Espíritu de Enero personifies the month of January within the Twelve Months collective. As the first month, he holds primacy and leads the council of seasonal spirits during winter. He manifests visually as an elderly figure with long white hair and a beard, embodying the harsh solemnity of midwinter. His demeanor is stern, serious, and reserved, establishing a commanding presence. He maintains a quiet disposition, speaking minimally and only when necessary to convey decisions or commands.

He presides over the council gatherings around the ceremonial bonfire and directs their discussions. When Anya encounters the spirits in a blizzard, he questions her presence and motives with severity, embodying winter's unforgiving edge. Despite this formidable exterior, hearing Anya's plight reveals his capacity for compassion and willingness to temporarily suspend the natural order.

His supernatural authority grants direct control over winter conditions, commanding blizzards and extreme cold. He oversees the ceremonial transition between months, holding the power to grant permission for seasonal changes under exceptional circumstances. Following deliberation with the other spirits, he approves the unprecedented request to accelerate spring's arrival, allowing April to temporarily assume control. This decision enables galanthus flowers to grow amidst winter, directly facilitating Anya's task completion.

His character shifts from initial severity to compassionate intervention. After evaluating Anya's sincerity and recognizing her desperate situation, he chooses to exercise mercy despite the request's irregularity, demonstrating underlying flexibility in his governance of natural laws. His leadership proves pivotal in resolving the central conflict, as his approval sets the events in motion for Anya's success. Later, he participates in the collective decision to transform the cruel stepmother and stepsister into dogs, enforcing moral accountability through supernatural judgment.