January is the first month of the year in the Julian and

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...

s and is also the first of seven months to have a length of 31 days. The first day of the month is known as

New Year's Day New Year's Day is a festival observed in most of the world on 1 January, the first day of the year in the modern Gregorian calendar. 1 January is also New Year's Day on the Julian calendar, but this is not the same day as the Gregorian one. Wh ...

. It is, on average, the coldest month of the year within most of the

Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's Nort ...

(where it is the second month of winter) and the warmest month of the year within most of the Southern Hemisphere (where it is the second month of summer). In the Southern hemisphere, January is the seasonal equivalent of July in the Northern hemisphere and vice versa.

Ancient Roman In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC ...

observances during this month include

Cervula ''Cervulus'' or ''Cervula'' is the name of a Roman festival celebrated on the kalends of January (1 January). According to Chambers (1864), remnants seem to have been incorporated into a medieval Christian Feast of the Ass, (''Festum Asinorum''), ...

and Juvenalia, celebrated January 1, as well as one of three

Agonalia An Agonalia or Agonia was an obscure archaic religious observance celebrated in ancient Rome several times a year, in honor of various divinities. Its institution, like that of other religious rites and ceremonies, was attributed to Numa Pompi ...

, celebrated January 9, and

Carmentalia Carmentalia was the two feast days (11 January and 15 January) of the Roman goddess Carmenta. She had her temple atop the Capitoline Hill The Capitolium or Capitoline Hill ( ; it, Campidoglio ; la, Mons Capitolinus ), between the Forum ...

, celebrated January 11. These dates do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar.

History

Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry Janvier

January (in Latin, ''

Ianuarius ''Ianuarius'', fully ''Mensis Ianuarius'' ("month of Janus"), was the first month of the ancient Roman calendar, from which the Julian and Gregorian month of January derived. It was followed by '' Februarius'' (" February"). In the calendars ...

'') is named after

Janus In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus ( ; la, Ianvs ) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces. The month of January is named for Janu ...

, the god of beginnings and transitions in

Roman mythology Roman mythology is the body of myths of ancient Rome as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans. One of a wide variety of genres of Roman folklore, ''Roman mythology'' may also refer to the modern study of these representat ...

. Traditionally, the original

Roman calendar The Roman calendar was the calendar used by the Roman Kingdom and Roman Republic. The term often includes the Julian calendar established by the reforms of the Roman dictator, dictator Julius Caesar and Roman emperor, emperor Augustus in the ...

consisted of 10 months totaling 304 days, winter being considered a month-less period. Around 713 BC, the semi-mythical successor of

Romulus Romulus () was the legendary foundation of Rome, founder and King of Rome, first king of Ancient Rome, Rome. Various traditions attribute the establishment of many of Rome's oldest legal, political, religious, and social institutions to Romulus ...

, King

Numa Pompilius Numa Pompilius (; 753–672 BC; reigned 715–672 BC) was the legendary second king of Rome, succeeding Romulus after a one-year interregnum. He was of Sabine origin, and many of Rome's most important religious and political institutions are a ...

, is supposed to have added the months of January and

February February is the second month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The month has 28 days in common years or 29 in leap years, with the 29th day being called the ''leap day''. It is the first of five months not to have 31 days (th ...

, so that the calendar covered a standard lunar year (354 days). Although

March March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of Marc ...

was originally the first month in the old Roman calendar, January became the first month of the calendar year either under Numa or under the

Decemvirs The decemviri or decemvirs (Latin for "ten men") were some of the several 10-man commissions established by the Roman Republic. The most important were those of the two Decemvirates, formally the " decemvirate with consular power for writing ...

about 450 BC (Roman writers differ). In contrast, each specific calendar year was identified by the names of the two

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throug ...

s, who entered office on March 15 until 153 BC, at which point they started entering office on January 1. Various Christian feast dates were used for the

New Year New Year is the time or day currently at which a new calendar year begins and the calendar's year count increments by one. Many cultures celebrate the event in some manner. In the Gregorian calendar, the most widely used calendar system to ...

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

during the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

, including March 25 (

Feast of the Annunciation The Feast of the Annunciation, in Greek, Ο Ευαγγελισμός της Θεοτόκου, contemporarily the Solemnity of the Annunciation, and also called Lady Day, the Feast of the Incarnation ('), or Conceptio Christi ('), commemorates the ...

