50+ Lifestyles

January Flowers, Gems and Dates

By Eloise Graham

The traditional flower for January is the carnation. The
history of this botanical wonder dates back more than 2,000 years; it’s not surprising that carnations are rich with symbolism, mythology and even debate. While some scholars suggest that their name comes from the word “corone” (flower garlands) or “coronation” because of its use in Greek ceremonial crowns, others propose that it’s derived from the Latin “carnis” (flesh) referring to the flower’s original pinkish-hued color or “incarnacyon” (incarnation), referring to the incarnation of God-made flesh.

The gem for January is the garnet.
We often think of the garnet as being a deep blood red stone, but actually, it can be found in a variety of colors. Legends and folklore place garnet among the most ancient of talismans. Not only was it prized as an ornamental jewel, but also its strong curative powers and protective energies made it invaluable.

Monthly Observations for January include:

• Bath Safety Month
• Celebration of Life Month
• National Be On-Purpose Month
• National Clean Your Computer Month
• National Get Organized Month
• National Mail Order Gardening Month
• National Personal Self-Defense Awareness Month

(I think I see a pattern here. Many of these can correlate to New Year’s Resolutions!)

Weekly Observations for January include:

• Diet Resolution Week: 1 – 7
• National Lose Weight/ Feel Great Week: 1 –8
• Home Office Safety and Security Week: 3 – 9
• Healthy Weight Week: 17 – 23
• Hunt for Happiness Week: 17 – 23
• National Fresh Squeezed Juice Week: 18 – 23
• No Name Calling Week: 20 – 24

Do you have a January birthday? If so, you share the month with these people: Pope Alexander VI in 1431; J. Edgar Hoover in 1895; Paul Revere in 1735; Betsy Ross in 1752; Eli Manning in 1981; Mel Gibson in 1956; John Russell in 1921; Lloyd Bridges in 1913; Aristotle Onassis in 1906; Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1929; Elvis Presley in 1935.

Happy Birthday!