October – the month of celebrations for everyone. And fasting of course. Jokes apart, October is a month when people of all races have something to celebrate. Whether it’s Halloween, Yom Kippur, Ramadan, or Diwali, mostly everyone is filled with joy and happiness.
Let’s start off with Halloween, the candy holiday. Whether you’re 5 or 50 Halloween is something everyone can enjoy. I remember my first Halloween. I was dressed up as Cinderella. My sister and I knocked at doors and chanted our usual chorus of “trick or treat”. By the time we came home our bags were full of candy, and as you can guess we ate all of it in less than a week. After that every Halloween, we knocked at doors did the usual “trick or treat”, filled our bags, and ate them when we got home. So as you can see folks Halloween is a celebration for everyone whether you’re rich or poor, old or young, happy or sad.
Moving on to Diwali, the festival of lights. It is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists, all around the world. Diwali marks the start of a new and prosperous year for all Hindus. During Diwali, people light candles (diyas) outside of their homes. Towns are filled with light as the last fireworks fall. Families exchange gifts, and Henna is applied on girls’ and women’s hands. Diwali also is a time for celebration in Bollywood, as the biggest releases of the year hit the theaters.
Another Holiday this October is the Muslim Holiday Ramadan. The month of Ramadan starts and ends with the sighting of the Crescent (Moon). During this holiday Muslims fast for 30 days to wash away their sins. While fasting, Muslims cannot swear or lie to anyone. The morning meal is called Sehri and the evening meal is called Iftar. Charity (Zakath) is also given during Ramadan to aid the poor. The day after the last day of Ramadan (Eid ul-fitr) is celebrated happily with friends and family as it signals the end of fasting.
With so many holidays in one month, no one can be depressed in October. So, Happy Halloween, Ramadan Mubarak, Happy Diwali, and Eid Mubarak to everyone. May you have a joy-filled October!
