January is named after the Roman god Janus, who is depicted with two faces looking in opposite directions. This symbolizes looking back on the past and looking forward to the future.
January is the first month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars.
The birthstones for January are garnet and rose quartz.
The zodiac signs for January are Capricorn (December 22 – January 19) and Aquarius (January 20 – February 18).
The birth flower for January is the carnation.
January is National Soup Month in the United States.
The first Monday of January is known as “Blue Monday,” which is claimed to be the most depressing day of the year.
The highest recorded temperature in January was 134 degrees Fahrenheit (56.7 degrees Celsius) in Furnace Creek Ranch, California on July 10, 1913.
The lowest recorded temperature in January was -80 degrees Fahrenheit (-62.2 degrees Celsius) in Prospect Creek Camp, Alaska on January 23, 1971.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday in the United States, is celebrated on the third Monday of January.
