January really is crap

[Nomoreburritosforgodsake]

I’m a positive person and try to make the best out of things, count my blessings etc, but it really is the most depressing month…cold, wet, quiet, no money..just so blah.
I don’t mind staying in, have put fairy lights, candles, pjs and throws..still crap
Think it’s more the money and weather, just getting by, the most excitement being taking the dog for a walk and making lasagna. Dd asking for zoo, cinema, soft play and takeaways..just not happening this month

How to make Jan-well-Jan-March better?!

Does anyone actually prefer these months? I remember a brilliant year pre Dd where we went ski ing and then to Thailand just to escape it, no option for that these days 😅

and winter fashion is so much better than summer sweaty clothes.

I disagree. British summers aren't usually hot enough to feel sweaty most of the time. Elegant and cool summer dresses are every bit as nice as a winter outfit.

I'm not a fan of fairy lights and candles (probably more due to my eyesight issues)

Day 7 of hard frozen snow and ice on the ground. The novelty has worn off and I want it to thaw now.

There seem to be an awful lot of people whose main reason for liking January is that the overeating and overspending of Christmas is over. Maybe consider not doing that if you dislike it?

Very difficult if you're hosting, and/ or enjoying others' hospitality to resist all temptation. Everyone gets caught up in it through Dec and it take a caste iron will and assertiveness to say no sorry I won't have that mincepie when you're round at Aunty's Mabel's even though you've had 6 this week! The only way is complete avoidance by going abroad for 2 weeks 🤣 then you can eat what you like.

Autumn/Winter are my favourite seasons…I’m in heaven ❤️

If you don’t want the mince pie because all the overeating . Ames you feel crap, why would you accept the mince pie? I had 6 between mid December and when I emptied the pack on Friday. Because I didn’t want any more. Didn’t require willpower.
You can eat what you like over Christmas, of course you can. If you are doing traditional hosting you must like it. I hosted, incidentally. It’s a roast dinner with fancy bits. Some extra cheese. It was all gone or frozen when the visitors left on 27th.

@cardibach why are you berating everyone that has a different opinion to you?
It was a beautiful morning here, -4c, went out on a lovely long dog walk. Brilliant sunshine, blue sky, frosty and crisp. Summer is my favourite season, but I can appreciate aspects of all seasons. I have learnt to make the most of the rare sunny days in winter, it makes me feel so much happier to have the sun on my face 😊

There's such a thing as enjoying indulging, then having enough of it and enjoying a period of being a bit abstemious. In fact it's a pretty normal thing for humans to do.

I despise it. Really ,really, despise it. February too. And March if it decides to be fucking cold as well and spring just will. not. hurry. up.

I just hate everything about winter once Christmas is over. Spring feels a million years away, it's freezing, the energy bills are ridiculous, it's miserable, often wet, always dark and dreary, we NEVER get snow here even when 10 minutes up the road has it, so it's never even pretty, my kids are bored, and we have to wrap up every morning in a million tedious layers, including gloves which I bloody hate trying to get onto kids fingers. Fuck winter, it's awful and can't be made better. We just have to ride it out.

Give me long, sunny warm days when I can live in maxi dresses and flip flops, have the windows wide open, see the flowers, the bees, the butterflies, have lovely days out and watch the kids playing in the garden. I dream of them every day.

I saw some daffodils come out. that's making my felling a lot more better in January.

Wish I'd seen some 😭

Christmas is definitely an expensive and busy month, there’s no getting away from that if you have kids.

You can choose not to overindulge but I like doing that and then starting fresh in January.

I also like routine and december always throws me out of my routine.

I struggle with the cold but January gives you an excuse to stay in the warm.

I absolutely love Christmas/December but I appreciate January too.

I love each month for different reasons.

It’s very telling who on this thread is a glass half full and who’s a glass half empty.
Some people look for positives, some look for negatives.

That’s not what they are saying through - or not all of them. A significant proportion say they hate all that.

I’m actually a very optimistic person in general - but I’m in my 60th January now and vain hope is exhausted. It’s shit. I hate it. It makes me depressed (not a bit fed up, depressed). People saying how lovely it is at -4 just make it worse with their (I’m sure faux) jolliness.

@orangesandlemonssaythebellsofstclements I think what makes it worse for me is very few of the summer days you describe last 2 years here (Bath) - maybe there were some but if there were, I was on holiday elsewhere abroad - most of last 2 summers were wet and not that warm for the most part here.

I'm 60 also and loving winter is not "faux" in my case.
I get Summer SAD from May through to August and it's horrible because everyone is supposed to love summer, that's considered "normal" but when you have allergies and can't breathe for three months it's hell.
Maybe before you accuse people of being fake about loving cold weather, consider that some have good reason for it. Like feeling well enough to actually leave the house and go for a walk. Because for some of us, the heat of summer is far more depressing.

I get that for some summer is horrible. But we get very, very little weather warm enough to trouble most here - I’m really sorry if you are somebody who is bothered for a full 6 months or more, as I am by winter. Truly. But even if it’s comparatively nicer, I really can’t believe people actually enjoy -4.

You’re 60, yet you can’t understand why people like things that you don’t like, and seem invested in telling other people what to think. It’s quite strange.

I adore January for those reasons and loving the white frosty ground and trees

That’s not what I said though, is it? I referenced a very particular aspect.

I thought I'd written that! You are me!

I hear you OP. January is the worst month of the year BY FAR. In fact I hate the whole of winter. I love autumn though. So up to December is great (although I do start to get a bit of background anxiety / feeling of dread that it's coming from about mid December) then I'm generally suffering with SAD until about the end of April.
I have some friends who struggle with autumn and honestly I see their social media posts from the shortest day onwards saying things like "spring is just around the corner" and I want to scream "no it bloody isn't!!"

Can I ask what temperature you set your heating to (and where the thermostat is - ie in a cold hall or in your living space) @Abracadabra12345 and @itsalwaysthesame ?

As a high earner we love to splash more of the cash in Jan compared to Dec, think luxury spa visits and little ski trips as well as a nice trip to Thailand at the end of the month. It's these little treats that keep me looking forward to Jan when the Christmas decorations have been cleared away. We always treat each other to a little more in my family in Jan also, a 3 course roast at the end of a winters walk for example.

Ha! This is me 100% except I mostly hate Match and the beginning of April too. They're meant to be spring but they're usually still cloudy and windy and cold.

I like January- it's March with its typically endless dull grey days that I hate. By the time March comes around I'm totally done with winter.
January is still cold enough to enjoy cosy weekends on the sofa reading with the fire on. Hot baths, a glass of wine and nice food. Getting plenty of fresh air and exercise after Christmas feels good. Planning summer holidays is fun to do in January, there's also our annual February Ski holiday to look forward to.
I love spring cleaning the house and having fresh white flowers everywhere, pine scented candles.
I was sensible about spending this Christmas so I'm able to enjoy a busy social life this January and have plans most weekends which definitely helps.