The second Wednesday of August is the day where art meets handwriting. Nibs ready, it’s World Calligraphy Day!
Poets believe there is beauty within the flow of words. Similarly, calligrapher’s find beauty assembling those words on paper in an artistic and beautiful fashion. Furthermore, calligraphers design words in a harmonious, almost romantic elegance, respectively.
Calligraphy is an ancient art form that is one of the oldest forms of communication. Interestingly, calligraphy first appears as early as 200 BC in China. Additionally, this historic art form is apparent in almost every region of the world as the main source of manuscript writing and communication. In early findings, religious documents, such as the original Bible, are written in Biblical Hebrew calligraphy. With western influence, calligraphy would take on a more creative point of view.
Maneuvering through the ages, calligraphy continues to maintain a unique flow of magic from pen to paper. In today’s modern world, calligraphers believe calligraphy is an interpretation of the individual. In many aspects, each symbol creates meaning to relationships between their ancestry and language. Furthermore, while keeping the integrity of each symbol, calligraphers allow for a harmonious flow of the entire text, as well. Above all, a calligrapher always finds their creative rhythm and shares the individual inspiration through the flow of patterns on paper.
WORLD CALLIGRAPHY DAY HISTORY
In 2017, Manuscript Pen Company founded World Calligraphy Day to bring together all calligraphy enthusiasts to celebrate the art of calligraphy. The day offers an opportunity to discuss, practice, learn and celebrate the creative and beautiful artform.
CELEBRATE #WorldCalligraphyDay
Signing up for a beginners course will open your soul to a new world of expression.
Study the different forms of calligraphy.
If you already are a calligrapher, teach someone else your skillful craft.
Share your calligraphy writing on social media by tagging #WorldCalligraphyDay.
Mother’s Day 2025 is the perfect opportunity to show your appreciation with thoughtful and unique gifts that celebrate the incredible women in your life. Whether you’re looking for personalized keepsakes, luxurious self-care items, or innovative tech gadgets, this year’s gift ideas are all about creating meaningful moments. From custom jewelry engraved with heartfelt messages to eco-friendly home essentials and immersive experiences, there’s something to suit every mom’s style and personality. Let’s make this Mother’s Day unforgettable by honoring her love, dedication, and endless support with gifts that truly reflect how much she means to you.
Ringing in a new year means new beginnings and endings. Celebrating the New Year is the first holiday on the calendar, but the world didn’t always see January that way.
Around 700 B.C., January replaced March as the first month of the year. Roman king Numa Pompilius revised the calendar and added two months to it. However, many religions continued to celebrate the new year either on March 25th or December 25th according to their church calendars. Even the Julian calendar did not indicate a clear beginning and end to the year. Then in 1582, Pope Gregory developed the Gregorian calendar and most of the world came around to January 1 being the beginning of the New Year.
Janus is the Roman god of beginnings and endings. He’s a protector of gates, doorways, and transitions. January takes its name from this tow-headed god, and it makes us wonder why it took so long to celebrate the new year in January, but it did.
Speaking of new beginnings, the entire month is full of holidays that help us to start fresh. National Personal Trainer Awareness Day reminds us to be kind to our trainers in the first days of the year – they’re kind of busy with all of us who made resolutions. We’re encouraged to clean off our desks, make travel plans a priority, and use up old gift cards.
January is the second month of Winter in the Northern Hemisphere, but in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s summer. The Wolf Moon rises in January so it’s a great opportunity to howl at the full moon. While it’s uncertain where the name for this moon is derived, it’s interesting to note that the month used to be called Wolfmonath. As food became scarce, wolves would begin scavenging and could be heard howling at the moon.
While the month is full of resolutions, it also includes many other traditions, too. Like other months, it has its own stones and flowers. Fortunately for anyone born in January, their birthstone is the Garnet which comes in a wide variety of stunning colors.
