31 Reasons to Celebrate October 2023
OK, so Autumn is really here, but that’s no reason to be gloomy! It’s time to embrace the falling leaves and unpredictable weather. We say grab your favourite midliners, gelly roll pens and Tombow brush pens and open a personalised notebook or planner pad. It makes no difference whether it’s an A5 journal, a B5 notebook, a dotted journal, or a lined journal. Why? Because now is the time to create your own definitive October calendar; one that records all the fun and quirky events in October and the October awareness days.
Here are 31 reasons to celebrate this month:
1 October: International Coffee Day
International Coffee Day takes place on October 1 every year. It’s an ode to the world’s favourite wake-up call! During the last 600 years coffee has been transformed from bean to brew, evolving from drink to currency! How do you take yours?
2 October: World Architecture Day
It's not just about pretty buildings! It's a shoutout to history, a nod to sustainability, and a global architects' huddle. This is a day to celebrate shaping societies, preserving pasts, and designing the future – one blueprint at a time!
3 October: National Boyfriend Day
Why celebrate? Because every superhero without a cape deserves his day in the spotlight! So, cheers to all those snack-stealing, spider-squashing, sofa-hogging, hug-giving champs in our lives.
4 October: World Animal Day
Let's rally for our furry, feathery, and finny friends! For fun events around the country, dive into the action with this interactive map.
5 October: National Poetry Day
Dust off your old school poetry books! This is a day filled with infinite verses. Let's rhyme, resonate, and revel as we embrace this year’s theme: 'Refuge', and get ready to bridge understanding in our communities, one stanza at a time.
6 October: World Smile Day
Let’s face it, flashing a smile can light up someone's world. It’s a small act of kindness, that’s so easy to share. So go on…… grin; it's contagious!
7 October: National Chocolate Covered Pretzel Day
Cue watering mouths and rumbling stomachs! From dark to white chocolate magic, every bite's a party. OK, OK, so we know this is a US thing….but there’s no reason why we can’t indulge in it over here too!
8 October: World Conker Championships
Polish, bake or soak those shiny delights, as you gear up for the World Conker Championship! It's where strategy, precision, and a dash of madness collide in Northamptonshire each year. Who needs FIFA when you can be a conker-conqueror?
9 October: World Post Day
Love the sound of a letter hitting your doormat? Ever wondered how a postal system ensuring the free flow of mail around the world was established? Well today is the anniversary of the creation of the Universal Postal Union. It’s thanks to the UPU that post reaches us today from anywhere around the globe.
10 October: World Mental Health Day
This is the day that shines a spotlight on mental well-being, turning whispers into conversations and stigma into understanding. And here bullet journaling emerges as a potent weapon. It’s more than words on paper; it’s a mental health haven, a self-made sanctuary of expression and clarity. Your notebook is a place for thoughts, organised and visualised….it’s a dialogue between you and you. Each bullet, task, and reflection are moments of introspection, that foster resilience. Don’t believe us, check out this personal story about the benefits of bullet journaling. This day is not just about awareness but about actions – small steps, like the turn of a journal page, towards a world where mental wellness is a shared story, beautifully and bravely told.
11 October: International Day of The Girl Child
This day champions the undeniable rights of girls. From maternal care for young mothers to digital training, from sex education to combatting violence, it's a time to spotlight, support, and celebrate every girl's journey to greatness.
12 October: World Sight Day
Ageing gracefully but eyesight declining? The WHO reveals whilst we're living longer, blindness is on the rise, especially in low-income countries. The twist? 80% of 45 million blind people are over 50. What's more, many sight-stealing culprits like cataracts and glaucoma have affordable fixes. This day shines a timely spotlight on eye care, so we can keep the world in focus.
13 October: World Egg Day
Cracking news for Friday the 13th: it's World Egg Day! No superstitions here, just sunny-side up celebrations and unbeatable egg-citement!
14 October: National Dessert Day
OK – we admit it, we’re shallow….but this might be one of our favourite days of the month! A day that encourages you to indulge your sweet tooth? It’s got to be worth celebrating!
15 October: Global Handwashing Day
Remember during the height of COVID days when soap became a national hero and we all sang the refrain: lather, rinse, repeat? Well, hands down, it remains the bubbliest way to stay healthy!
