7 heart-gladdening comfort foods for the ‘saddest day of the year’
Are you feel blue? If you are reading this in mid-January, then chances are you’re feeling that post-holiday feeling. The warmth of summer might feel further away than ever, and your carefree holiday spending might finally be taking its toll as bank statements start to roll in. If any of these symptoms ring true, don’t worry - you are not alone. The name “Blue Monday” is given to a particular day in January - usually the third Monday of the month - that people have labeled the most depressing day of the year. But who on Earth reached such a conclusion, and how did they do it?
For the 7 Heart-Gladdening Comfort Foods for the ‘Saddest Day of the Year’ gallery, click here.
The idea was first published in 2005 in a press release from a travel company called Sky Travel. They stated that they had come up with a formula to calculate the date based on factors such as weather, New Year’s resolutions, debt, and that glum post-holiday feeling, among others.
Not surprisingly, this pseudoscientific hypothesis, while fun, is not actually supported by real scientists. There is however, something to be said for that slightly sad feeling that sometimes can be felt after times of heightened happiness such as the holidays, when you go from being surrounded by family and friends back to the drudgery of everyday life.
Whether you are experiencing the January blues or not, it can’t hurt to prepare some heart-gladdening comforting foods just in case.
Rachael Pack contributed to this story.
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