) and December 25. However, medieval calendars were still displayed in the Roman fashion with twelve columns from January to December. Beginning in the 16th century, European countries began officially making January 1 the start of the New Year once again—sometimes called ''Circumcision Style'' because this was the date of the

Feast of the Circumcision The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ is a Christian celebration of the circumcision of Jesus in accordance with Jewish tradition, eight days (according to the Semitic and southern European calculation of intervals of days) after his birth, the o ...

, being the seventh day after December 25. Historical names for January include its original Roman designation, Ianuarius, the

Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...

term ''Wulf-monath'' (meaning "wolf month") and

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...

's designation Wintarmanoth ("winter / cold month"). In Slovene, it is traditionally called ''prosinec''. The name, associated with

millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most species generally referred to as millets belong to the tribe Paniceae, but some millets al ...

bread and the act of asking for something, was first written in 1466 in the

Škofja Loka Škofja Loka (; german: Bischoflack) is a town in Slovenia. It is the economic, cultural, educational, and administrative center of the Municipality of Škofja Loka in Upper Carniola. It has about 12,000 inhabitants. Geography Škofja Loka lies a ...

manuscript. According to

Theodor Mommsen Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen (; 30 November 1817 – 1 November 1903) was a German classical scholar, historian, jurist, journalist, politician and archaeologist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest classicists of the 19th cent ...

, 1 January became the first day of the year in 600 AUC of the Roman calendar (153 BC), due to disasters in the

Lusitanian War The Lusitanian War, called ''Pyrinos Polemos'' ("the Fiery War") in Greek, was a war of resistance fought by the Lusitanian tribes of Hispania Ulterior against the advancing legions of the Roman Republic from 155 to 139 BC. The Lusitanians revo ...

. A Lusitanian chief called Punicus invaded the Roman territory, defeated two Roman governors, and killed their troops. The Romans resolved to send a consul to

Hispania Hispania ( la, Hispānia , ; nearly identically pronounced in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, and Italian) was the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula and its provinces. Under the Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into two provinces: Hispania ...

, and in order to accelerate the dispatch of aid, "they even made the new consuls enter into office two months and a half before the legal time" (March 15).

January symbols

* January's

birthstone A birthstone is a gemstone A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, or semiprecious stone) is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rock ...

is the

garnet Garnets () are a group of silicate minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. All species of garnets possess similar physical properties and crystal forms, but differ in chemical composition. The different s ...

, which represents constancy. * Dianthus carthusianorum 210505a

Its birth flower is the cottage pink ''

Dianthus caryophyllus ''Dianthus caryophyllus'' (), commonly known as the carnation or clove pink, is a species of ''Dianthus''. It is likely native to the Mediterranean region but its exact range is unknown due to extensive cultivation for the last 2,000 years.Med ...

'' or

galanthus ''Galanthus'' (from Ancient Greek , (, "milk") + (, "flower")), or snowdrop, is a small genus of approximately 20 species of bulbous perennial herbaceous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. The plants have two linear leaves and a single ...

as well as the traditional carnation. *The Japanese floral emblem of January is the

camellia ''Camellia'' (pronounced or ) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalayas east to Japan and Indonesia. There are more than 220 described species, with some controversy ...

(''

Camellia sinensis ''Camellia sinensis'' is a species of evergreen shrub or small tree in the flowering plant family Theaceae. Its leaves and leaf buds are used to produce the popular beverage, tea. Common names include tea plant, tea shrub, and tea tree (not to ...

''). *In Finnish, the month of ''tammikuu'' means the heart of the winter and because the name literally means "

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

moon", it can be inferred that the oak tree is the heart of the grand forest with many valuable trees as opposed to the typical Arctic forests, which are typically pine and spruce. The photograph of a large tree covered with ice against a blue sky is a familiar scene during Finland's winter. *The

zodiac The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north or south (as measured in celestial latitude) of the ecliptic, the Sun path, apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. ...

signs for the month of January are Capricorn (until January 19) and

Aquarius Aquarius may refer to: Astrology * Aquarius (astrology), an astrological sign * Age of Aquarius, a time period in the cycle of astrological ages Astronomy * Aquarius (constellation) * Aquarius in Chinese astronomy Arts and entertainment ...

(January 20 onwards). *The name of the

full moon The full moon is the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth's perspective. This occurs when Earth is located between the Sun and the Moon (when the ecliptic coordinate system, ecliptic longitudes of the Sun and Moon opp ...

occurring in January is the

wolf moon The full moon is the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth's perspective. This occurs when Earth is located between the Sun and the Moon (when the ecliptic longitudes of the Sun and Moon differ by 180°). This means ...

