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What are the National Days of January? Get Our Day by Day List!

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This page for the national days of January  gives a quick look at the month to find out what food, drink or topic the month celebrates. 

Every day of the month is like a new chapter in a book that you haven’t read before. Use this handy list to help plan for the month ahead for your favorite national day.

For many of us, January is a month where a blanket of snow covers the landscape. This makes it a time for outdoor cold weather activities, as well as having fun with family indoors, too.

Keep reading to learn more about the first month of the year and find ways to celebrate the special January holidays.

Old Book with pen and calendar and a woman dressed for the snow with words reading "January National Days."

The national days during the month of January are geared to comfort food, organizations, resolutions and so many more activities.

The birthstone of January is the garnet, birth flowers are carnations and snowdrops, and the zodiac sign is Capricorn up to January 19 and Aquarius beyond that date.

Let’s celebrate the national days in January

January 1, New Year’s Day, is the most celebrated holiday around the world.

Man and woman on cold weather gear sharing a thermos.

The month of January is named for Janus –  the ancient Roman god of beginnings and transitions.

It is fitting that this word forms the base of the name of the month, since so many people have a restart of not only their calendar year, but also of their life, with New Year’s resolutions. 

Julius Caesar gave the month 31 days, but the month originally had only 29 days in the 8th century as part of the lunar calendar.

Historically notable days in July

Historically, the month of January has many days of prominence. Check out these events from days long gone by.

  • January 1, 1776 – George Washington unveiled the Grand Union Flag.
  • January 1, 1863 – Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation which freed the enslaved people in the states that were rebelling against the Union.
  • January 1, 1959 – Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba and established a Communist dictatorship there.
  • January 3, 1959 – Alaska was admitted as the 49th State of the United States.
  • January 6, 1412 – Joan of Arc was born in France.
  • January 8, 1987 – The Dow Jones industrial average topped the 2,000 mark for the first time.
  • January 11, 1964 – The US Surgeon General declared that cigarettes may be hazardous to health.
  • January 13, 1990 – Douglas Wilder became the first African American governor in the United States, in Richmond, Virginia.
  • January 19, 1966 – Indira Gandhi was elected prime minister of India.
  • January 20, 1945 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated to an unprecedented fourth term as president of the United States.
  • January 23, 1849 – Elizabeth Blackwell became America’s first woman doctor by receiving an MD from the Medical Institute of Geneva, New York.
  • January 24, 1848 – The California gold rush began.
  • January 28, 1935 – Iceland became the first country to legalize abortion.

January national monthly observances

January has many monthly observances including National Glaucoma Awareness Month. It’s also National Blood Donor Month, National Oatmeal Month and National Soup Month. 

Hand holding a green ribbon with words national glaucoma awareness month.

Look at all the holidays in January that have their own monthly observances. The month also celebrates these happenings too!

  • National Hobby Month
  • National Hot Tea Month
  • National CBD Month 
  • National Bath Safety Month
  • National Black Diamond Month
  • National Slow Cooking Month
  • National Soup Month
  • National Braille Literacy Month
  • National Mentoring Month
  • National Menudo Month
  • National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
  • National Sunday Supper Month

The list below breaks down the national events of January, day by day. Some of the days are links to pages on this site where you can find more information about that fun national day.

We update this page often with new links and fun facts about your favorite national days, so be sure to check back to see what is new.

There is a lot to celebrate in the month of January!

From National Hangover Day on January 1 to recover from the party of the night before, to Inspire Your Heart With Art Day on the 31, the month of January is filled with fun opportunities to honor the days celebrated in January.

green juice, cauliflower, broccoli, grapes and apples with lime.

If you are mainly a foodie, be sure to check out the January food days to get lots of ideas for recipes you can make this month.

There are dozens of foodie national days this month, too!

Calendar, flowers and coffee cup with a January journal with new years resolutions.

List of January national days

Grab a cup of hot tea (also a day this month) and enjoy this list of January holidays to celebrate.

January 1

  • New Year’s Day
  • National Bloody Mary Day
  • National First Foot Day
  • National Hangover Day
  • Polar Bear Swim Day
  • Black Eyed Pea Day
  • Apple Gifting Day
  • Commitment Day
  • Copyright Law Day
  • Ellis Island Day
  • Public Domain Day
  • World Day of Peace

January 2

  • National Buffet Day
  • National Cream Puff Day
  • National Personal Trainer Day
  • National Science Fiction Day
  • Run it up the Flagpole Day
  • 55 Mile Per Hour Speed Limit Day
  • Happy Mew Year For Cats Day
  • National Motivation and Inspiration Day
  • Swiss Cheese Day
  • World Introvert Day

January 3

  • National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day
  • National Drinking Straw Day
  • National Fruitcake Toss Day (sometimes listed as the 1st Saturday in December)
  • National Write to Congress Day
  • Festival of Sleep Day
  • Humiliation Day
  • J.R.R Tolkien Day
  • Women Rock! Day

January 4

  • National Missouri Day
  • National Spaghetti Day
  • National Trivia Day
  • Pop Music Chart Day
  • World Hypnotism Day
  • Dimpled Chad Day
  • Free Flower Basket Day
  • Tom Thumb Day

January 5

  • National Bird Day
  • National Screenwriter’s Day
  • National Whipped Cream Day
  • National Keto Day

January 6

Flowers in a basket, apple with tape measure and apples in a tree with words reading "January National Days."

