We are currently in the middle of the great month of October. So what does this mean? Well, a lot of things. October means the start of pumpkin spice everything, fall colors galore, and stores are filled with costumes, candy, and decorations for Halloween, and some are preparing for the start of the Christmas season. Today, we are going to be showing some buttons from our collection that scream October. Get ready to be terrified by spooky spiders, comforted by the falling leaves of autumn, and excited for the Autumn season.

To the right we have an iridescent black luster bat! Have you ever wondered why bats are related to Halloween, though? In the days when “Halloween” began, people would gather and create large bonfires to ward off evil spirits, ghosts, etc. The bonfire attracted insects, which made an excellent source of food for bats. They became associated with the season after their common appearance. Later on, the discovery of vampire bats came into play as well. The notion that they drank blood went right along with the overall creepy vibe that came with the season.

So, make sure to stay away from vampire bats this this October.

Here is another spooky one. This witch button is originated from 1970-1980 and is the ideal image that one may think of when they hear the word witch. However, the origins of the witch weren’t as spooky as one would think. In times where modern day medicine didn’t exist, some women were able to discover the ability to treat sickness with herbal treatments. They were often midwives and weren’t dancing around bonfires and chanting. However, some forms of Christianity saw what these women were doing as wrong. they believed any healing should be done through men of the Church. Early people also believed that any sickness was a punishment from God, and anyone who tried to cure it was an evil doer. Later on, they would be accused of being Satan worshipers.

Now onto a less disturbing topic: leaves. They are one of the most obvious symbols for the Fall season. They remind us of the constant change we are going through in life, its cycle of renewal, and passing of time. To the left you can see an array of Autumn leaves.

Back to everyone’s least favorite symbol for Halloween: spiders! They are known for their creepy-crawly ways, and no one wants to be around them. They were popularized during the month of October as a witch’s sidekick, and there was a theory that if a spider fell into a candle, that meant that a witch was near by. Here we have two creepy crawlers in the form of a button. I don’t know about you, but I am glad that these spiders aren’t real.

This next symbol for month of October is probably the most popular by far – the pumpkin. Once the leaves start to change and sweater weather begins, America goes into pumpkin everything mode. From Starbuck’s famous pumpkin spiced latte, to pumpkin patches, to pumpkin scones, and baby pumpkin Halloween costumes, the world is obsessed! But no one ever said that was a bad thing. To the right we have one more pumpkin object to add to the obsession – a pumpkin button.

This next symbol is thought about less but is still popular among the Autumn time of year. Acorns begin to fall from the oak tree and scatter everywhere on grass and sidewalks. At Ohio State, it is hard to walk through the oval without noticing the thousands of acorns that have already fallen from the trees. We have an assortment of 55 acorn buttons to display today, and let’s just say that the amount of acorn buttons we have is a little nuts!

What button would you wear? What reminds you most of the month of October? Is it the Halloween aspect of month filled with ghosts, spooky stories, and tricks or treats? Or are you more of the falling leaves and pumpkin spice person?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SOURCES:
http://www.hauntedbay.com/history/bat.sh

https://www.halloweenexpress.com/history-of-witches-and-witchcraft/tm