January observances

''This list does not necessarily imply either official status or general observance.''

Month-long observances

* Alzheimer's Awareness Month (

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

) *

Dry January Dry January is a campaign delivered by Alcohol Change UK where people sign up to abstain from alcohol for the month of January. The term "Dry January" is a registered trademark with Alcohol Change UK and was first registered in 2014. The camp ...

(

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

) *National Codependency Awareness Month (

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

) *

National Mentoring Month 'National Mentoring Month'' is a campaign run throughout January by MENTOR and MENTOR Affiliates across the country. Launched in 2002, the campaign aims to unify and expand the mentoring movement, celebrate the power of relationships, and raise awa ...

(

) *National Healthy Weight Awareness Month (

) *

Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

(

) *Stalking Awareness Month (

) *

Veganuary Veganuary is an annual challenge run by a UK nonprofit organisation that promotes and educates about veganism by encouraging people to follow a vegan lifestyle for the month of January. Since the event began in 2014, participation has increased ...

Food months in the United States

''This list does not necessarily imply either official status or general observance.'' * Be Kind to Food Servers Month (by proclamation,

State of Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

) * California Dried Plum Digestive Health Month * Hot Tea Month * National Soup Month * Oatmeal Month

Non-Gregorian observances, 2021 dates

''All Baha'i, Islamic, and Jewish observances begin at sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown on the date in question.'' *

List of observances set by the Bahá'í calendar A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby union ...

List of observances set by the Chinese calendar The traditional Chinese holidays are an essential part of harvests or prayer offerings. The most important Chinese holiday is the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), which is also celebrated in overseas ethnic Chinese communities (for example in ...

List of observances set by the Hebrew calendar All observances begin at sunset the day prior to the Gregorian date listed unless otherwise noted, and end on nightfall of the date in question, which is defined as the appearance of three stars in the sky. On leap years (which occur every 2– ...

List of observances set by the Islamic calendar All Islamic observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted. Holidays for 1441 (2019-2020) {, class="wikitable" !width=20%, Date on Islamic Calendar !width=20%, Gre ...

List of observances set by the Solar Hijri calendar Dates in this table are determined by when the March Equinox falls. It will fall on March 20 from 2018-2023. {, class="wikitable" , - style="background:#efefef;" ! Holiday date !!Holiday name !! Description !!March equinox on March 19 !!March Eq ...

Moveable observances

''This list does not necessarily imply either official status or general observance.'' *See:

List of movable Western Christian observances {{Use mdy dates, date=July 2017 This is a list of movable observances within Western Christianity. It includes secular observances which are calculated by religious observances. ''This list does not necessarily imply either official status nor gen ...

*See:

List of movable Eastern Christian observances This is a chronological list of moveable Eastern Christian observances. Most of these are calculated by the date of Easter, Pascha. It includes secular observances which are calculated by religious observances. ''This list does not necessarily imp ...

January 2 unless that day is a Sunday, in which case

January 3 Events Pre-1600 *AD 69, 69 – The Roman legions on the Rhine refuse to declare their allegiance to Galba, instead proclaiming their legate, Aulus Vitellius, as emperor. * 250 – Emperor Decius orders everyone in the Roman Empire (ex ...

: January 2 *

New Year Holiday (Scotland) Bank holidays in Scotland are determined under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 and the St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007. Unlike the rest of the United Kingdom, most bank holidays are not recognised as statutory pu ...

First Friday *

Children's Day Children's Day is a commemorative date celebrated annually in honor of children, whose date of observance varies by country. In 1925, International Children's Day was first proclaimed in Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare. Sin ...

(

Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...

) Second Saturday *

(

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

) Second Monday * Birthday of Eugenio María de Hostos (

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

) *

Coming of Age Day is a public holiday in Japan held annually on the second Monday of January. It is held in order to congratulate and encourage all those who have reached or will reach the age of maturity (20 years old) between April 2 of the previous year and ...

(

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

) Friday before third Monday *

Lee–Jackson Day Lee–Jackson Day was a state holiday in the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia, commemorating Confederate commanders, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Its observation was eliminated in 2020, replaced by Election Day as a state holiday. Origin ...

(

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

) Third Friday *

International Fetish Day International Fetish Day is a day supporting the BDSM community. It originated in the United Kingdom as National Fetish Day and was first held on 21 January 2008. The first International Fetish Day was held on 16 January 2009 (the third Friday o ...

