NEW YEARS FACTS

• Gemstone: Garnet

• Flower: Carnation

• January was established as the first month of the year by the roman calendar.

• January was named after the god Janus. Janus had two faces which allowed him to look both backwards into the old year and forwards into the new one at the same time. he was the spirit of the opening.

• in the old day, the new year started with a custom called 'first footing', which was suppose to bring good luck to people for the coming year.

• it was an old saxon belief that 2nd january was one of the unluckiest days of the whole year. those unfortunate enough to be born on this day could expect to die an unpleasant death.

• january regularly produces frost, ice and snow. And is the chilliest month of the year in britian.

• Wassaling has been associated with christmas and new year as far back as the 1400's. it was a way of passing on good wishes among family and friends.

• Twelfth night : evening before epiphany. Twelfth night marks the end of the medieval christmas festivities and the end of the twelfthtide ( the twelve day season after christmas ending with epiphany). Also called Twelfth day eve.

• 1st January 1927 - The bbc began broadcasting its fisrt tv programmes 

• 18th January 1882 -  A.A Milne was born.

• 27th January 1756 - mozart was born.

• The most commonly sung song on New year's eve is auld lang syne