These daily observances are dedicated to things as silly and random as National Hangover Day (another observance on January 1 after spending New Year’s Eve partying!), stickers, popcorn and kazoos! Some days in January are marked for honoring professional groups, pediatricians and infusion (aka IV) nurses, and others bring awareness to certain diseases or medical situations, like the first successful cesarean section and leprosy. There are also entire weeks in January that are dedicated to honoring and celebrating different items or causes, like National Pizza Week and Snowmobile Safety Awareness Week, and causes that are highlighted all month long, like glaucoma awareness and human trafficking awareness and prevention. Ready to find out what special days there are in January? We’ve put together a hefty list for you to look over. Maybe there will be one or two that you didn’t know about before that you’ll want to add to your own calendar to celebrate as you kick off 2023!
What major holidays are in January?
In the United States, there are two major holidays celebrated in January: New Year’s Day (January 1, 2023) and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 16, 2023). Both of these are federal holidays as decreed by Congress, which means that banks and many businesses will be closed, including federally-run departments like the post office. In 2023, the lunar calendar begins its new year during the same month as the Gregorian calendar’s new year, which means that Chinese New Year will be celebrated on January 22, 2023.
January 2023 Daily Holidays and Observances
January 1
New Year’s DayApple Gifting DayCommitment Day Copyright Law DayEllis Island Day National Bloody Mary Day National Hangover Day Polar Bear Plunge/Swim Day Public Domain DayWorld Day of Peace
January 2
55 MPH Speed Limit Day Divorce Monday Happy Mew Year for Cats Day National Buffet Day National Cream Puff Day National Motivation and Inspiration Day National Personal Trainer Awareness Day National Pet Travel Safety Day National Run Up the Flagpole and See if Anybody Salutes it Day National Science Fiction Day National Weigh-In Day (the first Monday after New Year’s)Swiss Cheese DayThank God It’s Monday DayWorld Introvert Day Stop Spam Day
January 3
Festival of Sleep Day Fruitcake Toss Day Humiliation Day J.R.R. Tolkien Day National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day National Drinking Straw Day National Write to Congress Day Women Rock! Day
January 4
Dimpled Chad Day Free Flower Basket Day I Am a Mentor Day National Spaghetti Day Pop Music Chart Day Tom Thumb Day Trivia Day World Braille Day World Hypnotism Day
January 5
Monopoly Game Day National Bird Day National Keto Day National Screenwriters Day National Whipped Cream DayTwelfth Night/Epiphany Eve
January 6
Epiphany/Three Kings DayApple Tree Day Cuddle Up Day National Shortbread DayNational Smith Day National Take Down the Christmas Tree Day National Technology Day
January 7
Harlem Globetrotters DayI’m Not Going to Take It Anymore Day International Programmers DayNational Bobblehead Day National Pass Gas Day National Play Outside Day (the first Saturday of every month)National Tempura Day Old Rock Day Orthodox Christmas Day
January 8
Argyle Day No Pants Subway Ride Day Bubble Bath Day Earth’s Rotation Day International Typing Day National English Toffee Day National Male Watchers Day National Sunday Supper Day (second Sunday in January)National Winter Skin Relief Day Show and Tell Day at Work War on Poverty Day World Literary Day World Typing Day
January 9
Balloon Ascension Day International Choreographers Day National Apricot Day National Clean Off Your Desk Day (second Monday in January)National Gluten-Free Day (second Monday in January)National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day National Static Electricity Day National Take the Stairs Day Word Nerd Day Play God Day (do something nice for someone)
January 10
Bittersweet Chocolate Day Houseplant Appreciation Day National Cut Your Energy Costs Day National Oysters Rockefeller Day National Peculiar People Day National Shop for Travel Day (second Tuesday in January)Save the Eagles Day
January 11
