Quadrantids Meteor Shower.  Picture from Astronomy Magazine website.With a New moon on the 1st, you may spot a few shooting stars early in the New Year; especially on the evening of the 3rd, when the Quadrantids meteor shower peaks.

The peak is quite short lived, however the shower is quite prolific with rates approaching 80 per hour, although actual observed rates will be a third of this. Look mid way up in the sky in any direction but the NW.

Finally, the Earth reaches perihelion with the Sun on Jan 4th when it will be at its closest, just 97¾ million miles away.