). The Saxons called October "Win Monath" - time for making wine.

Flowers for October are: calendula, cosmos and hops - these flowers represent constancy.

Gems for October are: opal & tourmaline - these gems represent hope.

Hurricane Season Months in the East (June 1-Nov 30)

Hurricane Season Months in the West (June 1-Oct 31)

American  Magazine Month - Stop by the newsstand and pick up a perodical, or subscribe. Sponsor: Magazine Publishers of America.

Asthma Awareness Month - Studies show that 46% of asthma sufferers are allegic to cockroaches. Combat asthma by getting rid of cockroaches.

Auto Battery Safety Month - Learn how to sfely jump-start you car battery so that you don't injure yourself. Sponsor: Prevent Blindness America.

Campaign for Healthier Babies Month - Focus on ways to prevent infant deaths. Sponsor: March of Dimes Foundation.

Computer Learning Month - Focus on new ways to use computers in education. Sponsor: Computer Learning Foundation.

Consumer Information Month - Make people aware of resources that help consumers. Sponsor: Consumer Index to Product Evaluations.

Cookbook Month - The Julia Child Cookbook Awards are given out during this month of October. Sponsor: International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Cooking, Crafts, and Home Books Month - Celebrate the authors and publishers of books on food, diet, crafts, hobbies, collectibles, antiques, home decorating, home repair, beauty, and fashion. Sponsor: Book Marketing Update.

Co-Op Awareness Month - This month is to remind retailers to use the co-op advertising money that is available. Each year more than $5 billion in co-op advertising money is left unspent by stores. Sponsor: Sales Development Services.

Cooperative Month - Recognizes the contribution of electric cooperatives and other coopperatives such as the Associated Press, Sunkist, and Florist Transworld Delivery.

Country Music Month - The Country Music Association Awards are given out this month. Sponsor: Country Music Association.

Crime Prevention Month - Challenge people to take individual and collective action to prevent crime and build communities that nurture and protect young people. Sponsor: National Crime Prevention Council.

Cuts and Curles for Charity Month - Sponsor: TFA Communications.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month - Sponsor: National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Ending Hunger Month - By Presidental proclamation.   

Energy Awareness Month - Sponsor: National Energy Information Administration.

Energy Management Is a Family Affair Time - October 1st to March 31st is a time to replace expensive energy demanding appliances with energy efficient ones. Sponsor: Home Improvement Time.

Family History Awareness Month - Spotlight the importance and fun of genealogy. Sponsor: Monmouth County Genealogy Club, Freehold, NJ.

Fire Prevention Month - Teach and learn fire safety. Sponsor: National Fire Protection Association.

Gourmet Adventures Month - Try a new dish every day this month.

Healthy Lung Month - Focus on the effects of childhood illnesses and indoor air pollution on the health of people's lungs. Sponsor: american Lung Association.

Hunger Awareness Month - Increase your awareness of those who are hungry in the U.S. and the world. Sponsor: Food Industry Crusade Against Hunger.

International Book Fair Month - Book fairs are great fund raising events for schools. Sponsor: School Book Fairs.

Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month - Presidental proclamation. During the month of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, an Italian, we celebrate al Italians.

Learning Disabilities Awareness Month

Lock in Safety Month - Make sure your locks work. Check out your security systems.

Lupus Awareness Month - Promote awareness of Lupus disease and encourage its early detection. Sponsor: Lupus Foundation of America.

National Adopt A Dog Month - Adopt a pet, especially a dog from your local animal shelter. Also known as Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. Sponsor: ASPCA.

National AIDS Awareness Month - This month is set aside to inform the public about AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Sponsor: Pharmacists Planning Service.

National Apple Jack Month - To honor America's oldest distilled beverage. Laird's Apple Jack.

National Arts and Humanities Month - Sponsor: National Cultural Alliance.

National Awareness Month for children with Cancer

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

National Car Care Month - A nationwide effort by businesses, civic groups, the government, and the media to focus motorists' attention on the need to maintain their cars for safer highways, improved air quality, fuel conservation, and investment protection. Sponsor: Car Care Council.

