January is the 1st month of the year and has 31 days. Its name comes from Janus, the Roman god of doorways and transitions, so the month that opens the calendar is named for a god of beginnings. It hasn’t always held first place — the earliest Roman calendar began the year in March — but January has anchored the start of the year in the Western calendar for over two thousand years.
How many days does January have?
Thirty-one, and that never changes. January is one of seven 31-day months; the full set is on the months of the year reference.
What season is January?
In the Northern Hemisphere, January is the coldest part of winter for most regions — short days, long nights, and the lowest average temperatures of the year in many places. South of the equator it’s the opposite: the height of summer, often the warmest month.
What quarter is January in?
January opens the first quarter (Q1), January through March, for any organization on a calendar financial year. It’s also when a lot of annual planning, budgeting, and goal-setting happens.
January holidays and observances
- New Year’s Day on January 1
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States, on the third Monday
- Orthodox Christmas on January 7 in churches following the Julian calendar
- Lunar New Year sometimes falls in late January, though it often lands in February
January at a glance
The birthstone is garnet, the traditional flowers are the carnation and snowdrop, and the zodiac moves from Capricorn into Aquarius around January 20. The month sits between December and February. For the current month, see what month is it.
January by the numbers
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Days in the month | 31 |
| Day of the year on January 1 | 1 |
| Day of the year on January 31 | 31 |
| Share of the year finished by the end of January | about 8.5% |
| Days left in the year after January 31 | 334 (335 in a leap year) |
| January 1, 2026 falls on | Thursday |
| January 1, 2027 falls on | Friday |
January comes before February 29, so its day numbers are the same in every year. It also needs no adding up: January 15 is simply day 15. The day of the year tool works it out for any date.
January 2026 calendar
January 2026 starts on a Thursday and ends on a Saturday. Federal holidays (as observed) are in bold.
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
Key dates in January 2026 and 2027
| Date | Day | Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day | federal holiday |
| January 19, 2026 | Monday | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | federal holiday |
| January 1, 2027 | Friday | New Year’s Day | federal holiday |
| January 18, 2027 | Monday | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | federal holiday |
| January 1, 2028 | Saturday | New Year’s Day | federal holiday, observed Friday, December 31 |
Business days in January
| Month | Weekdays | Federal holidays on weekdays | Business days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 22 | 2 | 20 |
| January 2027 | 21 | 2 | 19 |
Business days here are Monday to Friday minus observed US federal holidays. State holidays and company closures can lower the count further.