The month of January was named after the Roman god Janus. The Roman word for door is Janus. Janus, the god, had two faces that allowed him to look forward into the coming year and backward into the previous year. The original Roman calendar had only ten months. January and February were initially excluded, but were later added.
The addition of January and February to the Roman calendar is credited to King Numa Pompilius, Rome’s second king. He did this in order for calendars to be equivalent to lunar years. Nonetheless, it only had 30 days.
It is the coldest month of the year in the Northern Hemisphere on average. It is the second month of the winter season.
January is a summer month in the Southern Hemisphere, equivalent to July.
The Saxons dubbed January “Wolf Month” because hungry wolves would come into their towns looking for food at this time of year.
For a long time in European history, the beginning of the New Year was in March.
London is well-known for its extensive subway system, dubbed “The Tube,” which makes sense given that they were also responsible for the first operational underground railway on January 10, 1863.
Surprisingly, couples separate or divorce more frequently in January than in any other month of the year.
Your birthstone is a garnet if you were born in January!
In the Northern Hemisphere, January is typically the coldest month of the year.
January was given the name “Wulfmonath” by the Anglo-Saxons because it was the month when hungry wolves would come scavenging. King Charlemagne would refer to it as “Wintermanoth,” which means “winter/cold month.”
Julius Caesar added the 31st day to the month, completing it to the full month of January that we now observe!
January always begins on the same day as April and July in leap years.
Alaska had a historic month in January! Alaska became the 49th state of the United States on January 3, 1959.
In terms of temperature, the Southern Hemisphere’s equivalent month to January is July!
Some people in the United Kingdom participate in “Dry January,” a movement that encourages people to abstain from alcohol for a month in order to promote public health.
On January 1, 1892, one of the most influential events in American history occurred: the opening of Ellis Island, which allowed for the immigration of over 20 million people!
The monarchy in Hawaii came to an end on January 24th, when Queen Liliuokalani was forced to abdicate.
January’s birth flower is the dianthus caryophullus, also known as the carnation!
The British established the first penal colony in Australia in January 1788 to relieve overcrowding in English prisons.
January has two zodiac signs: Capricorn (until January 19) and Aquarius (for the rest of the month).
According to the Julian and Gregorian calendars, January is the first month of the year and the first of seven 31-day months.