Sunday closest to January 22 * National Sanctity of Human Life Day (

) Third full week of January *

Hunt for Happiness Week Secret Society of Happy People (SOHP) is an organization that celebrates the expression of happiness. Founded in August 1998, the society encourages thousands of members from all around the globe to recognize their happy moments and think about h ...

(

International observance Lists of holidays by various categorizations. Religious holidays Abrahamic holidays (Middle Eastern) Jewish holidays *Chag HaMatzot (Feast of Unleavened bread, Unleavened Bread – 7 days of consumption of matzo with wine and avoidance ...

) *

National Non-Smoking Week National Non-Smoking Week is a yearly event in Canada. Established in 1977, it continues to be observed on the third full week of January, starting on Sunday. Coordinated by the Canadian Council for Tobacco Control, it aims to: *educate Canadians ...

(

) Last full week of January *

National School Choice Week National School Choice Week (NSCW) was founded in 2011. NSCW hosts a series of “school choice” events in the last week of January each year.” As an organization it claims to “support the success of America’s children, by raising broad an ...

(

) Third Monday *

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., and sometimes referred to as MLK Day) is a federal holiday in the United States marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monda ...

(

) **

Idaho Human Rights Day Idaho Human Rights Day is a state holiday recognized only in the U.S. state of Idaho. Governor Cecil Andrus signed compromise legislation on April 10, 1990, making Idaho the nation's 47th state to honor slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King ...

(

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...

) Wednesday of the third full week of January * Weedless Wednesday (

) Friday between January 19–25 * Husband's Day (

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...

) Last Saturday * National Seed Swap Day (

) Last Sunday * Liberation of Auschwitz Memorial Day (

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

) January 30 or the nearest Sunday *

World Leprosy Day World Leprosy Day is observed internationally every year on the last Sunday of January to increase the public awareness of leprosy or Hansen's Disease. This date was chosen by French humanitarian Raoul Follereau as a tribute to the life of Mahatma ...

Last Monday in January * Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day Fourth Monday *

Community Manager Appreciation Day An online community manager builds, grows and manages online communities, performing community management, often around a brand or cause. History The most recognized origin of the term (online) community manager is in the computer games industry w ...

(

) *

National Heroes' Day Heroes' Day or National Heroes' Day may refer to a number of commemorations of national heroes in different countries and territories. It is often held on the birthday of a national hero or heroine, or the anniversary of their great deeds that m ...

(

Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territory—the largest by population in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located to the ...

) Monday Closest to January 29 *

Auckland Anniversary Day Auckland Anniversary Day is a public holiday observed in the northern half of the North Island of New Zealand, being the area's provincial anniversary day. It is observed throughout the historic Auckland Province, even though the provinces of New ...

Fixed observances

*December 25 – January 5:

Twelve Days of Christmas The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a festive Christian season celebrating the Nativity of Jesus. In some Western ecclesiastical traditions, "Christmas Day" is considered the "First Day of Christmas" and the Twelve Days a ...

(

Western Christianity Western Christianity is one of two sub-divisions of Christianity ( Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity is composed of the Latin Church and Western Protestantism, together with their offshoots such as the Old Catholic ...

) *December 26 – January 1:

Kwanzaa Kwanzaa () is an annual celebration of African-American culture from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called ''Karamu'', usually on the sixth day. It was created by activist Maulana Karenga, based on African harvest ...

(

African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

) *December 31 – January 1, in some cases until January 2:

Hogmanay Hogmanay ( , ) is the Scots word for the last day of the old year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. It is normally followed by further celebration on the morning of New Year's Day (1 January) or i ...

(

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

) *

January 1 January 1 or 1 January is the first day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 364 days remaining until the end of the year (365 in leap years). This day is also known as New Year's Day since the day marks the beginning of the yea ...

Feast of the Circumcision of Christ The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ is a Christian celebration of the circumcision of Jesus in accordance with Jewish tradition, eight days (according to the Semitic and southern European calculation of intervals of days) after his birth, the ...

***

Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus is a feast of the liturgical year celebrated by Christians on varying dates.''New Book of Festivals and Commemorations'' by Philip H. Pfatteicher 2008 pages3-5 History The feast of the Holy Name of Jesus has ...

(

Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion is the third largest Christian communion after the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Founded in 1867 in London, the communion has more than 85 million members within the Church of England and other ...

