November is a month of the year which can be quite divisive amongst people. While it is a month which can be full of beauty – as the leaves are falling freely from the trees and creating a gorgeous autumnal landscape – it is also a time of year when things start to turn a bit chilly. In the UK, too, November can get quite dark and drizzly! However, that’s not to say that there aren’t some brilliant things to come out of the 11th month. Take a look below for 12 interesting and fun facts about November.
1. As you can imagine, November is the host month for many ‘national’ celebrations, particularly in the US. As well as being the month of Thanksgiving, it is also officially American Indian Heritage Month, and Good Nutrition Month – though by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, the latter of these two themes might fall by the wayside!
2. Oddly, November is also National Peanut Butter Lover’s Month in the US. Quite how well that goes down with turkey, we’re not sure we want to know.
3. If you were born in November, you are one of two star signs – you’re either a Scorpio or a Sagittarius. Why not take a look at our fact files on these star signs to learn more about them?
4. November is seen as the start of storing up harvest for the winter. It’s therefore seen as the start of hibernation for humans, in a way! Winter really starts to get going from late in the month onwards.
5. November is also host to Guy Fawkes’ Night, or Bonfire Night, in the UK. This day celebrates the capture and execution of Guy Fawkes, an attempted terrorist who tried blowing up the Houses of Parliament centuries ago. Oddly enough, this event is celebrated with toffee apples and Catherine wheels!
6. November was, in the original Roman calendar, the ninth month. Anyone who knows Latin may already have figured this out, as Novem actually translates to ‘nine’, or ‘ninth’. However, it became the 11th month of the year once January and February got added on via the Gregorian calendar.
7. November is always seen as a tense month for Americans every four years – as it’s when the country gets to decide the next US President.
8. While November is likely to be blustery and full of falling leaves in the Northern Hemisphere, countries in the Southern Hemisphere are just getting into spring! That’s why things look much different in Australia this time of year – it’s due to how the Earth tilts towards the Sun.
9. If you’re feeling a bit angsty, you might want to start practising some better behaviours by the time November next rolls around. That’s because International Tolerance Day falls mid-month, on November 16th.
10. November is also the month where the world commemorates the end of World War One. Ceremonies take place across the globe on November 11th – in the UK, there are normally huge processions and poppy-laying ceremonies, with a nationwide silence taking place at 11am to commemorate those who gave their lives in action.
11. Famous people born in November include sweary TV chef Gordon Ramsay, legendary British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, American novelist Mark Twain, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and martial arts legend Bruce Lee.
12. There’s a date on the November calendar called ‘National Men Make Dinner Day’ – when, you guessed it, husbands, boyfriends, and dads are all supposed to take over in the kitchen. This might be a blessing or a curse!
