January is the first month of the year and a time for new beginnings. It’s also a great time for riddles! Riddles help exercise your brain and problem solving skills. Below are 69 fun and challenging riddles all about the month of January.
January Riddles
Riddle 1
What has January that no other month has?
Answer: The letter “J”
Riddle 2
January and February were arguing about who was colder. How did they resolve the dispute?
Answer: They agreed February was colder because it was the shortest month.
Riddle 3
January is the first month of the year and has 31 days. What comes next?
Answer: February
Riddle 4
I’m a cold month at the start of each new year. What month am I?
Answer: January
Riddle 5
What holiday are most people happy about in January?
Answer: New Year’s Day
Riddle 6
January is named after the Roman god Janus. What did Janus rule over?
Answer: Beginnings, gates, transitions, time, and endings
Riddle 7
January’s birthstone is garnet. What color is it usually?
Answer: Red
Riddle 8
January has two zodiac signs. One is Capricorn. What is the other one?
Answer: Aquarius
Riddle 9
January’s full moon is called the Wolf Moon. Why do you think it has that name?
Answer: Wolves tend to howl more often during January’s full moon
Riddle 10
January is National _______ Month in the United States.
Answer: Blood Donor Month
Riddle 11
January 12th is known as __________ Day.
Answer: Kiss a Ginger Day
Riddle 12
Gie = Give, Flure = Flower, Hyke = Hike. What January holiday is this an anagram for?
Answer: New Year’s Eve
Riddle 13
Traditionally, eating black eyed peas and greens on January 1st is considered good luck. In what region of the United States did this tradition originate?
Answer: The Southern United States
Riddle 14
January falls during which season in the Southern Hemisphere?
Answer: Summer
Riddle 15
January’s birth flower is the carnation. What does a red carnation symbolize?
Answer: Admiration
Winter Riddles
Riddle 16
I’m a frozen water form that makes travel dangerous. What am I?
Answer: Black ice
Riddle 17
We rush outside when we see it, hoping it will stick. What are we looking for?
Answer: Snow
Riddle 18
When temperatures dip, I’m put on to keep your fingers, toes and head nice and cozy. What am I?
Answer: A hat, gloves, and socks
Riddle 19
I’m wet, frozen, and fun to play in. Kids love making me into balls and figurines. What am I?
Answer: Snow
Riddle 20
I am often used to pull sleds and get around when roads are snowy. What vehicle am I?
Answer: Snowmobile
Riddle 21
January is the peak of my season. I bring cold air, grey skies, and fun winter activities. What season am I?
Answer: Winter
Riddle 22
People often catch me in the wintertime. Achoo! What am I?
Answer: A cold
Riddle 23
I’m slippery, cold, and fun to slide on in January. What am I?
Answer: An ice rink
Riddle 24
January is the best time to spot me in some northern states. I’m one of the largest land mammals. What animal am I?
Answer: Moose
Holiday Riddles
Riddle 25
On January 1st I’m kissed at midnight for good luck. What tradition am I?
Answer: Kissing at midnight on New Year’s Eve
Riddle 26
January 3rd is National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day. What holiday do chocolate covered cherries remind you of?
Answer: Christmas
Riddle 27
I’m a day off in January to recover from New Year’s celebrations. What day am I?
Answer: New Year’s Day
Riddle 28
Many people make me at the start of January. I contain goals for self-improvement. What am I?
Answer: A New Year’s resolution
Riddle 29
On this religious holiday in January, Christians remember the visit of the Three Wise Men to the baby Jesus.
Answer: Epiphany
Riddle 30
I’m a parade with colorful floats, marching bands, and handouts of beads and coins. What New Orleans parade am I?
Answer: Mardi Gras
Riddle 31
In the United States, January has a federal holiday honoring this famous civil rights activist.
Answer: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Riddle 32
I’m a Christian holiday that falls 40 days after Christmas. Many people give up vices during my season. What holiday am I?
Answer: Lent
Riddle 33
On this Irish holiday, St. Patrick is honored for bringing Christianity to Ireland.
Answer: St. Patrick’s Day
Nature Riddles
Riddle 34
I’m white, powdery, and fun to play in. Kids love sledding down hills covered in me. What am I?
Answer: Snow
Riddle 35
January’s full moon is named after me because I’m known to howl on cold, clear nights. What animal am I?
Answer: Wolf
Riddle 36
My warm coat gets thicker in January to help me survive the winter cold. What animal am I?
