Here we are again…the month is almost a week over and I’m just getting the celebrate the month post up. Obviously, my New Years Resolution wasn’t to be more punctual!
I’ve been doing this series for almost a year and I hope you’ve found a little inspiration for celebrating each month, something that sparks a little joy amidst the day to day grind.
I know that January can be tough for some people…it’s often dark and dreary and excitement of the holidays are over. To counter the cooped up feeling I like to lean in to all the coziness opportunities the month can offer. It’s National Hot Tea Month and National Soup Month, so it can’t be all bad, right? Here’s some fun ways to enjoy all January has to offer!
Holidays
1st- New Years Day
8th- N. Bubble Bath Day- Pour in the bubbles and put on some fun music. We like to run the diffuser as well, and candles or twinkle lights would make it extra special.
18th- Winnie the Pooh Day- the perfect day to read a little Winnie the Pooh, and cuddle up to watch a Winnie the Pooh movie. My big boys pretend to be to old for Pooh, but then they are entranced by the end. For a fun treat check out the recipe below for oatmeal bear cookies. They are super cute and yummy!
19th- N. Popcorn Day- A great day to serve popcorn as an afternoon/bedtime snack. For a fun twist add some flavorings like Parmesan cheese or one of the flavor recipes from this site.
21st- N. Hugging Day- Read some fun hug books and as a treat enjoy a Hershey’s hug. It would be fun day to send a little bag of (chocolate) hugs to teachers or friends!
29th- N. Puzzle Day- Puzzles are a favorite pastime during the colder months. I love seasonal puzzles, and this brand has lots of fun whimsical winter puzzles. Start a new puzzle or do a few kid sized puzzles to celebrate the day! You could also invite a fellow puzzler over to join the fun. It’s would also be fun to loan a finished puzzle to a friend or gift a new puzzle to a puzzle lover in your life.
Feast Days
There aren’t very many feast days that we celebrate in January. We celebrate the Feast of John Bosco because we picked him to be the patron Saint of our homeschool academy.
1st- Solemnity of Mary
2nd/6th- Epiphany
31st- St. John Bosco
Activities
- Start a new puzzle
- Make paper bag or coffee filter snowflakes
- Enjoy a cup of cocoa with a good read aloud
- Build an indoor fort
- Bundle up (if necessary) and go for a winter nature walk
Recipes
- This is my favorite chicken soup recipe, and it’s perfect for a cold January night.
- Here’s the recipe for oatmeal bears.
Books
There are so many fun themes for reading this month…winter/snow, Winnie the Pooh and hugging! Here’s a few of our favorites for each category.
- Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear
- A Hug for Pearl
- The Hug
- Hug Me
- The Red Sled
- Winter Sleep
- One Winter’s Night
- A Day So Gray
Spread Some Kindness
- Double a pot of soup and gift to another family. Maybe they had a new baby, are in quarantine or could just use a little love!
