Oktoberfest originated in Munich Germany as a celebration of a royal marriage. The purpose for the festival has changed and traditions have grown, but the Oktoberfest retains its Bavarian roots. Nonetheless, residents of the United States of America and other nations have adopted the festive tradition begun in Munich. Most of the adopted festivals center around harvest and beer celebratons.
My family put a new twist on the idea of a huge October party. It started with my sister’s birthday in early October. My oldest son added to the celebratory events in October when he was born a few days after my sister’s Birthday. My husband’s sister married a man born in mid-October, and their first daughter was also born in October. Follow that all with me, who was not exactly born in October but a few hours into November, so I am honorarily included. All of these celebrations became 
a tad cumbersome, piling one very closely after another. My sister-in-law and I decided that holding a single birthday party in October would be a better solution. Everyone could celebrate at the same time and nearly everyone would get presents.
In later years, when our children became adults and cakes and presents weren’t as important as they once were, we fell out of the habit of our family Oktoberfest. Until, one day when celelbrating my adult son’s October birthday he said. “Mom, I miss the family birthday.”
That was all it took. I plotted with my sister-in-law and now, whenever enough of the family is in the same place in October, we have our Oktober Birthday Festival.
October, for my family at least is much more than the month of Halloweeen. Please comment. What is important to you about October? How do you celebrate interational festivals and multiple family events that fall closely together on the calendar?
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