Lutheran Church Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

) ***

Feast of Fools Feast of Fools The Feast of Fools or Festival of Fools (Latin: ''festum fatuorum, festum stultorum'') was a feast day on January 1 celebrated by the clergy in Europe during the Middle Ages, initially in Southern France, but later more widely. Du ...

(

Medieval Europe In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

) **

Constitution Day (Italy) Constitution Day is a holiday to honour the constitution of a country. Constitution Day is often celebrated on the anniversary of the signing, promulgation or adoption of the constitution, or in some cases, to commemorate the change to constitut ...

Dissolution of Czechoslovakia The dissolution of Czechoslovakia ( cs, Rozdělení Československa, sk, Rozdelenie Česko-Slovenska) took effect on December 31, 1992, and was the self-determined split of the federal republic of Czechoslovakia into the independent countries o ...

-related observances: *** Day of the Establishment of the Slovak Republic (

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...

) ***

Restoration Day of the Independent Czech State Public holidays in the Czech Republic: See also * Public holidays in Slovakia References External links Travel Advice official web of the Czech Republic Detailed info
{{Public holidays in Europe Public holidays in the Czech Republic, ...

(

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

) **

Euro Day The euro (symbol: €; code: EUR) is the official currency of 19 out of the member states of the European Union (EU). This group of states is known as the eurozone or, officially, the euro area, and includes about 340 million citizens . Th ...

(

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

) ** Flag Day (Lithuania) **

Founding Day (Taiwan) The following are considered holidays in Taiwan. Some are official holidays, some are not: Table of Taiwan holidays Public holidays Unofficial holidays The following holidays are also observed on Taiwan, but are not official holidays obser ...

Global Family Day Global Family Day One Day of Peace and Sharing, is celebrated every 1st January in the United States as a global day of peace and sharing. Global Family Day grew out of the United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental org ...

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Man ...

(

Brunei Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely sur ...

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...

Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...

) **

International Nepali Dhoti and Nepali Topi Day Topi Diwas ( ne, टोपी दिवस) is an event celebrated by Nepali people globally on 1 January of English Calendar wearing Dhaka or Bhaad-gaaule Topi as their pride. All Nepali people wear Dhaka topi The Dhaka topi ( ne, ढाक ...

Jump-up Day Jump-up Day is a holiday celebrated on January 1 in Montserrat. It commemorates the emancipation of the slaves of Montserrat, and is the last day of Carnival on the island. Jump-up Day incorporates steelbands and masquerades, as well as male ...

(

Montserrat Montserrat ( ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is part of the Leeward Islands, the northern portion of the Lesser Antilles chain of the West Indies. Montserrat is about long and wide, with r ...

British Overseas Territories The British Overseas Territories (BOTs), also known as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), are fourteen dependent territory, territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom. They are the last remna ...

) **

Kalpataru Day Kalpataru Day also called Kalpataru Diwas or Kalpataru Utsav is an annual religious festival observed by monks of the Ramakrishna Math monastic order of Hinduism and lay followers of the associated Ramakrishna Mission, as well as the worldw ...

(

Ramakrishna Movement Ramakrishna Mission (RKM) is a Hinduism, Hindu religious and spiritual organisation which forms the core of a worldwide spiritual movement known as the ''Ramakrishna Movement'' or the ''Vedanta Movement''. The mission is named after and insp ...

) ** National Bloody Mary Day (

) ** National Tree Planting Day (

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

) **

***

Japanese New Year The is an annual festival with its own customs. Since 1873, the official Japanese New Year has been celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar, on January 1 of each year, . However, some traditional events of the Japanese New Year are par ...

***

Novy God ''Novy God'' () is the Russian phrase for "New Year", and also designates the Russian New Year's Eve and New Year's Day celebration. Similar customs are observed in all post-Soviet states, and though the observance of the holiday is critici ...

Day (

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

) *** Sjoogwachi (

Okinawa Islands The Okinawa Islands ( or ) are an island group in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan and are the principal island group of the prefecture. The Okinawa Islands are part of the larger Ryukyu Islands group and are located between the Amami Islands of Kagoshi ...

) ** Polar Bear Swim Day (

and

) **

Public Domain Day Public Domain Day (PDD) is an observance of when copyrights expire and works enter into the public domain. This legal transition of copyright works into the public domain usually happens every year on January 1 based on the individual copyright ...

