Blue Monday Meaning
What is Blue Monday? Every year a day known as Blue Monday arrives on the third Monday in January. It is supposed to be the day that we are feeling at our lowest following our Christmas holiday season. Please don’t worry…… it’s not real. It’s actually a made-up date – which was originally published by a UK travel company in 2005, and has been re-used by many companies in stories and press releases.
The story is that Cliff Arnall (at the time a Postgraduate Dental & Medical Tutor in Psychology), coined the phrase Blue Monday which was used in a press release by Sky Travel in the UK. (To promote travel of course!)
It makes perfect sense though that we (me included) should be feeling a little blue today though. For me, the holidays are over, my young adult children have wandered back to their day to day lives, and oh yes – there’s that pandemic still hanging around, – and it’s a SNOW DAY today here.
Therefore, I have a proposal to make: Let’s celebrate on Blue Monday!
Five Ways to Celebrate Blue Monday
I suggest then that we should use Blue Monday as a time to turn things around just a little. I propose that we should celebrate Blue Monday every year by doing the following things:
- 1. Eat the leftover Christmas Cake and Cookies
(Part of Blue Monday is feeling guilty for having over-consumed during the holidays, but today it is perfectly OK to just finish off these items. It’s too late to serve them to company now!)
- 2. Open any Christmas gift baskets you thought were too nice to open
(Some of us receive those fancily wrapped gift baskets, and they are just too nice to open. It’s OK, just open them, they will only gather dust and they were meant for you to enjoy.)
- 3. Open that box of Chocolates or bottle of Wine that your neighbour gave you that you were going to re-gift
(None of these lasted around my house, but if you were saving to re-gift the time has passed. Go ahead enjoy)
- 4. Light that gift candle or soap you put away for a special occasion
(Some people love and use gift candles and soaps, some people just find them too frivolous. You might as well enjoy them – but be careful with the candles please!)
- 5. Spend those points, airmiles, or Bonus bucks
(This is the real fun part. I bet you don’t know how many grocery store, hotel, airline or gas station points you really have – and did you receive any small coffee gift cards? Dig those up too.
Don’t save them forever. You know those points companies are hoping you will get too old to spend your points, so don’t do that. Make a plan! Maybe Blue Monday should be re-named Spend the Points Day).
For another take on Blue Monday, visit BernieLynn at Equipoise Life here: https://equipoiselife.wordpress.com/2020/01/20/blue-monday/
I agree with the statement: “Let’s use social media for support and positive vibes”
Turn Blue Monday around and have some fun today. Stop and smell the roses. Blue Monday is not a real holiday after all!
https://equipoiselife.wordpress.com/2020/01/20/blue-monday/
I am posting a link to your 2020 post in the body of my post! Thanks for sending the link!
Obviously it hit a nerve with me. My birthday is around this time of year and it’s hard to think how much people in general hate January and then some poor random Monday ends up being the brunt of a travel campaign.
Hope you had a happy Birthday Bernie!
I got sunshine and a river walk with my son, daughter in law and my husband so that was special enough.
I feel exactly like you do. Let’s turn it around. Thanks for the encouragement.
I get it. I’m trying to close out the year, and it keeps snowing, everyone has decided they want more and more of my time but nothing left to give! Winter weather keeping me from getting work done. Ahhhhhh (home alone scream). But it’ll be ok! I spent my Amazon points yesterday;I opened the bottle of wine, and I might go light the candle. I had the cheesecake last night. Ha!
It’s still snowy here! Hope you are doing OK, and I wish I had some cheesecake!
I think celebrating Blue Monday with blue flowers is perfect.
Blue flowers have me dreaming of spring.
Blue is Blue Heartaches and Heartaches ..la la la ..Thanks for this great idea …Red Roses
Thank you for the musical inspiration!!
I had never heard of “Blue Monday” until a few days ago. I like your version much better. Here’s to Un-blue Monday.
Thank you Margaret!
Thank you Margaret. Here’s to spring coming soon and un-blue Mondays!
Another idea to combat the blue days following the holidays would be to book a short respite to the Gulf coast of Florida. Read my upcoming blog and you might understand . why.
I enjoyed your post about St. Pete’s. We haven’t been there in years, and it’s definitely time!
Have you been to DeSoto State Park?
I have not – is it in Alabama? I have not yet been to Alabama. Is it a good place to visit?
It’s near St. Petersburg, Florida
Nice, it’s the simple things that make a difference.
Thank you!
love it! I do think there is some truth to some blueness during January – this is why we keep our xmas tree up till Feb. LOL.
I’m still getting rid of the pine needles today!