January 7

  • National Bobblehead Day
  • National Tempura Day
  • Old Rock Day
  • Harlem Globetrotters Day
  • Pass Gas Day (!!!)
  • I’m Not Going to Take it Anymore Day
  • International Programmers Day

January 8

  • National Bubble Bath Day
  • National Winter Skin Relief Day
  • National English Toffee Day
  • National Argyle Day
  • National Joy Germ
  • Earth’s Rotation Day
  • National Male Watchers Day
  • Show and Tell at Work Day

January 9

  • National Apricot Day
  • National Static Electricity Day
  • National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
  • National Word Nerd Day
  • Balloon Ascension day
  • International Choreographers Day

January 10

January 11

  • National Human Trafficking Awareness Day
  • National Milk Day
  • National Arkansas Day
  • National Step in the Puddle and Splash your Friends Day
  • National Hot Toddy Day
  • Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day
  • Secret Pal Day

January 12

Rubber Ducky Day and Cup of Tea Day are both celebrated in January

January 13

  • National Sticker Day
  • National Rubber Ducky Day
  • National Peach Melba Day
  • National Stephen Foster Memorial Day
  • Korean American Day
  • Gluten Free Day
  • Public Radio Broadcasting Day
  • Make Your Dream Come True Day

January 14

  • National Dress up your Pet Day
  • National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day
  • Ratification Day
  • International Kite Day
  • Caesarean Section Day
  • Organize Your Home Day

January 15

  • National Hat Day
  • National Strawberry Ice Cream Day
  • National Booch Day
  • National Bagel Day
  • Fresh Squeezed Juice Day
  • Wikipedia Day
  • Humanitarian Day
  • Rid the World of Fad Diets and Gimmicks Day

Share the list of these national days on Twitter with this tweet about New Year’s resolutions:

No one's ever achieved financial fitness with a January resolution that's abandoned in February - Suze Orman. Click To Tweet

Additional national days of January that change each year

Some special days in January don’t have an exact date that they fall on in any given year. These days depend on the calendar for the current year.

First half of January

  • National Thank God It’s Monday – (1st Monday)
  • National Weigh In Day – (1st Monday)
  • National Clean off your Desk Day (2nd Monday)
  • Shop for Travel Day – ( 2nd Tuesday)
  • National Poetry at Work Day – (2nd Tuesday)
  • Healthy Weight, Healthy Look Day – (2nd Thursday)
  • Sunday Supper Day (2nd Sunday)
  • National Vision Board Day – (2nd Saturday)

Martin Luther statue, cheese stack., pies and iced coffee in a collage.

Don’t stop here though, there are more January special days in the second half of the month that change from year to year.

National days of January – second half of the month

  • Chinese New Year – Changes each year, and is determined by the lunar calendar. The holiday falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice on December 21. This is January 22 in 2023 and features the Year of the Rabbit; learn more about The Year of the Rabbit Traits – Rabbit Chinese Zodiac.
  • World Snow Day – (3rd Sunday)
  • Elementary School Teachers Day – (3rd Monday)
  • Martin Luther King Day (3rd Monday)
  • Get to Know your Customers Day – (3rd Thursday of each quarter)
  • Library Shelfie Day – (4th Wednesday)
  • Clashing Clothes Day (4th Thursday)
  • Women’s Healthy Weight Day (Thursday of the third full week in January)
  • National Seed Swap Day – (last Saturday)
  • Local Quilt Shop Day – (4th Saturday)
  • Child Labor Day – (4th Sunday)
  • World Leprosy Day – (Sunday closest to January 30)
  • Community Manager Appreciation Day – (4th Monday)
  • Better Business Communication Day – (4th Monday)
  • Speak up and Succeed Day – (4th Tuesday)
  • National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day – (Last Monday) 
  • National Plan for Vacation Day – (last Tuesday)
  • National Big Wig Day – (last Friday)
  • National Fun at Work Day – (last Friday)

National Days of January celebrations - Beer can awareness, granola bars, peanut butter and hot chocolate all have their own days.

By this time many of the New Year’s resolutions that we try to achieve in January may be forgotten. But don’t forget that we are only half way through! There a still so many- more fun national days to celebrate ahead. Check out these special days.

