October is mostly known for Halloween, costume parties, and most of all candy. Did you also know October is known for a few other fun facts besides Halloween?
October is National Dental Hygiene Month. Let us celebrate our three wonderful hygienists, Stacey, Jennifer and Sam. They are a highly valued asset to the practice, and we would not be Witkowski Dental without them. They each have a passion for dentistry and oral hygiene. Are you overdue for your dental cleaning? Make an appointment today. They will be more than happy to get you back on track while promoting healthy habits to maintain excellent oral health.
October is also known for National UNICEF Day. The concept for the day began in 1950 as a fundraising activity in Philadelphia. Children would collect spare change and donate it to UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund). The idea grew from a small group of children to a large fundraising activity that UNICEF began to promote. Once word spread of the children’s collection, by the 1960s, the collection was widely accepted all over the United States. President Johnson declared October 31st to be UNICEF Day in the United States.
Oktoberfest is another fun holiday in October. Oktoberfest began in Munich, Germany in 1810 in celebration of the marriage of the prince of Bavaria to princess Therese Von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. It began as a two-week celebration with food, drinks and games and ended with a horse race. As the years went on, the race was held in conjunction with an agricultural fair, which held booths that grew into large beer halls holding long wooden tables for people to sit, eat and drink during the fair’s festivities. Today, people continue to celebrate in Germany and in the United States. Oktoberfest has become a tradition for most families and friends. People gather in traditional German attire to enjoy kegs of beer, Würstl (sausages), Knödel (potato dumplings) and more beer.
Finally, let’s not forget October is Vegetarian Month. A vegetarian, by definition, is someone who abstains from meat for either health, religious or moral reasons. They do not abstain from candy, so it just makes sense October would be Vegetarian Month! Some of you may have toyed with the idea of abstaining from meat or have implemented “meatless Mondays” into your family’s weekly dinner menu, but did you ever wonder who began the concept of vegetarianism? One of the earliest examples of a famous vegetarian is the Greek philosopher Pythagoras. Is the last name ringing a bell from your high school days? He is the philosopher that is vastly respected for his famous Pythagorean Theorem.
All in all, October is most famously known for trick or treating, costumes, haunted houses and horror movies. Let us not forget we should be drinking beer, eating Knodel and having candy for dessert. Just remember at the end of the night to brush your teeth—and your fangs.
Happy Halloween to everyone!