October 31 Birthday
October 31 is Halloween, derived from the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. The Celts believed that on this night, the boundary between the living and the dead thinned. The tradition of wearing costumes came from the practice of disguising oneself to avoid being recognized by spirits. The tradition of going door to door evolved from "souling" — poor people would pray for the dead in exchange for food. The Irish and Scottish brought Halloween to America in the 19th century. It is now the second-largest commercial holiday in the US after Christmas. People born on October 31 fall under the zodiac sign of Scorpio. The birthstone is Opal and the birth flower is Marigold. Historical events on October 31 include 1517: Luther nails 95 Theses (traditional), 1923: First Macy's parade, 1941: Mount Rushmore completed. Famous people born on October 31 include John Keats (1795), Michael Landon (1936), Rob Schneider (1963).