November to Remember

Nestled between the autumnal splendor that is October and the snowy wintry wonder of December, blustery November sees the last of the berries and the first flakes of snow as the earth falls to slumber until the next spring. A season of harvest and preparation for the long nights of winter, a time of thanksgiving for all of our blessings... but how much do you know about the facts and folklore of this eleventh month of the year? In keeping with my custom of ushering in the months by sharing a bit of trivia about the new month with you, learn a bit more about this month named in honor of its position as the ninth month of the ancient Roman calendar! (Citrine 5x7 Fine Art Print by twosilverstars on Etsy. Copyright © Rachel Anderson)

November is one of the four months of the Gregorian calendar that has exactly 30 days. The month starts on the same day of the week as February in common years, and March every year. November's name comes from the Latin word root “novem”, which means nine.

While many people are more familiar with the modern birthstone of yellow topaz for November, the traditional birthstone is citrine. Both of these gemstones are yellow in color but that is where the similarity ends! The rings to the left show the similarities between these two birthstones - which is topaz and which is Citrine? Read on to find out if you were right!

Citrine is a rare form of quartz, which some geologists believe actually started out as amethyst. Slightly harder and much more expensive than it's November partner, yellow topaz deposits can grow to comparatively enormous sizes with one deposit weighing several hundred pounds. Citrine is believed by some to have magical powers and was worn as a talisman against evil thoughts and snake venom. It was also considered to have medicinal properties and in days gone by, was commonly used as a remedy for urinary and kidney ailments. A gift of Citrine symbolized strength and hope! A gift of yellow topaz, on the other hand, is said to symbolize friendship and to strengthen one's capacity to love and be loved. The Romans believed topaz had power to improve eyesight while Greeks believed it had power to increase one's strength and to make its wearer invisible. And in case you were wondering, the ring on the top is the Golden Citrine 4.61 Carats 12 x 10mm. in a 14k White gold ring with diamonds (.08ct) . The image on the bottom is a 2.62 Carat Imperial Topaz 14K White gold diamond (.30ct) Ring. Both are available from mastergoldcraft on Etsy!

Do you share an November birthday with any of these famous November born people? If your birthday is in November you are: Independent. Kindhearted. Determined. A hopeless romantic. Industrious. Warm and compassionate. Patient and tolerant. Wise and witty. Very intelligent. have a do or die attitude. Inquisitive and intuitive. Faithful friend. Sharp thinker. Secretive. Active. You like to enjoy life to its fullest. You have an attractive personality.

November arrives in the sign of Scorpio, giving way to the ninth sign of the zodiac cycle - Sagittarius, the sign of the Archer - on Nov 22 2010 3:14 AM (GMT). (Sagittarius Zodiac Pendant in Sterling Silver from ATNdesigns.)

The Native American names for the full Moon this month are the White Moon, Moon When Horns Are Broken Off, The Beaver Moon, or Sassafras Moon, depending on the locale of the tribe. The full moon occurs on November 21st.

Month-long celebrations for November include American Indian National Heritage Month, Epilepsy Awareness Month, National Adoption Month, Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, National Peanut Butter Lovers Month, American and National Diabetes Awareness Month, Vegan Month, and Family Stories Month. Important holidays for this month include: Election Day (US) - 2nd, Veteran's Day (US) - 11th, Great American Smokeout - 18th, Thanksgiving (US) - 25th, Black Friday - (26th).

The chrysanthemum is November's birth flower - and while there are many types of these mums - I personally love the spider mum! ! In Japan chrysanthemums called "kikus" are exchanged between friends as a symbol of the virtue and value of their friendship. (Mum's the Word Clutch from JulieVision.)


The angel for the month of November is Adnachiel, who is the "angel of independence and guidance." This angel actively helps you to open the door to the spiritual light of the soul. Some believe he is the angel who has control over the four elements - earth, wind, fire & air.

November's trees are the chestnut and the ash.
The chestnut tree is considered a symbol of nourishment, goodness, and triumph over temptation.

The Wild Birds Unlimited bird of the month for November 2010 is the Nuthatch. Did you know that nuthatches, like swans, are monogamous?

According to the Chinese agricultural calendar, November is the month of the Pig. (Needle Felted Pig by Teddy Bear Review Fiber Artist GERRY from gfelted)

November is linked to many more interesting facts, legends and folklore... some downright incredible, others just fun to know! I hope you enjoy the few that I've posted here!

I'd like to say thank you to the featured shops for the display of their items to illustrate my post. Please be sure to visit them all, as well as the other great Etsy shops that are featuring November related items!