Cigarettes are Hazardous to Your Health Day Girl Hug Boy Day Hot Toddy Day International Thank-You Day Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day Milk Day National Human Trafficking Awareness Day National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friend Day World Sketchnote Day
January 12
Curried Chicken Day Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day Healthy Weight, Healthy Look Day (second Thursday in January)Kiss a Ginger Day National Hot Tea Day National Marzipan Day National Pharmacists Day Stick to Your New Year’s Resolution Day
January 13
Friday the 13th Blame Someone Else DayKorean American Day Lee Jackson Day (in Virginia) Make Your Dreams Come True Day National Peach Melba Day National Sticker Day Poetry Break Day Public Radio Broadcasting Day Rubber Ducky Day Stephen Foster Memorial Day
January 14
Cesarean Section Day International Kite Day National Dress Up Your Pet Day National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day National Vision Board Day (second Saturday in January)Organize Your Home Day Orthodox New Year Ratification Day World Logic Day
January 15
Alpha Kappa Alpha Day Hat Day Humanitarian Day National Bagel Day National Kombucha ‘Booch’ Day National Fresh Squeezed Juice Day Strawberry Ice Cream DayWikipedia Day World Religion Day (third Sunday in January)World Snow Day
January 16
Appreciate a Dragon Day Blue Monday (third Monday of the year)Book Publishers Day Civil Service Day Elementary School Teacher Day (third Monday in January)Idaho Human Rights Day International Hot & Spicy Food Day Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January)National Crowd Feed Day (third Monday in January)National Day of Service (third Monday in January)National Fig Newton Day National Good Teen Day National Nothing Day National Quinoa Day Prohibition Remembrance Day Psychiatric Technician’s Day Religious Freedom Day Robert E. Lee Day (in several Southern states)
January 17
Betty White DayCable Car Day Customer Service Day Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day Hot-Buttered Rum Day International Mentoring DayJudgement Day Kid Inventors Day National Bootleggers Day National Hot Heads Chili Day Popeye Day
January 18
Maintenance Day Museum Selfie Day (third Wednesday in January)National Gourmet Coffee Day Peking Duck Day Thesaurus Day Winnie the Pooh Day
January 19
Archery Day Brew a Potion Day Confederate Memorial Day (in Texas)Get to Know Your Customer Day (third Thursday of the start of each quarter)Good Memory Day National Gun Appreciation Day National Popcorn Day New Friends Day Tenderness Toward Existence Day
January 20
International Day of Acceptance National Bill Cosby Sweater Day National Buttercrunch Day National Cheese Lovers Day National Coffee Break Day National Disc Jockey Day Penguin Awareness Day Take a Walk Outdoors Day
January 21
International Playdate Day International Sweatpants Day National Cheesy Socks Day National Granola Bar Day National Hug Your Puppy Day National Hugging Day National Use Your Gift Card Day (third Saturday in January)New England Clam Chowder Day One-Liners Day Own Your Own Home Day Squirrel Appreciation Day
January 22
Celebration of Life Day Chinese New Year Come in From the Cold DayNational Bible Sunday (fourth Sunday in January)National Blonde Brownie Day National Hot Sauce Day National Polka Dot Day Roe vs. Wade Day
January 23
Better Business Communication Day (fourth Monday in January)Community Manager Appreciation Day (fourth Monday in January)Measure Your Feet Day National Handwriting Day National Pie Day Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day
January 24
Beer Can Appreciation Day Belly Laugh Day Change a Pet’s Life Day International Mobile Phone Recycling Day National Compliment Day National “Just Do It” Day National Peanut Butter Day Speak Up and Succeed Day (fourth Tuesday in January)
January 25
Library Shelfie Day (fourth Wednesday in January)Macintosh Computer Day National Irish Coffee Day National IV Nurse Day Opposite Day Thank Your Mentor Day
January 26
Clashing Clothes Day (fourth Thursday in January)National Green Juice Day National Peanut Brittle Day National Pistachio Day Spouse’s Day
January 27
