The Month of January

"January is here, with eyes that keenly glow,
A frost-mailed warrior
striding a shadowy steed of snow."
-  Edgar Fawcett -

In the Georgian calendar, January is the very first month of the year. It is one of the seven months that has thirty one days. It is, on average, the coldest month of the year within most of the Northern Hemisphere and the warmest month of the year within most of the Southern Hemisphere.  January comes from the Latin word ianua meaning door. It is named after the god of the doorway, Janus . It is named after the god of the doorway, Janus, the two-faced divinity of beginnings and endings. January is known as the door to the year and is the first month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. 

It's Anglo-Saxon name is Wulfmonath which means month of wolves. This is the month of the Wolf Moon . Amid the cold and deep snows of midwinter, the hungry, howling wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. Other names for this month's full moon include old moon and ice moon.

Capricorn and Aquarius are the astrological signs for January. Birthdays from January 1st through the 19th fall under the sign of Capricorn. January 20th through the 31st birthdays fall under the sign of Aquarius.

 

January's gemstone is the garnet, a beautiful, fiery stone. The garnet is one of the oldest gemstones in history. It has ancient connection with feminine life force. Also, garnet is known as a gift of love since ancient Greek time. Its powers include healing, strength, and protection. Garnet pendant worn close to heart will promote balance and peace of mind.

The flowers of this month are the snowdrop and carnation. In Christian lore, the Carnation was first seen to bloom in the exact spot where Mary wept after watching Jesus carrying his cross through the streets of Jerusalem.  The pink Carnation is said to signify the tears shed by the Virgin Mary, again pointing to the religious significance of this ancient flower. Pink and yellow carnations are often sent as a symbol of admiration, while the deeper red carnation blooms are a sign of  love. White Carnations symbolize purity, love and luck.

According to legend, the snowdrop became the symbol of hope when Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden. And, after the Fall, no flowers bloomed, and snow fell ceaselessly.  When Eve was about to give up hope that the cold winters would never end, an angel appeared. As the angel talked with Eve, he caught a snowflake in his hand, breathed on it, and it fell to earth as the first snowdrop. The flower bloomed,  and hope was born proving that the winters do eventually give way to the spring.