January Holidays 2027: A Family Calendar of Holidays, Observances and Fun Days (With Kid Activities)

The biggest January holidays in 2027 are New Year’s Day (Friday, Jan. 1) and Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, Jan. 18), the month’s two federal holidays, plus Epiphany (Jan. 6), Orthodox Christmas (Jan. 7) and Tu BiShvat (Jan. 22 to 23).

Looking for January holidays to plan around? January 2027 opens with a three day New Year’s weekend, brings a second long weekend for MLK Day, and mixes in Epiphany, Orthodox Christmas, a Jewish New Year for trees and a month devoted to mentoring.

We checked every 2027 date against official sources in November 2026 and calculated each weekday. Below: a day by day calendar, one activity per holiday, a winter science experiment, sleep tips and a printable summary.

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January Holidays 2027 at a Glance

Dates checked in November 2026 against OPM, the U.S. Naval Observatory, Hebcal, the Hong Kong Observatory, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and each observance’s organizer. Weekdays were calculated, not copied.

January 2027 Holiday Calendar, Day by Day

Use this table as your family calendar. The “Type” column shows whether a day is a federal holiday (government offices close), a religious or cultural observance, a month-long campaign or a science note.

A note on “national days”: many online lists give every January date a fun “national day.” Most are unofficial, so we only list days we could trace to an official calendar or a named organizer.

January’s Two Federal Holidays: New Year’s Day and MLK Day

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) lists two January federal holidays on its 2027 schedule:

• New Year’s Day, Friday, January 1, 2027: with the holiday on a Friday, many families get a three day weekend to ease back into routines.
• Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., Monday, January 18, 2027: this is the official name on the OPM list. The holiday falls on the third Monday of January each year, close to Dr. King’s birthday on January 15.

Federal offices close on both days. Many schools, banks and workplaces close too, but that is up to each district and employer, so check your school calendar. The other January observances below are not federal holidays.

No Inauguration Day this year. 2027 is not an inauguration year, and OPM’s 2027 schedule lists just these two January holidays.

Religious and Cultural Holidays in January 2027

Here is what each January faith and cultural date means, so you can answer kids’ questions or send a kind word to a neighbor.

• Epiphany (Three Kings Day), Wednesday, January 6: the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America lists Epiphany on January 6 for churches that follow the New Calendar, and counts it among the twelve great feasts of the church year. Many families, especially in Spanish speaking and Latin American traditions, know the day as Three Kings Day.
• Orthodox Christmas, Thursday, January 7: some Orthodox churches still follow the older Julian (Old) Calendar, which the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese explains is 13 days behind the calendar most of us use. That is why Old Calendar churches celebrate Christmas on January 7 instead of December 25, and Epiphany (also called Theophany) on January 19.
• Orthodox New Year (Old Calendar), Thursday, January 14: the same 13 day gap means January 1 on the Old Calendar lands on January 14 on ours.
• Tu BiShvat, sundown Friday, January 22 to nightfall Saturday, January 23: Hebcal describes Tu BiShvat as a minor Jewish holiday on the 15th of the month of Shevat, also called the New Year of the Trees. In Israel it is also marked with tree planting.
• Lunar New Year, Saturday, February 6 (not in January this time): the Hong Kong Observatory’s 2027 calendar shows the first day of the first lunar month on February 6, starting the Year of the Goat. In 2027 it is a February holiday. See our February holidays calendar for activities.

Keep explanations simple for young kids: “Some of our friends celebrate Christmas today, because their church uses a different calendar.”

January Holidays for Kids: One Simple Activity for Each

January activities work best when they are cozy, cheap and indoors. Each idea uses things you probably already have.

For toddlers, one short activity is plenty. On cold days, our list of indoor activities for kids fills the gaps, and salt painting makes a great “snowy” art project.

New Year’s With Kids: Early Countdowns, Fresh Starts and Family Goals

Most young children do not need to stay up until midnight on New Year’s Eve. The fun is in the ritual, not the clock:

• An early countdown: pick a time before bedtime, count down from ten and cheer or bang pots and pans.
• A family time capsule: each person adds a drawing, a handprint or a few words about what they love right now. Seal it in an envelope and write “Open January 1, 2028” on it.
• Kid-sized goals: ask each child for one thing they want to learn this year, such as riding a scooter, and post it on the fridge.
• Wishes and words: read a few lines from our happy New Year wishes together, or, for families of faith, share a short New Year prayer at breakfast.

