January
World Days,
Festivals and Folklore
January
The Anglo-Saxons called this month Aeftere Giuli Monap which means After-Yule-Month.
January was named by the Romans after their two faced god, Janus, god of transitions, beginning, gateways and endings. Janus is looking back at the old year and forward into the next.
The Saxons also called this month Wulf-Monath meaning Wolf-Month, by this time of winter wolves would be hungry with the scarcity of food.
Charlemagne, the Roman Emperor, named this month Wintarmanoth meaning winter/cold month.
January Weather Lore
As the days lengthens, so the cold strengthens.
If on the twelfth of January the sun shine, it foreshows much wind.
If the birds begin to sing in January, frosts are on their way.
March in January means January in March.
1st January
New Years Day
New Years Day is celebrated in many different ways. Here’s a few customs and traditions from all around the world!
On New Years Day in Brazil it is lucky to wear white.
Many countries have the tradition of eating round foods like lentils to symbolise having plenty of money.
In Ecuador sawdust effigies are burnt, it is lucky to jump over the fire twelve times to have twelve good months.
In Ireland it’s traditional to bang on the walls with bread to scare away any bad spirits.
In Japan, it’s traditional to eat a long food like noodles for longevity.
Wearing polka dots brings good luck in the Philippines.
In Greece it’s good luck to hang onions in your doorway and wake your children up the next morning by taping them on the head with the onions!
In Denmark you stand on a chair at midnight on New Years Eve and jump into January!
Norwegian they have a tradition called Nyttarsbukk, children go from door to door on New Year’s Eve and sing songs to get sweets.
At midnight in Spain, it is lucky to eat twelve grapes.
In Russia it is a custom to write down as many wishes as you can on seperate pieces of paper whilst the clocks strikes midnight. Then you burn them in the fire, one by one, if you do this, they are said to come true! Christmas was forbidden in Soviet Russia so instead, gifts were given on New Years Day. Instead of Father Christmas, Ded Moroz or Father Frost delivered the gifts. Russia also has a version of First Footing (see below).
In England, Scotland and wales, opening your doors and windows lets the old year out and the new year in.
The First Footer is welcomed into the house in the Isle of Man, it’s important he should be tall and dark, for fear of Vikings and he should bring gifts of coal, shortbread, salt, black bun, and whiskey. This would symbolise the need for heat, food and drink for the coming year.
Veganuary
Veganuary runs throughout January and invites people to try finding alternatives to animal products. Eating more vegetables and reducing our consumption of meat, fish and dairy has health benefits, helps the environment and reduces animal suffering. Whether you want to try to cut down or have a day a week where you take part it will all make a difference. See our recipe section for some plant based ideas and find some mouth-watering recipes in our Books for Teens and Adults section.
January 5th Twelfth Night
The Twelfth Night marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas and marks Epiphany Eve. Celebrations for this day include wassailing, carol singing and sharing the last of the Christmas food. According to customs, all Christmas decorations should be taken down by this day.
5th January, National Bird Day
USA
We have some fun ideas for bird treats in our craft section, see our Environmentally Conscious section for some bird friendly ideas!
January 13th St Hilary’s Day
St Hilary’s Day is also known as the coldest day of the year. One of the coldest winters in history began on this day in 1205. The Thames froze over, beer and wine froze solid and were sold by weight, and a frost fayre took place on the frozen river. The most severe freeze was recorded in 1683-84, the Thames froze solid for two months and reached for miles out to sea.
January 29th Chinese New Year
Year of the Snake
In Chinese culture, the snake is said to have intelligence, charm and wisdom. Those born during the year of the snake are said to possess these personality traits and have good fortune with finances.
See our craft section for some snake ideas!
19th to 25th January
Hunt for Happiness Week
January can seem like a bleak month. Hunt for Happiness Week encourages us to think about what makes us happy and to do something to help the happiness of others.
We tried to come up with some ideas we could try that would help us feel happier. Looking at things we could do that brought happiness but also things we could avoid doing. Here’s our top ten…
10. Declutter
Decluttering can help our wellbeing. A decluttered house is a nicer and more relaxing place to be in and can help us feel more positive and less stressed. A rainy day can be a perfect opportunity to go through your house, organise cupboards and find things that you don’t use anymore that can be taken to a charity shop.
9. Make Time for an Interest
With a busy life, it’s easy to forget what you used to love doing. Did you play an instrument? What did you love doing as a child? Is there something you loved doing that you don’t have time for anymore?
Try setting aside some time each week to do something you love. It can be hard to get back into interests sometimes so set yourself a challenge of doing a drawing every day for a month, or setting aside 30 minutes each day to read or fit in your hobby.
8. Making Others Happy
Making others happy can make you happy! There are lots of easy things you can do to spread some happiness; take your dog for an extra long walk, take a homemade treat to an elderly neighbour, call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while, cook someone a meal, volunteering, stop to talk to someone…. Set your self the challenge of finding one small thing you can do each day to make someone else happy.
7. Gratitude
Focusing on the positive things in our lives can help us appreciate what we have. Writing down three things each day that makes us happy can help our wellbeing.
In an experiment, people were either asked to write down three facts about each day or three things that made them happy. The group that wrote down things that made them happy reported feeling happier at the end of the experiment! You could start a Gratitude Journal and write down what made you happy and why. Looking back on what you have written can also help you see what does make you happy, so you know what to do more of!
6. Exercise
Exercise can boost your mood by releasing feel good chemicals, it can relieve stress and help you sleep better. Gentle exercise can help too, going for a walk, cycling, swimming…
5. Watch Some Birds
Bird watching can be meditative and help you combat stress, it can help you be present in the moment and help you reconnect to nature. If you have a garden you could put some food out for the birds. We have some ideas in our craft section for making a pine cone feeder which can be hung in a tree. If you don’t have a garden there are feeders that have a sucker on that can be put on a window. The RSPB has a garden birdwatch survey each January that can be fun to take part in.
4. Watch something Grow
January is a great time of year to look forward to the spring. If you don’t have a garden there are still things you can grow in pots. See our craft section for a January windowsill idea. Getting outside and looking for signs of spring can feel uplifting at this time of year. Snowdrops are out and other bulbs will start to emerge from their winter sleep. Spotting some signs of spring can help you feel that spring will soon be here.
3. Slow Living
Slow Living is about quality over quantity, taking time to enjoy what you are doing. Making a loaf of bread, taking the time to cook something nice and enjoy the meal, lighting a candle and making it into a celebration. Could you try something new? Start a slow living project, crochet a blanket, bake some bread, make a cake or learn an instrument. These are all things that take time and effort but can bring something positive to your life.
2. Get Away From Screens!
Our phones and screens are a distraction. Could you set yourself the challenge of having a screen free day? The news, social media and emails can sometimes be a negative part of our lives. If you go for a walk, try putting your phone on silent. Set limits to what parts of the day or week, you will look at messages and emails. Could you have a day at the weekend when you have a phone free day? You could find something else to do in the time you would have spent online, reading a book, starting a craft project, baking some bread…
Get Outdoors!
