October Holidays & Quirky Celebrations (2023)

Tenth in my monthly series on celebration-worthy moments, below you’ll find a lengthy list of October Holidays and Quirky Celebrations. I hope these posts will help you make every month more memorable this year.

You’ll notice that some items on this list are linked to other pages. Click through for ideas and resources to help your family get the most out of each occasion.

Rather than relying on memory or needing to reference this post multiple times throughout the month, I suggest making note of any holidays that interest you on your calendar or day planner and printing the related resources in advance.

October Holidays and Quirky Celebrations

October 1

• Change a Light Day (first Sunday in October)
• Country Inn Bed & Breakfast Day (first Sunday in October)
• World Communion Sunday (first Sunday in October)
• National Fire Pup Day
• National Hair Day – it’s the first of the month, and my kids are asking me for haircuts again… for tips on cutting hair at home, check out this post

  

• International Coffee Day
• World Vegetarian Day – here’s a list of vegetarian treats I keep handy for my meat-abstaining children
• National Lace Day
• National BOOK It! Day – BOOK It! is a literacy program sponsored by Pizza Hut through which kids can earn free pizzas rewards for reading books… get the full 411 on this and other reading reward programs here:
• National Raccoon Appreciation Day
• Homemade Cookie Day – treat your family to some no-bake oatmeal cookies or snicker doodles
• International Music Day – celebrate by using our Musical Conversation Starters or by completing our Musical Instrument Word Find

  

October 2

• Child Health Day (first Monday in October)
• National Consignment Day (first Monday in October) – thrifting is the next best thing to garage saling
• World Architecture Day (first Monday in October)
• National Custodial Worker Day
• Name Your Car Day – a great day for reading one of my favorite picture books, The Old Woman Who Named Things (her car’s name? Betsy)
• World Farm Animals Day
• World No Alcohol Day – my favorite drink is water, but I also have a Pinterest board dedicated to fancy non-alcoholic drink recipes for smoothies and such

  

October 3

• National Fruit at Work Day (first Tuesday in October) – I’ll take fruit at work any day!
• Global Smoothie Day – check out smoothie recipes linked above ^^^
• Virus Appreciation Day – thanks to COVID, we’ve all probably had as much virus as we can stand by now
• Techies Day
• Mean Girls Day – Maybe watch the movie??
• National Butterfly and Hummingbird Day – celebrate with our beautiful butterfly coloring page
• Look at the Leaves Day – a good day for making leaf tracings and other nature crafts

  

October 4

• Balloons around the World Day (first Wednesday in October)
• National Kale Day (first Wednesday in October)
• International Walk to School Day (first Wednesday in October) – here’s the story of one walk to school I’ll never forget
• Random Acts of Poetry Day (first Wednesday in October) – you’ll find a random assortment of our favorite poems here and here, many of them original
• National Pumpkin Seed Day (first Wednesday in October)
• Improve Your Office Day – if your office looks anything like mine, you could start by cleaning off your desk
• World Animal Day – try your hand at our Animal Mates Matching Game or our Baby Animals Matching Game
• National Frappe Day
• Golf Lover’s Day
• National Taco Day – how about having some walking tacos for dinner tonight?
• Cinnamon Roll Day – and for breakfast, some easy-bake cinnamon rolls!

  

October 5

• Bring Your Bible to School Day (first Thursday in October)
• World Teacher’s Day – let your teacher know how much she’s appreciated with a thoughtful teacher’s gift
• National Storytelling Day
• Global James Bond Day (aka Chic Spy Day) – The famed 007 made his screen debut in 1962 on this day
• National Do Something Nice Day – charity starts at home, so use this day to brainstorm ways to be nice to your siblings

  

October 6

• Kids Music Day (first Friday in October) – need help in getting them to practice? try our free printable practice time sheets

  

• World Smile Day (first Friday in October)
• National Denim Day (first Friday in October) – the homeschooler’s fabric of choice for decades!
• Plaidurday (first Friday in October) – a great day for wearing plaid (which makes great family photos, by the way)

  