MLK Day and National Mentoring Month: Serving Together as a Family

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. According to the National Archives, President Ronald Reagan signed the bill creating the federal holiday on November 2, 1983, and the first official Martin Luther King Jr. Day was observed on January 20, 1986. It is held on the third Monday of January, which is January 18 in 2027.

MENTOR, the national mentoring organization that launched National Mentoring Month in 2002, lists the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on its January calendar.

• Talk about fairness: for preschoolers, start with one simple idea: Dr. King worked so that all people would be treated fairly, no matter the color of their skin. A library picture biography helps.
• Serve together: draw cards for a senior center or fill a bag of outgrown clothes to donate.
• Thank a mentor: help your child make a card for a coach, teacher or grandparent, and read a line from our kindness quotes for kids together.

Classroom ideas: a class time capsule in week one, paper crowns on January 6, a “helping hands” chart during MLK week and thank-you notes to school staff for National Mentoring Month.

Winter Science in January: Earth Is Closest to the Sun

Here is a fact that surprises a lot of kids (and grown-ups): Earth is at its closest point to the sun in early January, right in the middle of winter in the United States. The U.S. Naval Observatory lists Earth’s 2027 perihelion, its closest approach to the sun, at 02:33 Universal Time on January 3, which is the evening of Saturday, January 2 in U.S. time zones. Its farthest point (aphelion) comes on July 5, 2027.

So what makes winter cold? Try this kitchen-table experiment with kids 5 and up:

• Try it: in a dark room, an adult holds a flashlight (the sun) while your child walks a tilted ball (the Earth) in a slow circle around it, keeping the tilt pointed the same way.
• Talk about it: ask your child which part of the ball gets the most direct light at different spots.

For more hands-on ideas for cold afternoons, try our easy science experiments for kids.

Keeping Sleep on Track During January Celebrations

Late nights over winter break, holiday travel and New Year’s Eve can leave kids overtired just as school and daycare restart. A few steps help:

• Start shifting back to the school or daycare schedule two or three days before the first day back, moving bedtime and wake time toward normal in small steps.
• Keep the bedtime routine the same every night, even on holiday nights. Our toddler bedtime routine guide shows how to keep it short and predictable.
• If a late night happens on New Year’s Eve, do not let the next morning’s wake time drift too late; a normal morning and a good nap help the body clock reset.
• Watch for signs of an overtired baby or toddler, and move bedtime a little earlier for a few nights if needed.
• If you are traveling home after the holidays, protect at least one nap a day. Our guide to baby sleep while traveling has tips for car rides and flights.

For babies under 12 months, holiday travel does not change the basics: always place your baby on their back to sleep, alone, on a firm, flat surface with no pillows, blankets, bumpers or toys, including in a travel crib or play yard.

Holidays in January: Month at a Glance (Printable Summary)

Print this page or copy this summary onto the fridge:

• All month: National Mentoring Month.
• Week 1 (Jan. 1 to 3): New Year’s Day, a federal holiday (Fri., Jan. 1); Earth’s closest point to the sun (evening of Sat., Jan. 2, U.S. time).
• Week 2 (Jan. 4 to 10): Epiphany or Three Kings Day (Wed., Jan. 6); Orthodox Christmas (Thu., Jan. 7).
• Week 3 (Jan. 11 to 17): Orthodox New Year, Old Calendar (Thu., Jan. 14); Dr. King’s birthday (Fri., Jan. 15).
• Week 4 (Jan. 18 to 24): MLK Day, a federal holiday and day of service (Mon., Jan. 18); Old Calendar Epiphany (Tue., Jan. 19); Tu BiShvat (sundown Fri., Jan. 22 to nightfall Sat., Jan. 23).
• Week 5 (Jan. 25 to 31): no major holidays: a good week for a family game night.
• Next up: Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day are in our February guide.

Related Betteroo Guides

• February Holidays 2027
• March Holidays 2027
• Happy New Year Wishes
• Indoor Activities for Kids
• Science Experiments for Kids
• Toddler Bedtime Routine

The Bottom Line

January 2027 is a gentle month to restart: two federal holidays (New Year’s Day on Friday, January 1 and MLK Day on Monday, January 18), Epiphany on January 6, Orthodox Christmas on January 7, Tu BiShvat on January 22 to 23 and National Mentoring Month all month long. Lunar New Year waits until February 6 this year. Pick two or three days that matter to your family, keep the activities simple and indoors when it is cold, and use the first week to get sleep back on track after the holidays.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related reading: For a cozy January afternoon indoors, try Animals in Winter: Montessori Activities for Home.