January Folklore Facts and Fun

 

January is a folklore-filled month!

Here are a few examples of the folk wisdom, folk art and new folk traditions that celebrate the start of this new year.

Mythology:

The name January comes from the Latin word Januarius, and is considered the month of Roman god Janus. This mythical hero and first king of Latium (where the city of Rome was founded) was gracious to Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture who had been expelled from Heaven. Folklore has it that in thanks, Saturn taught the people of Latium how to cultivate land and gave Janus the ability to see both the past and the future. This is why he is always portrayed as a man with two faces – one that looks into the past and one that looks into the future.

Weather Lore: 

== A wet January, a wet spring. 

== If grass does grow in January, it will barely grow for the rest of the year. 

== On average, January has 31 of the coldest days and nights in the Northern Hemisphere.

 January, a month of national recognition: 

== National Thank You Month

== National Soup Month
== National Staying Healthy Month
== National Braille Literacy Month

January folk art exhibit:

San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles offers this online exhibition of a previous show:  Gems from Our Past.  Quilts featured n the museum's collection range in date from 1850 to 1940.

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