Answer: Bear
Riddle 37
I’m a rodent who stores food to survive during January’s cold winter.
Answer: Squirrel
Riddle 38
You’ll often see me perched on branches during January looking for food. What black and white bird am I?
Answer: Chickadee
Riddle 39
I travel south in the winter to avoid the cold and snow. What type of bird am I?
Answer: A migratory bird
Riddle 40
Brrrr! January is my least favorite month because I have to hibernate until spring arrives. What animal am I?
Answer: Bear
Riddle 41
You’ll often see my tracks in the snow as I search for nuts and berries. What rodent am I?
Answer: Squirrel
Riddle 42
I change color in January to white in order to blend in with snowy landscapes. What animal am I?
Answer: Arctic fox
Weather Riddles
Riddle 43
I am cold, white, and fluffy. As temperatures rise, I melt into water. What am I?
Answer: Snow
Riddle 44
I’m the transition from autumn to winter. I’m associated with falling temperatures and gray skies. What season am I?
Answer: Fall
Riddle 45
Brrrr! January is the coldest month of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. What season is it a part of?
Answer: Winter
Riddle 46
Trees in many regions look bare and gray in January because they have lost me. What have they lost?
Answer: Leaves
Riddle 47
I bring snow, ice, and freezing temperatures. What cold season am I?
Answer: Winter
Riddle 48
January skies are often filled with me, a frozen form of water that falls as precipitation.
Answer: Snow
Riddle 49
I’m the coldest month of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and bring snow and icy conditions. What month am I?
Answer: January
New Year Riddles
Riddle 50
On January 1st, the old me ends and the new me begins. What am I?
Answer: The year
Riddle 51
January 1st starts a brand new one of me. I contain 365 days. What am I?
Answer: Year
Riddle 52
Many people make me at the beginning of January. I’m a goal for self-improvement. What am I?
Answer: A New Year’s resolution
Riddle 53
On New Year’s Eve, a sparkly ball drops at midnight in this U.S. city.
Answer: New York City
Riddle 54
Kissing at midnight on New Year’s Eve is a tradition believed to bring… What?
Answer: Good luck
Riddle 55
Many people spend January 1st recovering from celebrating me the night before. What occasion am I?
Answer: New Year’s Eve
Riddle 56
January 1st is the first day of the year and a chance to start anew. What holiday am I?
Answer: New Year’s Day
Riddle 57
I’m a song traditionally sung at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. My lyrics say “Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?” What song am I?
Answer: Auld Lang Syne
Number Riddles
Riddle 58
January is the first month. What number month is it?
Answer: 1
Riddle 59
January starts on the 1st day of the year. What number day comes next?
Answer: 2
Riddle 60
How many days are in the month of January?
Answer: 31 days
Riddle 61
12 months make up one year. What position is January in the order of months?
Answer: 1st
Riddle 62
The chilled winter month that’s first on the calendar year?
Answer: January
Riddle 63
January is the first month. February is the second month. What month is third?
Answer: March
Miscellaneous January Riddles
Riddle 64
I’m a precious red stone, the birthstone for January. Garnets are often this color. What am I?
Answer: Red
Riddle 65
January’s zodiac signs are Capricorn and this air sign whose symbol is the Water Bearer.
Answer: Aquarius
Riddle 66
For many kids, January means returning to this place after winter break.
Answer: School
Riddle 67
January is named after this Roman god who was often depicted with two faces.
Answer: Janus
Riddle 68
According to the Gregorian calendar, January retained its name from which ancient Roman calendar?
Answer: Julian calendar
Riddle 69
January’s birth flower, the carnation, is often gifted as a symbol of love, good luck, and beautiful ________.
Answer: Fragrance
Conclusion
January may be cold and dark, but its festivities, nature, and place at the start of the new year make it a month filled with promise. I hope you enjoyed this collection of 69 riddles all about January. Riddles are a fun way to challenge your brain, expand your knowledge, and make learning about topics more engaging. The riddles covered a variety of January themes, including winter weather, holidays, nature, New Year’s, numbers, and interesting facts about the month. How many were you able to solve on your own? Test your January knowledge or share these riddles with kids to give their brains a workout while learning about the first month of the year.
Riddles help us look at topics in new, thought-provoking ways. They require us to think creatively, use logic, and problem solve. The question and answer format makes learning interactive and fun. So the next time you and your kids are looking for a brain challenge, try sharing a playful riddle. For more wintry riddles all about January and the cold weather, check out these additional collections. Happy riddling!
