Just the thought of January makes people yawn - it's the month when many of us return from our winter holidays, school starts up again, and a lot of us are stuck in cold winter weather. Maybe learning a little bit about the month of January will make it slightly more livable!
History
- The month of January is named for the ancient Roman god Janus, who was the god of new beginnings. The name also comes from the Roman word "ianua," which means door, because January represents a door in to the new year.
- January is the coldest month of the year for most countries in the Northern Hemisphere, and the hottest month for most areas in the Southern Hemisphere.
- January is thought to have been added to the Roman calendar around 713 BC. Prior to that, March was the first month of the year.
- January 1st began to be thought of as the start of the new year throughout Europe starting in the 1500s.
It's exciting to open the door on a new year!Courtesy of tnooz.com
Fun Facts
- January is National Soup Month in the United States! It's also Hot Tea Month. I'm sensing a pattern!
- If you were born in January, your birthstone is the garnet. A garnet is a dark red stone, and it represents regeneration, which makes it particularly relevant for the start of the new year!
- Born in January and wondering about your zodiac sign? If you were born on January 19th or before, you're a Capricorn. Capricorns are responsible, ambitious, and loyal.
- If you were born in January on the 20th or later, your sign is Aquarius, and you are likely to be inventive, clever, and original!
A bowl of soup can really warm up your January. Courtesy of awesomecuisine.com
Famous Birthdays
- Famous physicist Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727), who is considered one of the most influential scientists of all time, was born in Lincolnshire, England on January 4th.
- Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), who led the African American civil rights movement in the US 1950s and 1960s and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15th. In the US, Martin Luther King, Jr. day is celebrated on the third Monday of January, which usually falls around his birthday.
- Oprah Winfrey, 61, was born in Kosciusko, MS on January 29th, 1954. She has been called the most influential woman in the world, and was the world's first black, female millionaire.
It's so amazing what Oprah has accomplished in her life!Courtesy of oprah.com
Go ahead and grab a cup of tea or a bowl of soup, turn on the Oprah show, shut out either the cold or hot weather, and settle in to enjoy the month of January!
Have Your Say!
What's your favorite thing to do in January? Share with our Kidzworld readers!
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