January 6

January 6 is the sixth day of the year. 359 days remain until the end of the year (360 in leap years).

“History is the present. That's why every generation writes it anew. But what most people think of as history is its end product, myth”

E.L. Doctorow

Born today

• E.L. Doctorow, 1931, American novelist

• Khalil Gibran, 1883, Lebanese-American writer, poet, and philosopher

Observances

• Armed Forces Day (Iraq)

• Christmas:

  • Christmas (Armenian Apostolic Church)

  • Christmas Eve (Russia)

  • Christmas Eve (Ukraine)

  • Christmas Eve (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

  • Christmas Eve (North Macedonia)

• Epiphany or Three Kings' Day (Western Christianity) or Theophany (Eastern Christianity), and its related observances:

  • Befana Day (Italy)

  • Little Christmas (Ireland)

  • Þrettándinn (Iceland)

• National Smith Day (US)

• Apple Tree Day (US)

• National Shortbread Day (US)

• Three Kings Day (US)

• National Take Down the Christmas Tree Day