November is the eleventh and penultimate month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars, the last of four months to have a length of 30 days and the fifth and last of five months to have a length of fewer than 31 days. November was the ninth month of the calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC. November retained its name (from the Latin novem meaning “nine”) when January and February were added to the Roman calendar. November is a month of late spring in the Southern Hemisphere and late autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, November in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of May in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa. In Ancient Rome, Ludi Plebeii was held from November 4–17, Epulum Jovis was held on November 13 and Brumalia celebrations began on November 24. These dates do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar.
The name November, however, follows the same pattern as the months before it, September and October, which take their names from their original numerical position in the calendar year.
So what does November mean?
For many English speakers, November marks the point in the year when the cold begins to set in. This association is no doubt why November’s adjectival form, Novemberish, means “dreary,” and why the month’s original name in Old English was Blōtmōnað, literally “blood-month.” Wait, blood month?
Get ready for some gory history: November was the month of heavy animal sacrifice, when the early Saxons would stock up on food for the winter. Today, Blōtmōnað might still be a relevant term—particularly during the weeks leading up to that turkey-filled Thanksgiving dinner.
November was referred to as Blōtmōnaþ by the Anglo-Saxons. Brumaire and Frimaire were the months on which November fell in the French Republican calendar.
Astronomy[edit]
November meteor showers include the Andromedids, which occurs from September 25 to December 6 and generally peak around November 9–14, the Leonids, which occurs from November 15–20, the Alpha Monocerotids, which occurs from November 15–25 with the peak on November 21–22, the Northern Taurids, which occurs from October 20 to December 10, and the Southern Taurids, which occurs from September 10 – November 20, and the Phoenicids; which occur from November 29 to December 9 with the peak occurring on December 5–6. The Orionids, which occurs in late October, sometimes lasts into November.
The Western zodiac signs for November are Scorpio (October 23 – November 21) and Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21).[1][2]
Every November, it’s time to begin preparation for the winter months, whether that means pulling out your winter coat, adding another blanket to your bed, or searching for the perfect pumpkin pie recipe.
November also holds some of the most important times of the year: elections in the US, Thanksgiving, Daylight Saving Time … Black Friday. OK, some of those aren’t that important, but there is a lot going on during this shorter month (November has 30 days).
The Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, is often celebrated in November (although it may fall in October, according to the Hindu lunar calendar). Veteran’s Day is observed on November 11 and honors veterans and those who have served in the armed forces. (Like many of us, you may be wondering exactly why the apostrophe is placed where it is—and why Presidents’ Day doesn’t follow the same standard!)
4 Reasons why November is the best month of the year.
To clear the air before you could suspect — It is not my birthday month, I’m a January born. Yet, I have a deep connection with the month of November for many reasons (mostly unknown), one of it could be the reason that some of my closest friends were born in this month. But that’s rather more personal a reason to put forth. In this write up I’m going to give you 4 reasons why November is the most beautiful month of the year.
1. Love is in the weather
November is a tangy mix of cold and bright, the kind of weather that would make a hopeless romantic get poetic about their long lost love or the love they haven’t met. It is the transition month between the rainy monsoon and the cold winter. The weather during November is delightful after the rains have settled, it’s neither damp nor dry, the breeze is colder but isn’t harsh. It is the time of the year you step outside more often (unless you’re too studios to not step out at all during exams).
2. Month of festivals and celebrations
November is when I’m desperate to travel many places. Harvest festivals begin in many localities in India and the fairs begin in Rajasthan and Gujarat regions. The famous Pushkar Camel trade happens every year at Rajasthan where thousands of camels converge at the small desert town of Pushkar. Then there’s the fortnight long Rann Utsav in Kutch. One of the most colourful festival of the north east, the Wangala festival in Meghalaya. The Mukha festival or the festival of masks in Kolkata and the harvest festivals of many tribal villages in the Western Ghats. I wish to travel and explore all these colourful November celebrations someday.
3. Winter outfits begin to rule the wardrobe
The call for a wardrobe upgrade usually comes about this time, except for places like Nilgiris where we start wearing winter outfits weeks before monsoon. But it wouldn’t count, since the rain keeps us locked in our houses most of the time. November is when we pull out our fancy pull-overs, blazers, over-coats and beanies. Nothing beats an evening walk during winter, especially when you’re all dressed up.
4. Love blooms when the flowers do
November is undoubtedly the month of hopeless romantics, since it is also the time when red roses bloom, along with chrysanthemums, tulips and dahlias. Also, Himalayan states and North eastern states yield cherry blossoms in abundance during this time. It’s one of the most magical blooming one can ever witness. Fancy buying some fresh bouquet of flowers for your loved one? Well, November is the time to hand them flowers, some chocolates and a hand written letter, along with your heart.
Symbols[edit]
November’s birthstone is the topaz (particularly, yellow) which symbolizes friendship and the citrine. Its birth flower is the chrysanthemum.[3]