January 1

• New Year’s Day : United States, International, Interfaith.
  Public holiday. Celebrated throughout the world by those nations, cultures, and religions adhering to the Gregorian calendar.
  
  Independence Day : Haiti.
  Celebrates independence from France in 1804.
  
  Origin of the Slovak Republic : Slovakia.
  Commemorates the day in 1993 when Slovakia became an independent republic.
  
  

January 5

• Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday : Sikh.
  Celebration of birth of the tenth Sikh Guru, the founder of the Khalsa (the Sikh brotherhood), in 1666 C.E. Celebrated on this day according to the Nanakshahi calendar (now aligned with the Gregorian calendar); celebrated on a different day by those Sikhs still adhering to the Bikarami calendar.
  

January 6

• Christmas : Armenian Apostolic Church.
  Traditional date for the celebration of Christmas by Armenian Christians.
  
  
• Epiphany : Christian.
  Commemorates of the visit of the three magi to the infant Jesus; the “Twelfth Day” of Christmas.
  

January 7

• Christmas : Coptic Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Christians.
  Celebration of Christmas by Orthodox Christians following the Julian calendar.
  

January 10

• Muharram (New Year) : Islam.
  Beginning of the new year of 1429 based on the Islamic lunar calendar. Celebrates the hegira, the flight of the prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina.
  

January 11

National Unity Day : Nepal.
Celebration honors the 18th Century king (Prithvinarayan Shah) who founded the current ruling dynasty and unified the country.

January 14

• New Year : Eastern Orthodox Christian.
  Celebration of the beginning of the new year according to the Julian Calendar followed by Orthodox Christians.
  
  
• Seijin-no-hi (Coming of Age Day) : Japan, Shinto
  Public holiday in Japan celebrated on the second Monday in January for the coming of age of all those who have turned 20 within the past year. Shinto shrines are visited by those who have come of age.
  

January 19

• Epiphany : Eastern Orthodox Christian.
  Celebration based on the Julian calendar.
  
  
• Ashura : Islam.
  Shi’a holiday commemorating the martyrdom in 680 C.E. of Iman Husain, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
  

January 21

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Observed): United States.
  National holiday to celebrate the birthday of Dr. King (1929-1968), who was actually born on January 15th. Observed on the third Monday in January.
  

Republic Day : India.
Commemorates the declaration in 1929 by the Indian National Congress to work for independence from Britain and the day in 1950 when the nation became an independent republic.

Australia Day : Australia.
Commemorates the founding of the first British settlement in Australia in 1788.