Welcome to January!

In England during the Middle Ages, the Twelve Days of Christmas, or Twelvetide, was a period of feasting and celebration.

This Friday, Jan. 6 is the last day to take down Christmas decorations. According to traditional lore, it is considered bad luck to leave decorations up after Twelfth Night. Although, the Gregorian calendar translates the end of The Twelve Days on Jan. 18 and some Western traditions in England and the United States will leave decorations up until Jan. 15.

This Friday also marks the first Full Moon of 2023. January’s Micro-moon in Winter is at its farthest point from Earth. The Supermoon in Summer is at its nearest point to Earth. Likewise, the moon sits high above the horizon in Winter and appears smaller. It seems larger when it sits near the horizon during Summer.

January’s Wolf Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. The side of the moon facing Earth is fully lit by the Sun’s rays.