Fun Facts about January

January is named after Janus, the god of the doorway. On average, the first month of the year contains thirty one of the coldest days and nights in the Northern Hemisphere.

January and October start on the same day in common years.

Garnet, the birthstone of those born in January, respresents constancy.
The birth flower is the carnation.
People born before January 20th have a zodiac sign of Capricorn, and those born the 21st and after, are born under the sign Aquarius.

January is known as:

National Thank You Month
National Soup Month
National Staying Healthy Month
National Blood Donor Month
and
National Braille Literacy Month.

On the second Monday in January, Japan celebrates Coming of Age Day. Anyone who reached the age of 20 years old is congratulated and encouraged with festivals and small presents.

The third Monday in January commemorates the birthday of the spokesman for non-violent civil rights, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Famous dates in January:

January 2--Isaac Asimov born (1920) Science fiction writer.
January 3--JRR Tolkien born (1892) Author of Lord of the Rings.
January 8--Elvis Presley born (1935)
January 9--Dave Matthews born (1967) Singer
January 10--"The Common Sense" by Thomas Paine published in 1776
January 17--Shari Lewis born (1934) creator of the well-known puppet, Lambchop.
January 18--Peter Roget born (1779) author of the writer's best friend, Roget's Thesaurus.
January 19--Edgar Allen Poe born (1809)
January 25--Alicia Keys born (1981)
January 27--Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart born (1756)
                    Lewis Carroll born (1832) creator of Alice in Wonderland
January 29--Oprah Winfrey born (1954)