October 31 National Days

October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 61 days left until the year ends. Falling on a Friday in 2025, the date is best known as Halloween 🎃, yet it holds much more than spooky fun and candy.

In addition to Halloween, there are 14 other national and international observances celebrated on this day—ranging from promoting savings and literacy to recognizing magic, cities, and even caramel apples.

Here’s a look at the many themes and observances that make October 31 a day of both celebration and reflection.

National & International Days on October 31

Books For Treats Day encourages giving children books instead of candy on Halloween, turning a night of sweets into a celebration of reading. The idea began in 2001 when author and librarian Rebecca Morgan from San Jose, California, started handing out books to trick-or-treaters. She wanted to shift the focus from sugar to stories, offering something that could spark imagination and last far beyond the holiday. Morgan later founded the non-profit Books for Treats to expand the movement across the United States and Canada, helping thousands of communities share the joy of reading each Halloween.

Explore the complete list of bookish celebrations.

Girl Scout Founder’s Day honors Juliette Gordon Low, the woman who introduced the Girl Scout movement to the United States. Inspired by the British Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, she aimed to give girls opportunities to learn leadership, practical skills, and independence at a time when such programs were rare for them. Low founded the first Girl Scout troop in Savannah, Georgia, in 1912, beginning a movement that grew into one of the largest organizations for girls in the world. Her birthday was officially designated as Girl Scout Founder’s Day in 1920 to recognize her lasting impact on generations of young women.

Halloween is a day known for costumes, trick-or-treating, and spooky celebrations. Halloween is rooted in ancient traditions marking the end of the harvest and the coming of winter. Today, it’s one of the most widely celebrated holidays in many countries, filled with fun, creativity, and a dash of fright.

Lutefisk Day honors one of Scandinavia’s oldest Christmas food traditions. The dish, called lutefisk, is made from dried whitefish—usually cod—that is soaked in water and then in a lye solution before being rinsed and cooked. This process gives the fish its soft, jelly-like texture and distinctive flavor. The custom began in the Middle Ages, when people preserved fish by drying it and ate it during fasting periods before Christmas. Over time, lutefisk became a holiday specialty across Norway, Sweden, and Finland, symbolizing both history and regional identity.

National Breadstick Day* (Last Friday in October) celebrates the long, thin pieces of bread known as breadsticks. Originating in Italy several centuries ago, they were first created for a young boy who had difficulty eating regular bread. Today, breadsticks are enjoyed around the world—sometimes soft and buttery, other times crisp and crunchy. They are often served in Italian restaurants before a meal or paired with sauces for dipping.

National Caramel Apple Day celebrates the beloved fall treat made by coating fresh apples in warm, melted caramel. This sweet combination likely began in the 1950s when Dan Walker, an employee at Kraft Foods, experimented with leftover Halloween caramels and created the first caramel-covered apple. The idea quickly caught on, and by 1960, Vito Raimondi patented a machine that allowed caramel apples to be produced on a larger scale. The day honors this happy accident that turned into a timeless autumn favorite.

National Doorbell Day was created in 2017 by NuTone, a U.S. company known for its home products, to recognize the invention and importance of the doorbell. The observance also honors J. Ralph Corbett, who transformed the simple house buzzer into a pleasant-sounding door chime during the Great Depression.

National Frankenstein Friday* (Last Friday in October) honors Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, first published in 1818. The observance celebrates Shelley’s remarkable contribution to literature and her role in shaping modern science fiction and horror. It also recognizes the influence of her story and its characters—Victor Frankenstein and his misunderstood creation—whose themes of ambition, isolation, and responsibility continue to spark discussion more than two centuries later.

National Increase Your Psychic Powers Day encourages individuals to explore and develop their intuitive abilities. The day invites people to learn more about extrasensory perception, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, or gut instincts, with the idea that everyone has some level of untapped psychic potential.

🔮 This observance is closely related to Psychic Day, which takes place on the first Sunday in August and shares a similar focus on curiosity, self-discovery, and exploring the unseen.

National Knock Knock Joke Day celebrates one of the simplest and most recognizable forms of humor. These playful jokes, built around the “Knock, knock—Who’s there?” format, rely on wordplay and timing to make people laugh. Their roots go back to the early 1900s, when similar “Do you know?” jokes were popular, and by the 1930s, the modern version had become a widespread parlor game.

National Magic Day commemorates the legendary magician Harry Houdini, who passed away on October 31, 1926. Houdini was known for his escape acts and showmanship, and his legacy continues to influence modern-day magic. National Magic Day honors both Houdini’s life and the art of magic itself.

Nevada Day* (Last Friday of October) is a legal state holiday that honors Nevada’s admission to the United States on October 31, 1864, during the Civil War—a moment that earned it the motto “Battle Born.” The state’s rich silver and gold deposits made its statehood strategically important to the Union. Established as an official holiday in 1933 and moved to the last Friday of October in 2000 to create a long weekend, Nevada Day celebrates the state’s history, independence, and community pride. In 2025, the holiday coincides with the actual anniversary date, October 31.

World Cities Day was created by the United Nations in 2013 to remind people that cities are where most of the world now lives and where many future challenges will be solved. The day encourages everyone to think about what makes a city a good place to live—clean air, safe streets, affordable homes, and strong communities. It raises awareness of how thoughtful planning and care for the environment can make cities more inclusive, sustainable, and enjoyable for everyone.

World Lemur Day* (Last Friday of October) was created to draw global attention to the urgent need to protect lemurs, which live only on the island of Madagascar. These remarkable primates come in many species, yet almost all face the threat of extinction due to habitat loss and hunting. The day is part of the World Lemur Festival, which celebrates the beauty and importance of lemurs while reminding people that their survival depends on conservation efforts. It encourages everyone to learn about these animals and the fragile ecosystems they call home.

World Savings Day, also called World Thrift Day, was created in 1924 during the First International Savings Bank Congress in Milan, Italy. The idea came from Professor Filippo Ravizza, who wanted to remind people that saving money helps build stability and independence. The observance began after World War I, when many people had lost faith in banks, and it encouraged them to trust financial institutions again. Today, the day continues to spread the message that saving even small amounts can make a big difference for a person’s future and for the economy as a whole.

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National Days in October

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