National Clock Month - Celebrate the importance of clocks in America. Sponsor: Clock Manufactures and Marketing Association.

National Collector's Month - Promotes collecting colletibles as a family tradition. SponsorsInclude: Enesco, Walt Disney Classics Collection, Silvesti, Kurt Adler, and Bradford Exchange.   

National Communicate With your Kid Month - Tell your children that you love them. Do this often. Sponsor: Parenting Without Pressure.

National Cosmetology Month - This month is dedicated to encouraging the use of cosmetics for increasing sel-esteem. Sponsor: National Cosmetology Association.

National Cut Out Disection Month - This month was designated to discourage dissections of animals for any reason. This is a very stupid idea, as are many of these month-long 'celebrations', but it's just my job to present them. I can't editorialize on each and every celebration. Sponsor: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

National Dental Hygene Month - Promote the importance of oral heath care. Sponsor: American Dental Hygenists Association.

National Depression Education and Awareness Month - This month has been designated to educate people about depressive disorders. Sponsor: Pharmacists Planning Service.

National Dessert Month - Celerbrate with desserts. Get rid of the blahs. Sponsor: Martini and Rossi Asti Spumante.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month - People with disabilities can do a variety of important jobs. Sponsor: President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.

National Dollhouse Minature Month - Sponsor: Minatures Industry Association.

National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

National Down Syndrome Month

National Education Month

National Foster Grandparent Month

National High-Tech Month

National Kitchen and Bathroom Month - Spread info about kitchen and bathroom remodeling. National Kitchen and Bath Association. Just a note - if you live in the Canton, Ohio area - stay away from Baum Plumbing for Bathroom remodeling. Unless you want months of frustration and usatisfactory results.

National Liver Awareness Month - Our livers are very important. Beware of liver diseases. Sponsor: American Liver Foundation.

National Pasta Month - Celebrate Pasta. Americans consume 3 billion pounds of pasta every. I know that I do my part in consumption of pasta. Help me out with this delightful task. Sponsor: National Pasta Association.

National Pizza Month - I celebrate this every month. Promote the nutrition of America's Number One Fun Food. Sponsor: National Association of Pizza Operators.

National Popcorn Poppin Month - Three in a row that I'll happily celebrate. I'm sitting here now munching on some 'butter lovers' popcorn. Celebrate the economy, nutrition and fun of America's native snack. Sponsor: The Popcorn Institute.

National Pork Month - Celebrate the 'other white meat.' Sponsor: National Pork Producers Council.

National Roller Skating Month

National Sarcastics Awareness Month - (1) For those who realize they are sarcastic and want to get it under control; (2) for those who are sarcastic and want to get better at it; and (3) for thos who are forced to live or work with people who are sarcastic. Sponsor: Sarcastics Anonymous.

National Seafood Month - Enjoy the nutrition, variety, and taste of seafood. Sponsor: National Fisheries Institute.

National Stamp Collecting Month - Since 1981, October has been officially designated as National Stamp Collecting Month. Cruise by the Post Office to see what's new in stamps (besides the constant price raise). [Thanks Pat Talijan for correcting my error of incorrectly placing stamp collecting month in November.]

National UNICEF Month - A month long campaign to raise awareness in the U. S. of the needs of the world's children and to raise funds to help children in more than 135 developing countries. Sponsor: US Committee for UNICEF.

National Youth Against Tobacco Month - Sponsor: Tobacco Education and Prevention Coordinator.

Polish-American Heritage Month - No Polish jokes this month - or any other month!!!! Sponsor: Polish American Culture Center.

Spinal Health Month - Promote the importance of a healthy spine. Sponsor: American Chiropractic Association.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month - Increase the public awareness if SIDS, also known as crib death. Sponsor: SIDS Alliance.

Valu of Play Month - Promte safety and education in play. Co-sponsored by Educational Insights, Brio, and Small World Toys. Sponsor: Playthings Magazine.

Vegetarian Awareness Month - A month to promote the possible benefits of a meatless diet. Sponsor: Vegetarian Awareness Network.