Editing January (section)

== Overview ==
[[File:Sneeuw1.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Snow]] in January in the [[Northern Hemisphere]], where it is a [[winter]] month.]]
January is named for [[Janus]], the [[Roman mythology|Roman]] [[god]] of [[door]]s and [[gate]]s.

January and [[February]] were put on the [[calendar]] after all the other months. This is because in the original [[Roman calendar]], [[winter]] did not have months. Although [[March]] was originally the first month, January became the new first month because that was when people chose the new [[Roman Republic|consul]]s (Roman leaders). The month has 31 days.

January is a [[winter]] month in the [[Northern Hemisphere]] and a [[summer]] month in the [[Southern Hemisphere]]. In each [[hemisphere]], it is the seasonal equivalent of [[July]] in the other. [[Perihelion]], the point in its orbit where the [[Earth]] is closest to the [[Sun]], also occurs in this month, between [[January 2]] and [[January 5]]. January is the only month of the year that always has a "twin" - a month that both begins and ends on the same day of the week as it does. In a common year, this is [[October]], and in a leap year, [[July]].

January begins on the same day of the week as [[October]] in [[common year]]s and on the same day of the week as [[April]] and [[July]] in [[leap year]]s. January ends on the same day of the week as [[February]] and [[October]] in [[common year]]s and on the same day of the week as [[July]] in [[leap year]]s.

Every year, January both starts and finishes on the same day of the week as [[May]] of the previous year, as each other's first and last days are exactly 35 weeks (245 days) apart.

In common years immediately before other common years, January starts on the same day of the week as April and July of the following year, and in leap years and years immediately before that, September and December of the following year. In common years immediately before other common years, January finishes on the same day of the week as July of the following year, and in leap years and years immediately before that, April and December of the following year.

January's flower is the [[carnation]] with its [[birthstone]] being the [[garnet]]. 

The first day of January is called [[New Year's Day]]. It is said that it became this date when Roman consuls took office on this day in [[153 BC]]. Different calendars across [[Europe]] made this the start of the New Year at different times, as some observed it on [[March 25]].

Reaching over from [[December]], the [[Christmas]] season in [[Christianity]] also extends into this month. Eastern [[Christian Church|church]]es celebrate [[Christmas]] on [[January 6]] or [[January 7]], and [[Epiphany (holiday)|Epiphany]] on [[January 18]] or [[January 19]]. In Western Christianity this occurs on [[January 6]], with [[Christmas]] occurring on [[December 25]].

January 1 is celebrated the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, that is a feast day of precept of the [[Blessed Virgin Mary]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2018/documents/papa-francesco_20180101_omelia-giornata-mondiale-pace.html|title=Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (1 January 2018) - Francis|website=w2.vatican.va}}</ref>