• National Plus Size Appreciation Day
• World Stationery Day – celebrate this October holiday by printing an assortment of our free all-occasion greeting cards then sending a few to family and friends
• Garlic Lover’s Day – our favorite way to eat garlic? cut off the tops, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast in the oven until tender… yum!
• National Coaches Day
• Physician Assistant Day
• Mad Hatter Day
• Come and Take it Day – one of our favorite Texas history flags, “Come and Take It” has become a rallying cry for those resisting an overreaching and tyrannical government

  

October 7

• International Frugal Fun Day (first Saturday in October) – here’s a whole bucket list of frugal fun family activities
• Digital Scrapbooking Day (first Saturday in October) – although I’ve made all my children’s scrapbooks the old fashioned way, I love the beauty and ease of creating digital scrapbooks
• World Card Making Day (first Saturday in October) – for some pretty, cut paper cards, try our scherenschnitte craft tutorial
• International Newspaper Carrier Day (observed on Saturday in the first full week of October)
• National Inner Beauty Day
• National LED Light Day – learn about a light that’ll outlast LEDs
• You Matter to Me Day – Who matters to you? Today’s a great day to let them know it!
• Bathtub Day – how about a nice, luxuriant soak in a hot bath as you memorize Psalm 51:2?
• National Flower Day
• National Forgiveness and Happiness Day – genuine happiness isn’t possible until you learn to truly forgive offenders

  

October 8

• Pastor Appreciation Day (second Sunday in October) – How about writing a thank you note to your pastor letting him know how much you appreciate him?
• National Pierogi Day
• American Touch Tag Day – TAG! You’re it! For some fun variations on the standard game of tag, check out this post
• World Octopus Day
• Alvin C. York Day – a good excuse to watch the classic Sergeant York starring Gary Cooper

  

October 9

• Columbus Day (second Monday in October) – Here’s a cute Columbus coloring page memorializing the rhyme school children used to learn about when Columbus sailed.
• National Online Banking Day (second Monday in October) – Use our bill tracking printable to make sure you don’t overlook any automatic payments.
• World Post Day
• Curious Events Day
• Fire Prevention Day – review your family fire plan and escape routes today
• Leif Eriksson Day – a good day for reading Lief the Lucky aloud to your children
• Moldy Cheese Day
• Scrubs Day – hooray for the most comfortable work uniform ever!
• National Sneakers Day

October 10

• International Face Your Fears Day (second Tuesday in October)
• National Angel Food Cake Day
• Hug a Drummer Day
• Powers of Ten Day
• National Tuxedo Day
• World Porridge Day
• National Cake Decorating Day – Such a useful skill! You never know when it will come in handy…
  

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October 11

• International Top Spinning Day (second Wednesday in October)
• Emergency Nurses Day (second Wednesday of October)
• Take Your Teddy Bear to Work or School Day (second Wednesday of October) – after you eat Teddy Bear Toast for breakfast, of course
• Myths and Legends Day
• World Obesity Day
• It’s My Party Day
• National No Bullies Day

October 12

• World Sight Day (second Thursday in October)
• Cookbook Launch Day
• Free Thought Day
• National Gumbo Day
• National Savings Day
• Pulled Pork Day
• Old Farmer’s Day
• Haunted House Day (troubled times tract??)
• Moment of Frustration Day – How do you handle frustration? Here are a few tips on dealing with it in a healthy way.

  

October 13

• World Egg Day (second Friday of October) – celebrate by whipping up a quick egg casserole or a batch of egg muffins or even a nice flakey quiche
• National Fossil Day
• National M&M Day
• National Train Your Brain Day
• International Skeptics Day – I doubt anybody ever celebrates this October holiday
• National Failure Day – It’s okay to fail, so long as you get back up and try again!
• English Language Day
• Good Samaritan Day – Discuss the story of the good Samaritan while coloring a picture of the verse he epitomizes.
• The US Navy’s Birthday – Teach your kids the words to the Navy Anthem to honor this branch of the military today.

