January really is crap

This sounds lovely though does it not feel a bit less 'special' without everyone else on the outside world celebrating or do you prefer it that way?

Have you been celebrating since December?

Sorry, I'm intrigued

I've heard some bloody strange things on this thread. Leftover Christmas chocolates?! Winter salads??

I'm also a January hater! Best one was the year we flew to New Zealand - I plan to do that again when we can afford to! Came back mid Feb and felt like we'd really missed the worst of it.

Days a bit longer, yes. Brighter? Nonsense. It’s rarely bright and crisp. And anyway bright and crisp just means colder. I’d rather grey and rainy than fucking freezing. The cold makes me ill and depressed, sun doesn’t help that - it just lets me know it’ll be even colder and makes me more fed up.

I’ve loved noticing it’s still light at 4.30. Not so much last week!

@Titasaducksarse how lovely! I’ve got loads of daffs and crocuses sticking their green shoots up. First ones will be up by Feb I reckon.

Looks pretty for an hour or two. The. It’s inconvenient, dangerous, cold and slushy. It can fuck off too.

I love the 'idea' of crisp frosty weather and a slower pace and cosy January hibernation etc and i think if i didn't work and had no responsibilities then this month would be one that i would really love as i really would be pleasing myself and embracing it.
My reality is work and family life and popping here and there and feeling the cold when all i want to do is stay in the house until February.
The worst part is the cloak of gloom that descends on me i think due to the lack of natural light , i always have lots of candles and fairy lights and make the house as cosy as possible.
I try and find the best in all the seasons and there is so much to be grateful for in nature but i am always much happier to see the back of January.

Does the weather get warmer? Not really. I don’t care when the ‘official’ info says spring is. I want warmth.

I like January because it suddenly becomes clearer and brighter, and the days get a tiny bit longer. It’s often frosty here, whereas in December it just seems to be grey all day and pour down with rain. I much prefer bright, crispy weather.
The birds are always active, and I love to watch them.
I find Christmas to be really hard, so January always bring some relief with it that everything is back into the normal routine. I start looking forward to spring and making plans for the year.
October-December are the hardest months for me.

Cold and dark are two of the reasons I hate it. Mostly the cold.

One nice thing about January...statistically it's the month when you're most likely to get snow.
I love snow.

That's one way of looking at it! Cold icy and grey where I am...as for spring it's not even mid winter yet

Go on then…
I’ve tried. And failed.

Spring’s in March! 😂

We've just had our first snowdrops!

I love January. It's like everything is sleeping, resting, gathering energies slowly. Cold, dark, quiet.

I don't mind it. I honestly can't think of any specific time of year I hate. They all have their positive and negative points! Maybe better to look for the positive?

Winter has only just started!

Nearly the end of winter? Don't talk shite!
It doesn’t get grim until early December. Doesn’t get better until April at best. It’s only just bloody started! It hasn’t been bright and sunny everywhere, and anyway, bright and sunny means even more fucking cold. I hate the cold it makes me feel ill. And causes me to lapse into depression. I don’t spend for any of those events you mention (except Christmas, and not too bad then - I use common sense). What you are basically saying is - nothing to celebrate at all. Whoop! Excuse me for not being enthused by that.
Some people hate winter. Deal with it and stop telling us we are wrong.

I've lowered my expectations and January has been fine, thus far.

Thank you. I am caring for her dog whilst she’s in hospital, so feel partially useful. Such a helpless situation. Symptoms passed off as menopause by useless GP, so frustrating.

My birthday month, yes it's crap. No money, no alcohol and no sun.

I use this month as a reset, research and planning month. Don't put too much pressure on myself but decide on where I'd like to visit, financial goals. Find low cost, easy to make healthy meals. Date night ideas. Deep clean and declutter cupboards and drawers.

In January my glass isn’t half full. It’s empty and smashed. Bulbs popping up? Where? I don’t see any. Hasn’t been bright and sunny here. Too cold to go and look at stars - that’s a summer activity. Nobody I go to serves beige food - get new friends.
There is no joy in January for me. It’s cold, wet and grim. I still find joy in some things I do, but not because it’s January, rather in spite of it.

Well, I walked to the gym in minus 2 at 5.40am twice this week but I do WFH.

Summertime is my favourite time of year but I try to see some positives in every month. I love Christmas and everything that goes with it; I’m always sad to see January come but then I like to focus on the year ahead when it does. January is when the days start to turn again; it’s when we make plans for holidays and exciting activities for later in the year; we recharge and rest in the evenings and at weekends to get ready for the spring and more change to come. It’s always tough financially but we tend to stay close to home so it lends itself well to the timing.