(multiple countries) **

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God is a feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the aspect of her motherhood of Jesus Christ, whom she had circumcised on the eighth day after his birth according to Levitical Law. Christians see him ...

(

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

) ***

World Day of Peace The World Day of Peace is an annual celebration by the Catholic Church, dedicated to universal peace, held on 1 January, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Pope Paul VI established it in 1967, being inspired by the encyclical ''Pacem in Terri ...

Triumph of the Revolution Triumph of the Revolution () also known as Liberation Day () is a celebration in Cuba of the anniversary of the victory of the revolution led by Fidel Castro in 1959 which established the present government in Cuba. The previous president, Fulgenc ...

(

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

) *

January 2 Events Pre-1600 * 69 – The Roman legions in Germania Superior refuse to swear loyalty to Galba. They rebel and proclaim Vitellius as emperor. * 366 – The Alemanni cross the frozen Rhine in large numbers, invading the Roman Empi ...

Ancestry Day The following are public holidays in Haiti. Many Vodou holidays are also celebrated, but are not considered public holidays. The two most important holidays for Haitian Americans are Haitian Independence Day and Haitian Flag Day. In additio ...

(

) **

Berchtold's Day ''Berchtoldstag'' (also ''Bechtelistag, Bächtelistag, Berchtelistag, Bärzelistag,'' in Liechtenstein ''Bechtelstag, Bechtle'') is an Alemannic holiday, known in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It is near New Year's Day, during the Rauhnächte, ...

(

Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein (german: link=no, Fürstentum Liechtenstein), is a German-speaking microstate located in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland. Liechtenstein is a semi-constitutional monarchy ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, and the

Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...

) **

Carnival Day ''Carnival Day'' (Spanish: ''Días de feria'') is a 1960 Spanish comedy film directed by Rafael J. Salvia.Comas p.297 Cast * Manuel Arbó * Pedro Beltrán (actor), Pedro Beltrán as Isidoro * Juan Bienvenida * Pilar Cansino as Rosa * José ...

(

Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis (), officially the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, is an island country and microstate consisting of the two islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, both located in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands chain of ...

) ** Happy Mew Year For Cats Day (Thomas Roy) **

Kakizome ''Kakizome'' (, literally "first writing") is a Japanese term for the first calligraphy written at the beginning of a year, traditionally on January 2. Other terms include ''kissho'' (), ''shihitsu'' () and ''hatsusuzuri'' (). Traditionally ...

(

) ** National Creampuff Day (

) **

National Science Fiction Day National Science Fiction Day is unofficially celebrated by many science fiction fans in the United States on January 2, which corresponds with the official birthdate of famed science fiction writer Isaac Asimov. While not a federally-recognized ...

(

) **The second day of

(a holiday in

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...

Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label=Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It incl ...

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

, and

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

) **Public holidays in Bhutan#Winter solstice, Nyinlong (Bhutan) **Victory of Armed Forces Day (

) *

**Public holidays in Burkina Faso, Anniversary of the 1966 Coup d’état (Burkina Faso) **Thomas Roy#List of days, Memento Mori (Thomas Roy) **Public holidays in Armenia, Nakhatsenendyan toner (

): January 3–5 **Public holidays in Indonesia, Ministry of Religious Affairs Day (Indonesia) **List of food days#January, National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day (

) **Tamaseseri Festival (Hakozaki Shrine, Fukuoka,

) *January 4 **Day of the Fallen against the Colonial Repression (Angola) **Day of the Martyrs (Democratic Republic of the Congo) **Thomas Roy#List of days, Dimpled Chad Day (Thomas Roy) **Okinawan festivals and observances, Hwinukan mukee (

) **Independence Day (Myanmar) **Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, Ogoni Day (Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People) **World Health Observances, World Braille Day *January 5 **National Bird Day (United States) **List of food days#January, National Whipped Cream Day (

) **List of food days#United Kingdom, Sausage Day (

) **List of food days#Japan, Strawberry day (

) **Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day (Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, Australia) **Serbian Christmas traditions#Tucindan, Tucindan (Serbia,

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...

