Blue Monday is the saddest day of the year because it brings together everything that can affect one's mood: the Christmas holidays are over, the cold winter lies ahead, there are Christmas bills to pay, the New Year's resolutions are already broken...
January 16
Blue Monday
The saddest day of the year.
What is Blue Monday?
Blue Monday is the saddest day of the year, according to science. It was created in 2005 by Cliff Arnall, a psychology professor who taught at the University of Cardiff's School of Psychiatry. He stated, with no hesitation, that he had come up with the mathematical formula that would help determine the saddest day of the year. And what day was that? The third Monday in January.
When is Blue Monday?
Blue Monday, as Professor Cliff Arnall's formula rightly stated, takes place on the third Monday in January. Why? Because it combines a number of negative factors:
- It's the worst day of the week, since it starts off the week.
- Enough time has passed since the start of the year to set aside our New Year's resolutions.
- People haven't gotten their January paycheck yet.
- We start feeling the pressure of all the money spent at Christmastime.
- The weather is more rainy, and it's getting colder.
Why is it called Blue Monday?
Let's look at the two words in Blue Monday:
- There's Monday, which is the first day of the workweek.
- And then there's Blue, which is a term that is used to denote something that causes sadness or unhappiness.
So, by combining both, we get what in Spanish is known as 'Lunes Triste'.
Blue Monday deals
It's true that Blue Monday deals are not as numerous as those of other 'special days', such as Valentine's Day or 'Black Friday'. However, there are several brands, especially from the technology sector, that take advantage of this Blue Monday to offer their customers special deals through their websites in an effort to 'cheer them up on this saddest day of the year'.
Would you like more information?
Other important dates
-
Singles' Day
As opposed to Valentine's Day, Singles' Day celebrates the pride that many people feel for being single. This holiday was created by students from the University of Nanjing, China, and is now very popular in Spain. -
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is a holiday to celebrate the love between couples and friends. Valentine's Day is observed on February 14 in almost every country. -
Father's Day
Father's Day is a celebration or homage dedicated to fathers. In general, the European Catholic tradition commemorates it on March 19, the feast of St. Joseph, Jesus's adoptive father.
