January is the first month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days. The first day of the month is known as the day of New Year. 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).
January symbols: The birthstone of January is the garnet which represents constancy. Its birth flower is the cottage pink Dianthus caryophyllus or galanthus. In Finnish, the month of tammikuu means the heart of the winter and because the name literally means Oak moon. The zodiac signs for the month of January are Capricorn (until January 19) and Aquarius (January 20 onwards). The traditional English birth month flower is the Carnation.
Historical Events for January, 1883
Day of Week 16th » The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, establishing the United States Civil Service Commission known as United States Civil Service, is passed.
Day of Week 19th » The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jersey.
Famous Birthdays on January in 1883
1st » William J. Donovan, American intelligence chief (d. 1959)
3rd » Clement Attlee, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1967)
4th » Max Eastman, American author and poet (d. 1969)
6th » Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese-American poet (d. 1931)