Here are some reasons to celebrate January despite the cold, gloomy weather

I’m not a fan of January.

January is cold, gray and gloomy.

January is new diets and resolutions, which make people more grouchy and hungry because they’re starting another painful “new year, new me” program.

January is gray skies, icy windshields, and oh my, it’s 8 p.m. — time for bed already?

January is street salt on your cars, pockets of snow on your carpets, frozen pipes and a continuous drip from your nose.

January is a tough transition. We leave December and the warm holiday season. Hugs and kisses. Nostalgia. Mistletoe. Boom! We end up stuck here in January, the cold, dark, gray, boring month.

Did you get your flu shot?

Cover your mouth when you cough!

Ever notice that more people walk with their heads down in January?

Even a sunny day in January feels dark and gray.

I’ve written many times about the beauty of October and its Harvest moons, orange foliage and the start of hockey season.

I’ve written about April, and the rebirth of nature and the start of baseball season.

I enjoy July, my birthday month, and March because of St Patrick’s Day and the return of Daylight Saving Time.

I like August because it marks the start of football season.

Other months all seem to have special sentiments or milestones about them as well.

January?

Cold, gray, gloomy, hungry, sore, irritable.

But January 2018 offers a fresh start and new perspective. I’m trying to be more positive this year. Nobody likes a whiner, right? So here are some reasons why January could be a special month:

▪  More naps acceptable. In January, you can take a nap any time, day or night, and not feel guilty or miss anything.

▪  Sunglasses rarely needed. It’s cold and dark every morning when I leave for work. And it’s cold and dark every evening when I get home from work. I don’t need sunglasses much. Therefore, I can’t lose or break them, right?

▪  No tread loss on my bike tires. My bike stays on the garage rack in January. Saves good tread for spring.

▪  Save money; little golf. The key is to stay away from the golf shops, though. I have bought more new putters in January than other months.

▪  A warm smile goes a longer way in January. New year resolutions are fresh. That means more people are moody and irritable because they’re hungry and sore from new diets and workouts. Smile at them. Hope they don’t slug you.

▪  Good exercise by scraping ice from your car windows. In January, you are reminded how good that ice scraper in your car’s backseat works, especially at night with a chilling wind numbing your nose and ears.

▪  Wear a hat — any hat — in January. It doesn’t matter what your hat looks like as long as it keeps your head and ears warmer. Be sure it covers your ears. If you are going to look goofy in a hat, have warm ears and look goofy.

▪  Style doesn’t matter as much in January. Besides your hat, wear any sweater, coat, shoes or pants you want, as well. It’s January. Everyone is looking down. No one’s paying attention to you.

▪  Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The only notable national holiday in January is the third Monday (Jan. 15), on which we honor Martin Luther King Jr.

▪  Other celebrations? Some famous persons were born in January, including Elvis Presley, George Foreman, Jack Nicklaus. Jackie Robinson. Muhammad Ali. Neil Diamond. All January babies. None worthy of federal holiday status although I could make a case for Jackie Robinson.

Other reasons to celebrate in January?

▪  National Careers in Cosmetology Month. National Eye Health Care Month. National Fiber Focus Month. National Hobby Month. I need a one-month hobby. Something cheap and easy. One I can do indoors during January when there’s nothing else to do. Back to naps.

▪  National Fiber Focus Month and National Prune Breakfast Month? Yep. It’s January. Not much else to do.

So what’s around the corner?

February. In my world, February is second only to January as the most cold, gray, gloomy and nothing-much-to-do months. But good news is we will be a month closer to St. Patrick’s Day, spring training, golf weather, longer days. Hope. It’s so warm, bright and cheerful.

This story was originally published January 13, 2018 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Here are some reasons to celebrate January despite the cold, gloomy weather."