How to Beat the January Blues

Yes it’s officially the most depressing month of the year – January named after the Roman god of doors Janus who is always pictured with two faces one looking back into the past and one looking ahead into the future.

For some January will be an opportunity to put 2023 behind them and embrace a bright New Year full of ideas and resolutions. You could start planning ahead for the school holidays with half term only a few weeks away or the Easter holidays and – why not – those lazy hazy days of Summer.

For others January is the month where they sing the blues – Blue Monday which is on record as being the most depressing day of the year – falls in mid-January. The experts have calculated that factors such as gloomy weather, post Christmas debt, dissatisfaction in the workplace and general doom and gloom make the third Monday of the month the most depressing out of 365 days of the year. Mental health charities have successfully started to turn it on its head by creating Blooming Monday instead encouraging people to dress up in bright clothing and put a smile on their faces – at least for the day.

If you’ve opted to turn it into a Dry January with a month completely free of alcohol or you’ve decided to lose weight, give up smoking or vaping, then very often it is at this time of year on a cold wintery night that our thoughts drift to sponge pudding or a glass of a warming red. Reducing calorie intake is so much easier on a hot Summer’s day.

So if the kids are going stir crazy because of the weather and the household is feeling below par here are some idea to beat the Winter Blues.

Did you know that Winnie the Pooh has an official day dedicated to him – January 18 which commemorates author AA Milne’s birthday in 1882. He gave us the honey loving teddy bear and his friends from Eyeore and Piglet to Christopher Robin and Tigger. So why not return to the Hundred Acre Wood either by immersing the children in his adventures via the original books or on television with Disney + featuring numerous Winnie the Pooh movies. Even better visit some of the amazing locations dedicated to the bear who constantly found himself in sticking situations leading to his famous  catchphrase – “Oh bother”!

Some of his words of wisdom could even be put to good use in these dark days.

• You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."
• "Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
• "I wasn't going to eat it, I was just going to taste it."
• "I am short, fat, and proud of that."

Pooh country is in and around Ashdown Forest in Sussex – if you live nearby, wrap up, and take the kids on a ramble via Pooh’s special haunts, not forgetting to play Pooh Sticks on the bridge. Also Pooh Corner in Sussex offers a special trail with honey flavoured treats along the way.

Another family friendly attraction to take you back to your childhood and put a smile on the kids’ faces is Disney100 The Exhibition in London celebrating 100 years of magic with exhibits and memorabilia – it will keep you and the kids happy for hours. From Marvel to Star Wars, Jasmine to Snow White, the Disney magicians keep working their magic and will continue to do long after we’re gone !

If you are one of those people who enjoyed 2023 and want to keep looking back, why not create a photo book. There are numerous internet companies offering the service – go back though last year’s photo memories and create a permanent reminder of all the highlights of your year to look back on if you’re feeling blue. If you want to keep the Christmas magic alive and the festive cheer going, don’t take down your decorations until Candlemas – officially the end of Christmas on February 2. The Christian church Christmas calendar ends on this day and our medieval ancestors left their decorations up until that date. It was a great feast day with candles to be used in churches in the coming year being blessed and candle lit processions finally bringing the Christmas festivities to an end. If you’re still busy sweeping the pine needles from the carpet under your Nordman fir then perhaps it’s not for you!

And then finally what could be more uplifting than celebrating Burns Night whether you are north of the border or not, it’s an excuse for a party in the dark damp days of January. January 25 is the date when you can indulge in a traditional Burns Supper served with haggis, neeps and tatties washed down with whatever you like, unless of course you’ve been disciplined enough to continue with Dry January – in which case you could always try a non-alcoholic whisky !

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