16 October: World Food Day
Not everyone in the world has food. So, if you’re creative and have a hunger for change why not get involved in the World Food Day Poster Contest 2023. Use one of our bullet journals, somecolouring pencils and a black pen to sketch out your vision of a what a well-fed and water-secure world looks like. Deadline submission is: 3 November 2023. Upload your entries HERE.
17 October: National Pasta Day
According to the ‘Encyclopaedia of Pasta’ by Oretta Zanini De Vita, there are 310 specific kinds of pasta, identified by over 1300 names. Who knew! If you’re a pasta fan – like us – we want to let you into a little secret. If you’re ever visiting London, then do pop in to our favourite place to get handmade pasta: Burro e Salvia in Shoreditch. It’s well worth a detour!
18 October: International Leggings Day
It’s a thing – really! So, strut your stuff! From lounging to lunging, let’s celebrate the comfort and style of our favourite skin-tight Lycra leggings. Or not!
19 October: International Gin & Tonic Day
Not that we need it, but here’s the perfect excuse to ‘be-gin’ the party early - because sometimes life calls for a ‘gin-uine’ celebration, with a splash of zest and a little botanical bliss! Bottoms up!
20 October: International Sloth Day
If you’re anything like us, you can’t help but be captivated by viral videos on social media, capturing the comings and goings of these enigmatic animals. Click on the link above to discover 13 fun sloth facts.
21 October: Trafalgar Day
“England expects that every man will do his duty” – this is the day the UK remembers the most important naval battle in its history. We salute those brave sailors. If you’ve got the chance, it’s really worth a visit to see HMS Victory – Admiral Horatio Nelson’s ship – perfectly preserved at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
22 October: International Stuttering Awareness Day
With over 79 million voices globally navigating the rhythm of stuttering, the mystery behind it remains unsolved. Whilst science makes strides, the perfect cure remains elusive. Every voice counts – let’s listen and understand.
23 October: International Snow Leopard Day
Because sometimes it’s good to know more about an animal like the beautiful, elusive Snow Leopard and what we can do to protect them.
24 October: United Nations Day
When the world throws a party and every country is on the guest list. Celebrating diplomacy, diversity, and that global group project we're all in! It’s an organisation that stands as a symbol of hope and unity.
25 October: World Opera Day
Ever felt the transformative power of music? If opera's an uncharted territory for you, prepare for a spellbinding experience. We're totally ‘encore-ing’ for more. Follow the melody on Instagram and let's hit the high notes together on #worldoperaday.
26 October: National Pumpkin Day
It’s that time of year – pumpkins and squashes are a plenty, everywhere you look. If you’ve never added them to your cooking regime before why not opt for a squash curry – it’s our favourite way to eat them. And, with Halloween just around the corner, it’s also the time to get carving. Here’s some carving inspiration to get your creative juices flowing!
27 October: Cranky Co-Workers Day
Why should the US have all the fun? Let's adopt this annual US awareness day and embrace that quirky UK spirit, tipping our hats to every cranky co-worker we've ever known! After all, a little workplace mischief spices up the daily grind. We say hurrah to celebrating those delightfully grumpy gems in our office life!
28 October: Hug a Sheep Day
Yes, seriously! We think this is another US custom to claim on these shores – after all, what’s not to love about sheep. They’re fluffy, friendly….and frankly, taste delicious on a plate! With apologies to all veggies and vegans out there!
29 October: National Cat Day
Ever find yourself falling down the rabbit hole of cat videos on Instagram shorts and TikTok? Cats and cucumbers anyone?! Or is it just us? Well, today’s the puuurrrrrrfect day to celebrate our feline friends. See what we did there!
30 October: British Summertime Ends
British Summertime bows out, and our clocks rewind an hour. Grabbing that bonus hour of dream time? Pure heaven. But those early sunsets? Jury's still out on that one….
31 October: Halloween
Originally All Hallows Eve, it wasn’t until the celebration came to America, that it morphed into the Halloween we are all currently familiar with. In fact, so popular is Halloween in USA today that in 2021 Americans spent nearly $500 million on costumes….for their pets!
Why not decorate your pretty notebooks with cute bitz and doodles. We stock the spookiest Washi Tape for just this reason: choose from Foil Skulls, Spider Halloween, Pumpkins, Witches House, Boo Tape, Spider Tape and Skeletons.
Get ready and buckle up, because October is not just a month; it’s a narrative of festivities, woven daily, celebrated universally! Enjoy!