Is January really 31 days?

“Thirty days hath September, April, June and November. All the rest have 31 except February alone which has 28 days clear, but 29 days in each leap year”.

I was taught this “Days of the month” rhyme in Class One, and I can still remember how we used to rattle it with excitement in class in the early 1990s.

The rhyme is about the number of days each month has. However, entering into adulthood, I am beginning to doubt its accuracy.

The rhyme makes it emphatically clear that, January has only 31 days. But is this really true? Does January really have only 31 days?

January

January is the first month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and the first of seven months to have a length of 31 days.

In numerology, January’s number of “One” is very important. “One” represents creation, the cornerstone on which other numbers (months) are built.

January marks a time for renewal and fresh starts. It is a time when people begin thinking about their resolutions and plans for the year.

January is a “dry season”. A time when most pockets and accounts are so dry that workers, especially, cannot find the patience to wait for “pay day”.

December effect

December is the last month of the year, and to enable workers to start their Christmas shopping in time, most salaries are paid earlier than usual.

December usually comes with some aura of excitement that makes it impossible, perhaps, for one not to spend and make merry.

It is mostly associated with the best parties, concerts and nightlife that doesn’t end till dawn the next day.

Indeed “...Tis the season to be jolly...”

This Christmas was fully packed with vivacious programmes such as Afrochella, Wildaland, Festival of Plays, Akwaaba UK, 12 Days of bloom, Christmas with Joe Mettle, Legend’s night and the like.

Our musicians also treated us with their annual explosive concerts. Sarkodie’s Rapperholic, Stonebwoy’s Bhim Concert, Samini’s Xperience, Shatta Wale and Medikal’s Freedom Wave Concert, among others.

Indeed, last Christmas was a detty Christmas. The ticket rates of these concerts and events were mostly not less than GH¢250. Some were as high as GH¢10,000, depending on one’s preference.

Apart from the concerts and jams, December was packed with lots of weddings. Week on week, there was a wedding to attend, sometimes two weddings a day. Christmas fever makes us want to attend all the events and we strive to do so in grand style. A lot was spent on food, clothes and gifts.

Then came January 1, 2022. This was on a Saturday, making Monday, January 3, 2022 a holiday.

You should have gone for sightseeing at the known pubs, shacks, and clubs to give an account. From Friday, through to Monday was superfluous “parte after parte”.

Reality

Reality has set in, bank account almost empty, eye cleared, work resumed on January.

Regardless of the meagre balance in bank accounts, bills must still be paid. Man has to put body and soul together, but payday looks very far off.

The case of parents is even worse. Schoolchildren started their academic year this January.

A lot has changed post-COVID, including the academic calendar of schoolchildren. The academic year now begins in January and not September.

Meaning, after the frivolous spending in December, parents have school fees to pay, books to buy, as well as replacing outgrown uniforms, worn-out shoes, school bags etc.

To worsen the plight of parents, there has been an exponential increase in school fees across board. The demands are high, but unfortunately one cannot see “pay day” in sight.

It has been about “46 days” since January 1, 2022, but checking the calendar, its still January 13, 2022.

January is proving to be the longest month with the shortest legs. Legs too short it takes forever to walk through its “105” days. We then begin to question ourselves: “Does January really have 31 days?”

Nonetheless, January can take all the time it wants to end, and we will not bother financially if we manage our Christmas spending well.

Truly, it is a festive season, but that should not blind us to the fact that there are other greater responsibilities post-Christmas.

This year, let us pinch pennies in our spending, draw and adhere to budgets.

The writer is a staff of the Information Services Department (ISD),

E-mail: fredad73@gmail.com