All About January

January is the first month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 31 days. Named after the Roman god Janus, who had two faces to look to the future and the past, it’s a month of new beginnings, resolutions, and fresh starts around the world. January marks the height of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and midsummer in the Southern Hemisphere.

January Quick Facts

• Month Number: 1st month of the year
• Number of Days: 31
• Season (Northern Hemisphere): Winter
• Season (Southern Hemisphere): Summer
• Birthstone: Garnet
• Birth Flower: Carnation and Snowdrop
• Zodiac Signs: Capricorn (until January 19) and Aquarius (from January 20)

Notable January Events & Holidays

• January 1: New Year’s Day (Global)
• January 6: Epiphany/Three Kings Day (Christian)
• January 14: Makar Sankranti/Pongal (India)
• January 16: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (U.S., third Monday)
• January 25: Burns Night (Scotland)
• January 26: Republic Day (India) – A national holiday commemorating the adoption of the Constitution of India in 1950, celebrated with grand military parades, cultural displays, and patriotic events across the country.
• January 27: International Holocaust Remembrance Day
• January (variable): Lunar New Year (date varies by lunar calendar)
• January is also: National Blood Donor Month, Cervical Health Awareness Month, and Financial Wellness Month