  

October 14

• National Chess Day (second Saturday in October) – challenge a friend to a match or two
• Kids Bowl Free Day (second Saturday in October) – Did you know kids can bowl free all summer, too? Follow this link for a list of participating bowling alleys.
• Astronomy Day (observed Saturday closest to the quarter moon in September or October)- “The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1). Go star gazing tonight. Here’s a picture to color as you wait for them to come out:

  

• I Love Yarn Day (Saturday of second full week of October)
• Be Bald Be Free Day
• National Frump Day – also known as “National Frugal Responsible Unpretentious Mature Persons Day”
• World Standards Day
• National Dessert Day – It’s also National Chocolate Covered Insect Day, if you want to try that for dessert. Otherwise, try one of these more traditional dessert dishes:

  

October 15

• National Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day (third Sunday in October)
• World Math Day
• I Love Lucy Day – Watch an episode or two of this classic show which aired for the first time on this day in 1951
• Global Handwashing Day
• Sewing Lovers Day
• National Mushroom Day
• My Mom is a Student Day – see note above on being a lifelong learner
• National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day

October 16

• National Boss Day (observed on the weekday closest to October 16)
• Global Cat Day
• National Cut Up Your Credit Card Day
• National Learn a Word Day – If you’re interested in learning more than one new word, check out these great vocabulary flashcards
• World Food Day
• National Dictionary Day

October 17

• National Clean Up Your Virtual Desktop Day (third Monday in October)
• Information Overload Awareness Day (third Tuesday in October) – Sort of like this blog post, huh? They key: Identify what you want to use, ignore the rest.
• Wear Something Gaudy Day
• Forgive an Ex Day – Ex-spouse, ex-boss, ex-friend… forgive them all!
• Pay Back a Friend Day
• National Pasta Day – How about homemade lasagna for dinner?
• Spreadsheet Day – Here’s a handy spreadsheet for tracking expenses:

  

October 18

• No Beard Day – Hooray for clean-shaven faces! One last reprieve before “No Shave November?”
• National Chocolate Cupcake Day
• World Menopause Day

October 19

• Conflict Resolution Day (third Thursday in October) – Need help with this one? Check out these 9 Ways to Defuse a Disagreement
• Pro-life Day of Silent Solidarity
• Dress Like a Dork Day
• New Friends Day
• Rainforest Day
• Evaluate Your Life Day – a good day for assessing your goals and making any needed adjustments. “Lord, teach us to number our days…”

  

October 20

• World Student Day (third Friday in October) – Whether you are in school or not, I hope you’ll be a good student and remain curious and teachable your throughout your life!
• Monster Day – celebrate by watching Monster’s Inc
• Office Chocolate Day
• National Suspenders Day
• National Day on Writing
• International Chefs Day
• National Youth Confidence Day – check out our 25 Ways to Raise Capable, Confident Children

  

October 21

• Sweetest Day (third Saturday of October)
• International Repair Day (third Saturday of October) – a good day to stock a household repair kit?
• International Sloth Day (third Saturday of October)
• Garbanzo Bean Day – Hummus, anyone?
• National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day
• Back to the Future Day – Michael J. Fox, here we come!
• International Day of the Nacho
• National Apple Day – “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
• Reptile Awareness Day
• National Love Your Red Hair Day – Hooray for redheads!
• Count Your Buttons Day
• Check Your Meds Day – Keep track of them easily with our free printable Medication Chart

  

October 22

• Mother-In-Law Day (fourth Sunday in October) – Wish you MIL a happy day, and if you have a strained relationship, here are a couple of tips for dealing with a difficult mother-in-law.
• National Nut Day – Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t.
• Eat a Pretzel Day
• Wombat Day
• International CAPS LOCK Day
• National Color Day
• Clean Up the Earth Day
• Smart is Cool Day – Be cool. Stay in school… and study to show yourself approved.

  

October 23

• Croc Day
• Vote Early Day
• TV Talk Show Host Day
• National Mole Day – This day is not about celebrating sub-terrain animals or beauty marks, although those moles can be pretty fascinating, too.

  

October 24

• United Nations Day – The UN was founded on this day in 1945.
• National Crazy Day
• 40-Hour Work Week Day
• National Bologna Day

October 25

• World Pasta Day – If you missed National Pasta Day on Oct. 17, you get a second chance to celebrate these starchy noodles today.
• Mad Scientist Day
• National I Care about You Day
• Sourest Day – Celebrate with some super sour candy.
• International Artist Day
• National Greasy Foods Day – There’s no shortage of greasy foods at the fair. Does your state have one in October?
• World Pizza Makers Day – How about making this cold, crisp veggie pizza?

