As we ring in 2023, we have many opportunities to learn about the following celebrations and observances for the month of January.

January 7 – Mahayana New Year is celebrated this year on January 7 by Buddhists around the world. Mahayana is one of the two main branches of Buddhism and is mostly practiced in Northeast Asia including China, Japan, Tibet, Taiwan, Mongolia, and Korea. Each region has its own customs and traditions for practicing Mahayana Buddhism.

January 15 – World Religion Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in January every year.  It is intended to be a reminder of the need for unity and understanding between religions and faith systems. 

January 16 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is observed every year on the third Monday of January. Dr. King was an influential civil rights leader who was best known for his work on racial equality and ending racial segregation in the United States. His life and achievements are remembered and celebrated on this day.

January 22 — Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most celebrated and longest of all Asian festivals. It  is observed by millions of people around the world. Celebrations begin with the rising of the second new moon after the winter solstice. The Lunar New Year ushers out the old year and welcomes luck and prosperity in the new one. Those celebrating the Lunar new year decorate their houses with red for good luck and children are given money in bright red envelopes. This year is the Year of the Rabbit. 

January 27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day is an international day to honor the millions of victims and survivors of the Holocaust.