January
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/year/january.htm
The beginning of the new year and the time to make New Year resolutions.
January was established as the first the first month of the year by the
Roman Calendar. It was named after the god Janus (Latin word for door).
The Anglo-Saxons called the first month Wolfmonth because wolves came into
the villages in winter in search of food.
The Door Custom
In the old days, the New Year started with a custom called 'first footing',
which was suppose to bring good luck to people for the coming year. As soon
as midnight had passed and January 1st had started, people used to wait
behind their doors for a dark haired person to arrive. The visitor carried a
piece of coal, some bread, some money and some greenery. These were all for
good luck - the coal to make sure that the house would always be warm, the
bread to make sure everyone in the house would have enough food to eat,
money so that they would have enough money, and the greenery to make sure
that they had a long life.
The visitor would then take a pan of dust or ashes out of the house with
him, thus signifying the departure of the old year.
Superstition
The 1st of January was a highly significant day in medieval superstitions
regarding prosperity, or lack of it, in the year ahead. A flat cake was put
on one of the horns of a cow in every farmyard. The farmer and his workers
would then sing a song and dance around the cow until the cake was thrown to
the ground. If it fell in front of the cow that signified good luck; to fall
behind indicated the opposite.
Unluckiest Day of the 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 dies an unpleasant death.
Festivals and Traditions
5th -Twelfth Night
Evening before Epiphany. Twelfth Night marks the end of the medieval
Christmas festivities and the end of Twelfthtide (the 12-day season after
Christmas ending with Epiphany). Also called Twelfth Day Eve.
6th - Epiphany or Twelfth Day
Also known as Old Christmas Day and Twelfthtide. On the twelfth day after
Christmas, Christians celebrate the visit of the Magi or wise men to the
baby Jesus.
Plough Monday - Read More about Plough Monday.....
Wassailing - People went from door to door, rather like carol singers at
Christmas times, but at New Year they were called 'wassailers'. Read more
about Wassailing.....
25th - Burns Night
The people of Scotland honour their greatest poet, Robert Burns. He was born
on January 25th nearly 245 years ago (1759) and wrote his first song when he
was sixteen.
Unusual Customs
Anniversaries
4th - Louis Braille was born in 1809
11th - The first televised weather broadcast featuring a presenter on screen
was transmitted from the BBC's Lime Grove Studios in 1954
17th - Robert Scott and his party reached the South Pole
18th - A.A. Milne born in 1882. English author of Winnie the Pooh stories.
21st The BBC in London made its first world broadcast in 1930
25th - Robert Burns Born
26th - Mozart born in 1756 in Austria.
One of the world's greatest music composers.
26th - Australia Day
28th - On the evening of this day in 1807 London's Pall Mall became the
first street in the world to be lit by gas lights
29th - The Victoria Cross originated from this date in 1856. The medals were
made from the metals of guns captured in the Crimea.
Weather in Britain
January regularly produces frost, ice and snow and is the chilliest month of
the year in Britain.
St Hilary's feast day on 13th January has gained the reputation of being the
coldest day of the year. This probably dates back to 1086, when a great
frost started spreading over the country on St Hilary's Day. It lasted well
into March, and is said to be the severest Arctic spell ever experienced in
Britain.
In 1205, St. Hilary's Day again brought extreme freezing conditions which
lasted until March 22. Cattle died, the bone-hard ground could not be
tilled, food prices soared and hundreds of people died of starvation and
exposure.
St Hilary's Day, 1861 also brought extreme cold. A thermometer in Hyde Park,
London registered 17 degrees of frost. In Nottinghamshire, 45 degrees of
frost were recorded.
The worst cold spells in Britain occurred between 1550 and 1710. Snow
remained on the Scottish hills all the year round, and in London, the River
Thames froze over completely on several occasions.
Most of England has not had a general freeze-up since 1987. But often since,
snow ploughs have been needed to clear roads in northern England and
Scotland before the end of the year. If this snow moves southwards, it is
frequently at its worst in January.

I'm DEFINITELY a northerner! LOL

The North and South

The North has Bloomingdale's, the South has Dollar General.

The North has coffee houses, The South has Waffle Houses.

The North has dating services, The South has family reunions.

The North has switchblade knives; The South has Lee Press-on Nails.

The North has double last names; The South has double first names.

The North has Indy car races; The South has stock car races.

The North has Cream of Wheat, The South has grits.

The North has green salads, The South has collard greens.

The North has lobsters, The South has craw fish.

The North has the rust belt; The South has the Bible Belt.

FOR NORTHERNERS MOVING SOUTH . . .

In the South: -- If you run your car into a ditch, don't panic. Four men in a four-wheel drive pickup truck with a tow chain will be along shortly. Don't try to help them, just stay out of their way. This is what they live for.

Don't be surprised to find movie rentals and bait in the same store... do not buy food at this store.

Remember, 'Y'all' is singular, 'all y'all' is plural, and 'all y'all's' is plural possessive

Get used to hearing, 'You ain't from round here, are ya?'

Save all manner of bacon grease. You will be instructed later on how to use it.