) *January 6 **Armed Forces Day (Iraq) **Epiphany (holiday), Epiphany or Three Kings' Day (

) or Theophany (Eastern Christianity), and its related observances: ***Befana Day (Italy) ***Christmas#Using the Julian calendar, Christmas (Armenian Apostolic Church) ***Christmas in Russia, Christmas Eve (

) ***Christmas in Ukraine, Christmas Eve (

) ***Public holidays in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christmas Eve (Bosnia and Herzegovina) ***Public holidays in North Macedonia, Christmas Eve (

) ***Little Christmas (Gaelic calendar, Ireland) ***Þrettándinn (

) ***Biblical Magi#Traditions of the Epiphany, Three Wise Men Day **Pathet Lao Day (Laos) *January 7 **Christmas (Eastern Orthodox Churches and Oriental Orthodox Churches using the Julian Calendar, Rastafari#Grounding, Rastafari) ***Christmas in Russia ***Christmas in Ukraine ***Public holidays in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christmas (Bosnia and Herzegovina) ***Public holidays in Armenia, Remembrance Day of the Dead (

) **Distaff Day (

) **Nanakusa no sekku (

) **Public holidays in Liberia, Pioneer's Day (Liberia) **Flag of Italy, Tricolour day (Italy) **Public holidays in Cambodia, Victory from Genocide Day (Cambodia) *January 8 **Thomas Roy#List of days, Show and Tell Day at Work (Thomas Roy) **The Eighth (United States) (defunct observance) **Typing Day (international observance) *January 9 **Start of Hōonkō, Hōonkō (Nishi Honganji) January 9–16 (Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism) **Martyrs' Day (Panama) **List of food days#January, National Cassoulet Day (

) **Non-Resident Indian Day (India) **Republic Day (Republika Srpska) (defunct, declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina) **St. Stephen's Day (Eastern Orthodox) *January 10 **Fête du Vodoun (Benin) **Public holidays in the Bahamas, Majority Rule Day (

) *January 11 **

(Tunisia) **Eugenio María de Hostos Day (

) **German Apples Day (Germany) **Public holidays in Morocco, Independence Manifesto Day (Morocco) **Kagami biraki (

) **List of awareness days#January, National Human Trafficking Awareness Day (

) **Republic Day (Albania) *January 12 **Memorial Day (Turkmenistan) **International Duties Memorial Day, Prosecutor General's Day (

) **National Youth Day (India) **Zanzibar Revolution Day (

) *January 13 **Constitution Day (Mongolia) **Democracy Day (Cape Verde) **Liberation Day (Togo) **Old New Year's Eve (

, Belarus,

, Serbia,

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...

, Republic of Srpska,

), and its related observances: ***Malanka (

, Belarus) **St. Knut's Day (Sweden and Finland) **Stephen Foster Memorial Day (

) *January 14 **Azhyrnykhua (Abkhazia) **Public holidays in Uzbekistan, Day of Defenders of the Motherland (Uzbekistan) **Feast of Divina Pastora (Barquisimeto) **Feast of the Ass (Medieval Christianity) **Flag Day (Georgia) **National Forest Conservation Day (

) **Ratification Day (United States) **Public holidays in Tunisia, Revolution and Youth Day (Tunisia) **Yennayer (Berbers) *January 15 **Arbor Day (Egypt) **Armed Forces Day (Nigeria) **Indian Army Day (India) **John Chilembwe Day (Malawi) **Korean Alphabet Day (North Korea) **Sagichō at Tsurugaoka Hachimangū (Kamakura, Japan) **Teacher's Day (Venezuela) **List of unofficial observances by date, Wikipedia Day (international observance) *January 16 **National Nothing Day (Thomas Roy) **National Religious Freedom Day (

) **

(Coptic Church) **Teacher's Day (Myanmar) **Teachers' Day (Thailand) **Okinawan festivals and observances, Zuuruku Nichi (

) **Thiruvalluvar#Memorials, Thiruvalluvar Day (Tamil Nadu, India) *January 17 **Hardware Freedom Day (international observance) **Thomas Roy#List of days, Judgement Day **Menorca#Middle Ages, National Day (Menorca) **The opening ceremony of Patras Carnival, celebrated until Clean Monday (Patras) *January 18 **Public holidays in Tunisia, Revolution and Youth Day (Tunisia) **Royal Thai Armed Forces Day (Thailand) **Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18–25) (Christianity) *January 19 **Confederate Memorial Day, Confederate Heroes Day (Texas), and its related observance: ***Robert E. Lee Day (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and Mississippi) ***Lee–Jackson–King Day (

