Things to love about January

January 1, 2023 Becky Woolley

This little ode to January is filled with things that are great about this month and mood boosting things to do in what can sometimes be a bit of a cold, dark and anticlimactic period after the bustle of December.

The first section is filled with a little list of all the things that make January a lovely month. The second section has some suggestions for mood boosting activities you can take part in this month and the third section has things I'm loving this month.

Photo by B. Woolley

Things to love about the
month of January

The days are getting longer and lighter again.
Snowdrops start to poke their heads above the soil or snow.

Photo by B. Woolley

It’s National Hot Tea Month. Definitely needed in a month as cold as January!
On January the 4th it will be the Earth’s perihelion which is when the Earth passes at its closest point to the sun.
This month also sees the return of the Quadrantid Meteor shower which peaks on the 3rd and 4th of January but can still be seen up until the 12th.
The Wolf Moon - On January 6th the full moon will be called the Wolf Moon. This is thought to stem from the fact that historically wolves used to howl more during this month.

It’s the Lunar New Year on Sunday the 22nd of January. 2023 is the Year of the Water Rabbit according to the Chinese calendar.

Things to do or take part
in during January

Start learning a new skill or hobby - while the nights are cold and dark it is the perfect time to cosy up on the sofa and learn something you have always wanted to try.
January is National Soup Month so you could make a soup from scratch for the first time or try a new recipe if you already love making soups.
Start a vision board or splash sheet with all the things you would love 2023 to hold for you and start planning!
Go for a frosty walk - there is something so satisfying about being wrapped up warmly in coats and hats while crunching through frosty grass.

Give a nod to National Hot Tea Day on the 12th by savouring a cup of your favourite tea or perhaps trying a type of tea you haven’t tried before.
Celebrate St Hilary’s Day on the 13th, which is traditionally considered the coldest day of the year, by having an evening at home filled with all the warmest and cosiest things you can think of, preferably with hot sticky puddings, blankets and music.

On the 17th it is Brew Monday which is a day set up by the Samaritans to encourage us all to check in with our friends and family and have a chat. The aim is to build relationships, keep everyone connected and help act as a line of defense against loneliness and depression.
Take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch survey run by the RSPB on the 27th January. You can take part in your own garden or a park nearby. There is something lovely about having an excuse to sit and watch the birds for an hour!

Go on a Snowdrop walk/trail later in January - If you don’t have any growing nearby then many parks or National Trust gardens will have lots of snowdrops you can enjoy.
Look for meteors on a clear, dark night by wrapping up in a blanket outside with a hot drink. Winter months are usually good for starwatching as the skies are darker for longer and can be clearer than in the Summer.
Take part in Veganuary and learn some delicious new meat free recipes.

Things I'm loving this month

Taking a hot drink outside to look at the stars, the skies have been really clear recently and we have managed to catch some beautiful meteors with extra long tails. The Quadrantids meteor shower peaks on the 3rd and 4th of January with about 120 meteors an hour but you can still see some meteors from this shower until the 12th of January.

Hearing about other people’s “word of the year” and choosing what mine should be. I’m currently thinking “embrace” or “connect” might be good.
The January challenge by 64 Million Artists - You sign up to their emails or follow the January Challenge on social media and you’re sent a little creative challenge or activity for every day in January. You can do as many or as few as you like and it’s a nice way to ease into January after all the madness of December. The challenges are compiled by various UK makers, artists, musicians, writers, activists and community groups. You can explore the challenge here - https://64millionartists.com/thejanuarychallenge/