Capricorns and Aquarius are born in January. You share your birthday month with Elvis Presley, Virginia Woolf, JRR Tolkien, Bessie Coleman, Martin Luther King, Martin Luther King Jr., Jeannette Piccard, J.D. Salinger, Zora Hurston, A.A. Milne, Carrie Chapman Catt, Edgar Allan Poe, Alma Ziegler, and Dian Fossey. The carnation and snowdrop are your birth flowers. Celebrate with National Seed Swap Day and prepare to plant your own!
January is often a month of new beginnings and endings. Some of us embark on new health club memberships in an attempt to end old habits. Our new year’s resolutions help kick-off healthy habits placing us squarely on a path of health and renewal. While some of us succeed, many admit we will need to keep trying. New beginnings don’t always have to do with our physical self, though. Sometimes we challenge ourselves to new adventures or lifestyles.
Astrological Facts of January
If you’re born in January, your sign is either Capricorn or Aquarius. January’s birthstone is the garnet and comes primarily in the color red, but can also be in shades of orange, pink, green, and even black or brown. The carnation and snowdrop are your birth flowers. The carnation’s scientific name is Dianthus caryophyllus, and the flower’s color has different meanings around the world. Traditionally, though, its colors mean:
White = purity and luck
Light Red = admiration
Dark Red = love and affection
Pink = gratitude
Yellow = disappointment or rejection
Purple = capriciousness
Who Are Notable People Born in January?
Elvis Presley
Virginia Woolf
JRR Tolkien
Bessie Coleman
Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King Jr.
Jeanne Picard
J.D. Salinger
Zora Hurston
A.A. Milne
Carrie Chapman Catt
Edgar Allan Poe
Alma Ziegler
Dian Fossey
RANDOM JANUARY FACTS
The Earth always reaches perihelion in early January. Perihelion is when the Earth reaches its closest point from to the Sun.
The Quadrantid meteor shower occurs every year in January.
Pasadena, California hosts the Rose Parade each year in January.
Ellis Island opened on New Year’s Day 1892.
In a month of new beginnings, it’s hard to imagine celebrating anything else, but we do. It’s time to toss out that old fruitcake – well toss it somewhere. January, like any month on the calendar, includes a variety of food holidays to challenge our resolutions. It also challenges us to try new things and rekindle some of the old ways.
Our insurance policies start new in January, too. So when you hang up that new calendar, don’t forget to swap out your insurance cards, too.
As the New Year approaches, many individuals embrace the tradition of setting resolutions—personal goals aimed at fostering self-improvement and positive change. This practice offers a fresh start, encouraging reflection on past behaviors and the commitment to adopt healthier habits or achieve specific objectives in the coming year. Common resolutions often focus on enhancing physical health, improving financial stability, and fostering personal development.
Among the most popular New Year’s resolutions are:
1. **Improving Physical Health**: Many people resolve to exercise regularly, adopt healthier eating habits, or quit smoking. These commitments are driven by the desire to enhance overall well-being and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
2. **Saving Money**: Financial goals, such as budgeting more effectively, reducing debt, or increasing savings, are common resolutions. Individuals aim to achieve greater financial security and prepare for future needs.
3. **Pursuing Personal Development**: This includes resolutions like learning new skills, reading more, or dedicating time to hobbies. Such goals are pursued to enrich one’s knowledge and enhance personal fulfillment.
While setting resolutions is a widespread practice, maintaining them can be challenging. Studies indicate that a significant number of individuals abandon their resolutions within the first few months of the year. To improve success rates, experts recommend setting realistic and specific goals, creating a structured plan, and seeking support from friends or communities. Utilizing tools like apps for tracking progress can also provide motivation and accountability, increasing the likelihood of sustaining these positive changes throughout the year.
2024 has been an interesting year. So here is a brief look back month by month. While it’s not physically possible to list everything that happed this year, Jen’s Perspective continues to focus on love, laughter and love while making lasting memories. This year I introduced Jen’s Perspective Magazine as well. Each monthly digital magazine covers a variety of reasons to celebrate.
If you like what we do here considering gifting a subscription and definitely share near and far. We now have our a devoted YouTube channel. Make sure to follow our other channel as well. We hope to add even more fun in 2025. Don’t forget to find us across the internet on Facebook, Instagram, X, Pintrest, and TikTok.