, United States, defunct) ** Husband's Day (

) **Kokborok Day (Tripura, India) **List of food days#January, National Popcorn Day (United States) **Theophany / Epiphany (holiday), Epiphany (Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy), and its related observances: ***Timkat, (on 20th during Leap Year) (Ethiopian Orthodox) ***''Vodici'' or Baptism of Jesus (North Macedonia) *January 20 **Public holidays in Mali, Armed Forces Day (Mali) **List of food days#January, Cheese Day (United States) **Public holidays in Cape Verde, Heroes' Day (Cape Verde) **Inauguration Day, held every four years in odd-numbered years, except when January 20 falls on a Sunday (United States) **Martyrs' Day (Azerbaijan) *January 21 **Babinden (Bulgaria, Serbia) **Flag flying days in Norway, Birthday of Princess Ingrid Alexandra (Norway) **Errol Barrow Day (Barbados) **Flag Day (Quebec) **National Grandparents Day#Poland, Grandmother's Day (Poland) **Día de la Altagracia, Lady of Altagracia Day (Dominican Republic) **Lincoln Alexander, Lincoln Alexander Day (

) **National Hug Day (United States) *January 22 **Thomas Roy#List of days, Answer Your Cat's Question Day **Act Zluky, Day of Unity of Ukraine (Ukraine) **Public holidays in Poland, Grandfather's Day (Poland) **List of food days#January, National Hot Sauce Day (United States) *January 23 **Bounty Day (Pitcairn Island) **Espousals of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Roman Catholic Church) **American Pie Council#National Pie Day, National Pie Day (United States) **Public holidays in India#Secular holidays, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Jayanti (Orissa, India, Orissa, Tripura, and West Bengal, India) **Thomas Roy#List of days, Snow Plow Mailbox Hockey Day **World Freedom Day (Taiwan and South Korea) *January 24 **Feast of Our Lady of Peace (Roman Catholic Church), and its related observances: ***''Feria de Alasitas'' (La Paz) **List of awareness days#January, Moebius Syndrome Awareness Day (international observance) **American Pie Council#National Pie Day, National Peanut Butter Day (United States) **Public holidays in Romania, Unification Day (Romania) *January 25 **Public holidays in Egypt, 2011 Revolution Day (Egypt) **Thomas Roy#List of days, A Room of One's Own Day **Burns night (Scotland, Scottish people, Scottish community) **Dydd Santes Dwynwen (Wales) **Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul (Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran churches, which concludes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity) **National Police Day (Egypt) **National Voters' Day (India) **Tatiana Day (Russia, Eastern Orthodox) *January 26 **Australia Day (Australia) **Juan Pablo Duarte, Duarte Day (Dominican Republic) **Engineer's Day (Panama) **List of awareness days, International Customs Day **Liberation Day (Uganda) **Republic Day (India) *January 27 **Days of Military Honour, Day of the lifting of the siege of Leningrad (Russia) **Auschwitz concentration camp, Liberation of the remaining inmates of Auschwitz-related observances: ***Holocaust Memorial Day (UK) ***Holocaust Memorial Days, Holocaust Remembrance Day (Sweden) ***International Holocaust Remembrance Day ***Memorial Day (Italy) ***Holocaust Memorial Days, Memorial Day for the Victims of the Holocaust and Prevention of Crimes against Humanity (Czech Republic) ***Holocaust Memorial Days, Memorial Day for the Victims of National Socialism (Germany) ***Holocaust Memorial Days, National Holocaust Memorial Day (Greece) **List of awareness days#January, Family Literacy Day (Canada) **Public holidays in Serbia, Feast of Saint Slava (Serbia) **List of food days#January, National Chocolate Cake Day (United States) **Public holidays in Monaco, Saint Devota's Day (Monaco) *January 28 **Public holidays in Armenia, Army Day (Armenia) **Data Privacy Day (international observance) *January 29 **Kansas Day (Kansas, United States) *January 30 **Public holidays in Azerbaijan, Day of Azerbaijani customs (Azerbaijan) **Saudade, Day of ''Saudade'' (Brazil) **Fred Korematsu Day (California,

) **Martyrdom of Mahatma Gandhi-related observances: ***Martyrs' Day (India) ***School Day of Non-violence and Peace (Spain) ***Start of the Season for Nonviolence January 30 – April 4 **Thomas Roy#List of days, National Inane Answering Message Day (

) **Teacher's Day (Greece) *January 31 **Amartithi (Meherabad, India, followers of Meher Baba) **Independence Day (Nauru) **Me-Dam-Me-Phi (Ahom people, Ahom people) **Jugend Eine Welt, Street Children's Day (Austria)

References

{{Authority control January, Months, *01