• April

    April is the fourth month of the Gregorian calendar and is named for Aphrodite, the Greek goddess love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.  The name is also derived from the Latin word aperit, which means to open.  This is because April is generally the beginning of the growing season and the trees and flowers are opening.  April was originally the second month of the year, and only moved to the forth when January became the first month. The first of April is celebrated as April Fool’s Day.  There are several possible origins of this holiday.  Some believe it references Christ’s journey from the High Priests to Pilate to Herod and back…

  • March

    March (Latin Martius) was the first month of the earliest Roman calendar. It was named for Mars, the Roman god of war who was also regarded as a guardian of agriculture and an ancestor of the Roman people through his sons Romulus and Remus. His month Martius was the beginning of the season for both farming and warfare. Martius remained the first month of the Roman calendar year as late as 153 BC, and several religious observances in the first half of the month were originally new year’s celebrations. Even in late antiquity, Roman mosaics picturing the months sometimes still placed March first. March 1 began the numbered year in…

  • February

    February gets it name from the Roman month Februarius, Latin term februum, which means purification, via the purification ritual Februa held on February 15 (full moon) in the old lunar Roman calendar. January and February were added by Numa Pompilius about 713 BC. February remained the last month of the calendar year until the time of the decemvirs (c. 450 BC), when it became the second month. At certain intervals February was truncated to 23 or 24 days, and a 27-day intercalary month, Intercal [...]

  • January the New Year

    Happy New Year Everyone January (Latin, Ianuarius) is named after Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions; the name has its beginnings in Roman mythology, coming from the Latin word for door (ianua) since January is the door to the year. The original Roman calendar consisted of 10 months totaling 304 days, winter being considered a month-less period. Around 713 BC, the successor of Romulus, King Numa Pompilius, is said to have added the months of January and February, allowing the calendar to equal a standard lunar year (354 days). Although March was originally the first month in the old Roman Calendar, January became the first month of the calendar…

  • December

    December is from the Latin word ‘Decem’ (ten). It was originally the tenth month of the year in the Roman calendar, which began in March. The winter days following December were not included as part of any month. Later, the months of January and February were created out of the monthless period and added to the beginning of the calendar, but December retained its name. The birth flower is the narcissus Birthstones are the turquoise, zircon, and tanzanite Zodiac signs are Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21) and Capricorn (December 22 – January 20). Adela Related posts: No related posts.