  

October 26

• Texas Chicken Fried Steak Day
• National Pumpkin Day – Visit a pumpkin patch and bring some home to cook or carve.
• Worldwide Howl at the Moon Night
• National Day of the Deployed

October 27

• Frankenstein Friday (last Friday in October)
• National Breadstick Day (last Friday in October)
• World Lemur Day (last Friday in October)
• Cranky Coworkers Day – Nobody likes to listen to whiners, so practice doing everything without complaining.
• World Occupational Therapy Day
• Navy Day
• National Potato Day – How about some creamy potato soup for lunch?

  

October 28

• Make a Difference Day (fourth Saturday of October)
• Hug a Sheep Day (last Saturday in October)
• National Chocolate Day – Any holiday that involves eating chocolate is okay by me!
• Plush Animal Lover’s Day
• International Animation Day
• Statue of Liberty Dedication Day

October 29

• International Internet Day
• National Oatmeal Day – How about blueberry oatmeal muffins or no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies?
• National Cat Day

October 30

• National Candy Corn Day
• Create a Great Funeral Day
• Buy a Donut Day
• Pumpkin Bread Day
• National Candy Corn Day – just in case you didn’t get enough sugar from those last two options
• Sugar Addiction Awareness Day
• Checklist Day – Need a good checklist template? Try one of ours.

  

October 31

• Carve a Pumpkin Day
• National Knock Knock Jokes Day
• National Carmel Apple Day
• Houdini Day (also known as National Magic Day)
• Books for Treats Day – Want to incentivize your kids to keep their nose in a book? Check out our long list of Reading Rewards.
• World Savings Day
• Halloween – Redeem this holiday by giving free printable Halloween tracts to your trick-or-treaters along with your candy.
• Reformation Day – We have a long list of resources for celebrating Reformation Day.

  

Week-long Celebrations in the Month of October

First Week of October

• Customer Service Week (observed 5 days following first Monday in October)
• Get Organized Week
• Customer Service Week
• National Walk Your Dog Week
• National Newspaper Week
• Universal Children’s Week – “Children are a blessing from the Lord…”

  

Second Week of October

• Fire Prevention Week (observed the week including October 9)
• Teen Read Week (observed week of Columbus Day)
• Pet Peeve Week
• National School Lunch Week

Third Week of October

• Free Speech Week (third full week in October) – This would be a good time to review and discuss the US Bill of Rights.

Fourth Week of October

• National Chemistry Week (observed week of October 22)
• Pastoral Care Week (observed fourth full week of October) – One way to show you care is to pray for your pastor faithfully.

  

Special observances that last the entire month of October

• Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
• American Pharmacist Month – If you have to see your pharmacist often, you might like my free chart for keeping track of medications/
• Caffeine Addiction Recovery Month
• Eat Better, Eat Together Month – Maximize your time around the dinner table with our themed conversation starters.
• National Cookbook Month – For lots of great ideas for making mealtime memorable plus tried-and-true family recipes, check out my book, Sit Down & Eat.

  

• Class Reunion Month
• National Bake and Decorate Month
• National Chili Month
• Family History Month – My favorite way to document family history? By writing Christmas letters and creating detailed scrapbooks
• International Walk to School Month
• Positive Attitude Month
• National Popcorn Poppin’ Month
• National Apple Month
• Seafood Month
• Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• National Pizza Month
• International Strategic Planning Month
• Spinach Lovers Month
• National Vegetarian Month – Here’s a great list of vegetarian snacks for your family to enjoy.

  

• Computer Learning Month
• Co-op Month
• Emotional Intelligence Awareness Month
• National Reading Group Month
• Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
• Church Library Month
• Eat Country Ham Month
• Cookie Month
• Pastor Appreciation Month
• National Roller Skating Month
• National Kitchen and Bath Month
• National Go on a Field Trip Month – Factory tours are our family’s favorite kind of field trips.

  

This October Holidays post is by no means exhaustive. And you will undoubtedly find other things to celebrate this month. But this will definitely get you started creating fun memories this month with your family and friends.

For more posts in this series, please follow this link: Monthly Holidays & Quirky Celebrations And to keep the fun going through every season of life, check out our family fun bundle. It’s packed with practical ways to nurture family relationships and make the most of daily interactions all year long.