Chocolate Cake Day International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust National Fun at Work Day (last Friday in January)National Geographic Day National Preschool Health and Fitness Day (last Friday in January)Punch the Clock Day Vietnam Peace Day World Breast Pumping Day
January 28
Christa McAuliffe Day Daisy Day Global Community Engagement Day International LEGO Day Local Quilt Shop Day (fourth Saturday in January)National Blueberry Pancake Day National Data Privacy Day National Kazoo Day National Pediatrician Day National Seed Swap Day (last Saturday in January)Pop Art Day
January 29
Curmudgeons Day Freethinkers DayKansas Day (in Kansas)National Carnation Day National Corn Chip Day National Puzzle Day Seeing Eye Guide Dog Birthday World Leprosy Day (last Sunday in January)
January 30
Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day (last Monday in January)National Croissant Day National Escape Day National Inane Answering Message Day School Day of Non-Violence and Peace Yodel for Your Neighbors Day
January 30
Appreciate Your Social Security Check Day Backward Day Brandy Alexander Day Eat Brussels Sprouts Day Hell is Freezing Over Day Hug an Economist Day Inspire Your Heart with the Arts Day National Hot Chocolate Day National Plan for Vacation Day (last Tuesday in January)Scotch Tape Day
Weekly Observances for January
Celebration of Life Week (January 1-7)National Folic Acid Awareness Week (January 1-7)National Law Enforcement Training Week (January 1-7)Diet Resolution Week (January 1-7)Elvis Presley Birthday Celebration Week (January 5-8)National Mocktail Week (January 8-14)National Pizza Week (January 8-14)Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week (January 7-14)Home Office Safety and Security Week (January 8-14)Cuckoo Dancing Week (January 11-17)National Soccer Coaches of America Week (January 11-15)Healthy Weight Week (January 15-21)Hunt for Happiness Week (January 15-21)Sugar Awareness Week (January 16-20)National Fresh Squeezed Juice Week (January 17-23)International Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-25)International Snowmobile Safety and Awareness Week (January 21-27)·National Handwriting Analysis Week (January 22-28, coinciding with John Hancock’s birthday on January 23)Kiss a Shark Week (January 22-28)International Hot Air Balloon Week (January 22-28)National Clean Out Your Inbox Week (January 23-27)National Medical Group Practice Week (January 23-27)International Hoof Care Week (January 24-27)Catholic Schools Week (January 29-February 4)National Meat Week (January 29-February 4)
Monthly Observances for January
Adopt a Rescued Bird MonthApple and Apricots MonthArtichoke and Asparagus MonthBath Safety MonthBe Kind to Food Servers MonthBlack Diamond MonthBook Blitz MonthBrain Teaser MonthBread Machine Baking MonthCelebration of Life MonthCervical Health Awareness MonthEye Care MonthFamily Fit Lifestyle MonthFinancial Wellness MonthGet Organized MonthInternational Child-Centered Divorce MonthInternational Creativity MonthInternational Veganuary MonthInternational Wealth Mentality MonthLearn to Ski and Snowboard MonthMarch of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention MonthNational Be On-Purpose MonthNational Birth Defects Prevention MonthNational Blood Donor MonthNational Braille Literacy MonthNational Candy MonthNational CBD Month National Clean Up Your Computer MonthNational Codependency Awareness MonthNational Egg MonthNational Glaucoma Awareness MonthNational Hobby MonthNational Hot Tea MonthNational Meat MonthNational Mentoring MonthNational Personal Self-Defense Awareness MonthNational Polka Music MonthNational Poverty in America Awareness MonthNational Radon Action MonthNational Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention MonthNational Slow Cooking Month National Skating MonthNational Soup MonthNational Stalking Awareness MonthNational Staying Healthy MonthNational Sunday Supper MonthNational Thank You MonthOatmeal MonthRandom Action MonthRetail Bakers MonthSelf-Help Group Awareness MonthTeen Driving Awareness MonthThyroid Disease Awareness MonthWalk Your Pet Month
Next, check out all the details you need to know about the Winter Solstice.
