January

This article is about the month. For and, see January (disambiguation).
"Jan." redirects here. For other uses, see Jan.
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2016

January is the first month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and the first month to have the length of 31 days. The first day of the month is known as New Year's Day. It is, on average, the coldest month of the year within most of the Northern Hemisphere (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.

History

January, from the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry

January (in Latin, Ianuarius) is named after the Latin word for door (ianua) since January is the door to the year. The month is conventionally thought of as being named after Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions in Roman mythology, but according to ancient Roman farmers' almanacs Juno was the tutelary deity of the month.[1]

Traditionally, the original Roman calendar consisted of 10 months totaling 304 days, winter being considered a month-less period. Around 713 BC, the semi-mythical successor of Romulus, King Numa Pompilius, is supposed to have added the months of January and February, so that the calendar covered a standard lunar year (354 days). Although March 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 about 450 BC (Roman writers differ). In contrast, each specific calendar year was identified by the names of the two consuls, who entered office on May 1 or March 15 until 153 BC, from when they entered office on January 1.

Various Christian feast dates were used for the New Year in Europe during the Middle Ages, including March 25 (Feast of the Annunciation) 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, being the seventh day after December 25.

Historical names for January include its original Roman designation, Ianuarius, the Saxon term Wulf-monath (meaning "wolf month") and Charlemagne's designation Wintarmanoth ("winter / cold month"). In Slovene, it is traditionally called január. The name, associated with millet bread and the act of asking for something, was first written in 1466 in the Škofja Loka manuscript.[2]

According to Theodor Mommsen,[3] 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. 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, 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

Snow in Northern Hemisphere in the month of January

Month-long observances

January, painting by Leandro Bassano

Food months in the United States

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

Non-Gregorian observances, 2016

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

Movable observances, 2016 dates

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

First Friday - January 1

First Monday - January 4

Second Saturday - January 9

Second Monday - January 11

Third Friday - January 15

Friday before third Monday - January 15

Third full week of January - January 17–23

Third Sunday - January 17

Third Monday - January 18

Friday between January 19–25 - January 22

Last week of January - 24-30

Fourth Monday - January 25

Last Saturday - January 30

Last Sunday - January 31

January 30 or the nearest Sunday - January 31

Movable Western Christian observances, 2016

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

Movable Eastern Christian observances, 2016

Fixed observances

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

References

  1. ↑ H.H. Scullard, Festivals and Ceremonies of the Roman Republic (Cornell University Press, 1981), p. 51.
  2. ↑ Stabej, Jože (1966). "Ob petstoletnici škofjeloškega zapisa slovenskih imen za mesece" [On the 500th Anniversary of the Škofja Loka Recording of Slovene Month Names]. Loški razgledi (in Slovenian). Muzejsko društvo Škofja Loka [Museum Society of Škofja Loka]. 13. ISSN 0459-8210.
  3. ↑ The History of Rome, volume 4, The Revolution, ISBN 1-4353-4597-5, page 4
  4. ↑ "January Birth Flower : Flower Meaning". birthflowersguide.com.
  5. ↑ "January National Codependency Awareness Month". Diane Jellen.
  6. ↑ "January is National Healthy Weight Awareness Month : Importance of Physical Fitness". usphs.gov.
  7. ↑ "Presidential Proclamation--National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month". whitehouse.gov.
  8. ↑ "Presidential Proclamation--Stalking Awareness Month". whitehouse.gov.
  9. 1 2 Chase's Calendar of Events 2013. The McGraw-Hill Companies. 2013. ISBN 9780071813334.
  10. ↑ "JANUARY 2009, AS "CALIFORNIA DRIED PLUM DIGESTIVE HEALTH MONTH"". Office of the Governor, State of California. November 20, 2008.
  11. ↑ Hirsch, J. M. (August 18, 2004). "Food turns eating into stream of holidays". Associated Press via Kentucky New Era.
  12. ↑ Rem, Kathryn (March 9, 2010). "Yesterday was National Crabmeat Day and you missed it". The State Journal-Register.
  13. ↑ Gavilan, Jessica (February 7, 2006). "Mark your calendar". The Gainesville Sun.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "2015 Hellenion Calendar".
  15. 1 2 Adarsh Mobile Applications LLP. "2016 Pradosh Dates, Pradosham Days for San Francisco, California, United States".
  16. ↑ "Amavasya in January 2016 date and time in Hindu Calendar - No Moon Day or Amavas in 2016".
  17. ↑ "Hanuman Jayanti 2016 date".
  18. ↑ "Traditional day of offering".
  19. ↑ AnydayGuide. "The Day Maldives Embraced Islam / January 12, 2016". AnydayGuide.
  20. ↑ "Public Holidays in India in 2016".
  21. ↑ "Odisha Events-Festival: Dhanu Jatra Festival 2016 - Bargarh - Odisha - Orissa - Dates".
  22. ↑ "Nepal Public Holidays 2016". Asia Public Holidays 2016.
  23. ↑ "Site Suspended - This site has stepped out for a bit".
  24. ↑ "Festivals of India, Indian Festivals 2016, Fairs and Festivals in India, Indian Festivals".
  25. ↑ "The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared unconstitutional the day of RS". b92.net. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
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