Don't be worried at not understanding what people are saying. They can't understand you either. The first Southern statement to creep into a transplanted Northerner's vocabulary is the adjective 'big'ol,' truck or 'big'ol' boy. Most Northerners begin their Southern-influenced dialect this way. All of them are in denial about it.

The proper pronunciation you learned in school is no longer proper!

Be advised that 'He needed killin.' is a valid defense here.

If you hear a Southerner exclaim, 'Hey, y'all watch this,' you should stay out of the way. These are likely to be the last words he'll ever say.

If there is the prediction of the slightest chance of even the smallest accumulation of snow, your presence is required at the local grocery store. It doesn't matter whether you need anything or not. You just have to go there.

Do not be surprised to find that 10-year olds own their own shotguns, they are proficient marksmen, and their mammas taught them how to aim.

In the South, we have found that the best way to grow a lush green lawn is to pour gravel on it and call it a driveway.
AND REMEMBER: If you do settle in the South and bear children, don't think we will accept them as Southerners. After all, if the cat had kittens in the oven, we wouldn't call 'em biscuits!

Send this to four people that ain't related to you, and I reckon your life will turn into a country music song 'fore you know it.

Your kin would get a kick out of it too!

**********************
I had to try to even it out a bit ... LOL. No offense meant to anyone, as I took none in the other direction!
md

FOR SOUTHERNERS MOVING NORTH . . .

In the North: -- If you run your car into a ditch, don't panic. Your On-Star representative will have help to you before your engine cools.

Don't be surprised to find movie rentals and gourmet coffee in the same store.

Remember, 'moose' is singular, 'moose' is plural, and 'moose' is plural possessive.

Get used to hearing, 'You ahn't from round here, ah yah?'

Save all manner of heat and electricity. You will never know how much you save, but it will make you feel good.

Don't be worried at not understanding what people are saying. They can't understand you either. The first Northern statement to creep into a transplanted Southerner's vocabulary is 'Ayah'. Most Southerners begin their Northern-influenced dialect this way. All of them are in denial about it.

The proper pronunciation you learned in school is not proper, and you must learn proper!

Be advised that white shoes after Labor Day is criminal here.

If you hear a Northerner exclaim, 'You can't miss it,' you should be aware that you're soon going to be hopelessly lost.

If there is the prediction of the slightest chance of even the smallest accumulation of snow, your presence is required at the local grocery store. It doesn't matter whether you need anything or not. You just have to go there.

Do not be surprised to find that 10-year olds own their own computers and cell phones, they are proficient geeks, and they taught their parents how to use theirs.

In the North, we have found that the best way to grow a lush green lawn is to spend 75% of our annual salary on a landscaping service.

AND REMEMBER: If you do settle in the North and bear children, don't think we will accept them as Northerners. We might think about considering the fifth generation removed a neighbor, if the accent is acceptable.

Send this to four people that aren't related to you, if you can find that many in a 50-mile radius, and I estimate your life will turn into a moment of being honored by association with Northerners...

Your Aunt Edith may find it mildly amusing, as well...

"10 Signs Found In Kitchens"

1. Kitchen closed - - this chick has had it!

2. I'm creative; you can't expect me to be neat too!

3. So this isn't Home Sweet Home... Adjust!

4. Ring Bell for Maid Service...If no answer do it yourself!

5. I clean house every other day.... Today is the other day!

6. If you write in the dust, please don't date it!

7. My house was clean last week, too bad you missed it!

8. COOK CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!

9. I came, I saw, I decided to order take out.

10. If you don't like my standards of cooking...lower your standards.

It was time for a change so I have been making them!! I LOVE who I am and where I'm going.

I got rid of a real Loser, Wehhh that felt like a load off my shoulders. I mean when a guy is broke, says he's disabled and can't LEGALLY WORK, yet seems to always be working when he calls, but tells me all the time that he can't afford anything, including a simple dinner, even at burger king with me, but can go shopping for himself a new suit, shirts, ties and whatever, keeps asking me if I can love him as he is, (a broke, lying, lazy, can't deal with ANY stress, whinny man), it's time to kick him to the curb right? I can love someone for who they are, I do all the time....but not a liar! Or a tight ass cheap using Man! He kept wanting to move in, I kept having doubts and when I tried to talk about finances and who would pay what or how we would share the bills he would get angry and not talk, or hang up on me, yeah he was in another state and had came to visit, and said he wanted to move here. All I know is that isn't how life in my world works and damn it I AM worth a lot more, I love deeply, I give all of myself to someone, when in a relationship and two people have to be able to talk about everything. I told him, no one can live without money, bills come due every month for all of us, (see he planned to keep his place ad pay those bills) and live with me and my famiyy, it doesn't work that way. I did some checking yeah he wasn't worth my time and I found out lots of things were as I said to him all along plus, he wasn't very good at telling tales!!

He almost ruined my Valentine's but you know I felt it coming to an end even before and so I made some plans for that day and it's all working out great.

So now I have found so much better in this world. So I guess what the witch wants the witch woman always gets! That's ME

I got a new hair style, something fun for spring and new beginnings, I like it. Makes me feel playful and fun. See my newest picture here.

Best of all I have found some really nice new friends, I love you guys. Having fun and keeping busy, alill work alill play.