January 16

  • National Fig Newton Day
  • National Without a Scalpel Day
  • National Nothing Day
  • National Good Teen Day
  • National Religious Freedom Day
  • International Hot and Spicy Food Day
  • Appreciate a Dragon Day
  • Book Publishers Day
  • Prohibition Remembrance Day
  • Psychiatric Technicians Day

January 17

January 18

  • National Winnie The Pooh Day
  • National Thesaurus Day
  • National Peking Duck Day
  • National Michigan Day
  • National Gourmet Coffee Day
  • Maintenance Day
  • World Snowman Day

January 19

  • National Popcorn Day
  • National Quark Day
  • National Gun Appreciation Day
  • Tin Can Day
  • Brew a Potion Day
  • New Friends Day (Also July 19 and October 19)
  • Artist as Outlaw Day
  • Good Memory Day
  • World Religion Day

January 20

More national days of January

The month of January is almost over, but don’t stop the celebrating yet. There are many fun days to come.

January 21

  • National Granola Bar Day
  • National Hugging Day
  • National Squirrel Appreciation Day
  • New England Clam Chowder Day
  • International Sweatpants Day
  • One Liners Day
  • Own Your Own Home Day

January 22

  • National Blondie Brownie Day
  • National Hot Sauce Day
  • National Polka Dot Day
  • Southern Food Day
  • Celebration of Life Day
  • Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day
  • Come in from the Cold Day
  • Dance of the Seven Veils Day
  • Roe vs Wade Day

January 23

National Days of January celebrate - Peking duck, disc jockey, popcorn and ticket and bootlegger basket.

January 24

  • National Peanut Butter Day
  • National Compliment Day
  • Beer Can Appreciation Day
  • National “Just do it” Day
  • Belly Laugh Day
  • National Eskimo Pie Patent Day
  • National Lobster Thermidor Day

January 25

  • National Florida Day
  • National Opposite Day
  • National Irish Coffee Day
  • A Room of One’s Own Day
  • Fluoride Day
  • McIntosh Computer Day

January 26

January 27

  • National Chocolate Cake Day
  • Punch The Clock Day
  • National Geographic Day
  • Vietnam Peace Day
  • International Holocaust Remembrance Day
  • International Port Wine Day

January 28

  • National Blueberry Pancake Day
  • Data privacy Day
  • National Kazoo Day
  • National Have Fun at Work Day
  • Pop Art Day
  • Daisy Day
  • Rattlesnake Roundup Day

January 29

January 30

  • National Croissant Day
  • National Escape Day
  • Inane Answering Message Day
  • School Day of Non Violence and Peace
  • Yodel for Your Neighbors Day

January 31

As you can see, no matter your interests, there is a national day for you to give some special love. 

We hope you have enjoyed this list of national January holidays. Why not share them with your friends on Twitter with this tweet?  

Celebrate all the January national days every day of the month at Always the Holidays. Click To Tweet

Just for the foodies – national days for January food list!

If you are a foodie, we have some special national day lists just for you.Kale and salad ingredients with words reading "January is filled with foodie national days."

Each month has its own list of foodie national days and each month celebrates different food holidays.

Here are some other foodie national day pages that feature only food holidays to honor with your favorite recipes:

National days word search printables

Are word puzzles your thing? If they are be sure to check out our monthly printables. Each puzzles features some of the national days for you to search and find.

The printables are great for anyone who needs me-time. The kids will enjoy them too.Calendar sheets on a blue background.

For all my national days printables and puzzles check out these pages:

New puzzles to come soon!

Monthly national day lists

There are over 2000 national days in the year and each month has over 150 special days to celebrate. Get all the monthly lists here:

Pin this list of the national days of January for later

Would you like a reminder of this list of January national holidays to celebrate? Just pin this image to one of your entertaining boards so that you can easily find it later.

You can also watch our video for the national days for January on YouTube.

Red cup on book with words January national days.

Do you celebrate national days? Which day in January is your favorite day to honor?

Yield: 1 planner

National Days of January Planner

Print out this planner to accompany the January calendar with holidays, and fill it in with your favorite national days in January. It's a great way to keep track and plan for the whole month.

Active Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Difficulty easy
Estimated Cost $1

Materials

  • Card stock or glossy photo paper

Tools

  • computer printer

Instructions

  1. Load your heavy cardstock or glossy photo paper into your computer printer.
  2. Choose portrait layout and "fit to page" in your settings if possible.
  3. Print the planner and fill in your favorite national days.
  4. Start planning!
  5. Using this print function on this card will print a calendar that fills about 1/2 - 3/4 of an 8 x 11 sheet of paper.
  6. To fill the entire page, choose 125% or "fit to page" on your printer if you have this setting,

Notes

Planner for the national days in January.

© Carol
Project Type: Printable / Category: National Days

Share on Social Media

Sharon Gore

Thursday 2nd of January 2020

This is so great! I totally needed something to keep me organized and this will be perfect!

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission from the sale, but the price is the same for you. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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