Blue Monday: 5 things we love about life in Nottingham that have made us smile today

If we’re honest, January can be a tough month to get through. 

The post-Christmas and New Year come down and miserable weather are just two reasons why, for many of us, January can’t pass quick enough. 

Over the past decade or so you may have heard the term Blue Monday creeping into news bulletins at this time of year. 

As well as being a hit for rock band New Order in 1983, Blue Monday is now associated with being the most depressing day of the year. 

Read more: Love Nottingham

Let’s be clear from the off - there’s absolutely no scientific evidence for this. 

The term was coined by a travel company in 2005 to help sell holidays and can often do more harm than good when it comes to our mental health. 

The Samaritans charity said: “At Samaritans we know there’s no such thing as ‘Blue Monday’ – we all have our good days and our bad days, and those aren’t for the calendar to decide.”

Although Blue Monday itself is a load of nonsense, it’s no secret that we can generally feel a bit lower than normal in January. 

With this in mind, we’ve picked out five things we love about Nottingham that will hopefully lift your spirits. 

1. Wollaton Park

No matter the time of year, a stroll around Wollaton Park is a surefire way to blow the cobwebs away. 

With 500 acres of untouched greenery to explore, there are few better places in Nottinghamshire to get rid of those January blues. 

Just admiring the beauty of Wollaton Hall itself is enough to provide some positive vibes!

2. The vibrant food scene 

If you’re feeling a bit under the weather, why not treat yourself to a tasty meal in one of Nottingham’s amazing restaurants? 

We recently spoke to an Instagram food blogger who said that Nottingham’s food scene has “exploded” in recent years. 

Whatever your go-to cuisine, Nottingham has something for everyone. 

3. Robin Hood

It would be wrong to create a list of things we love about Nottingham without mentioning Robin Hood. 

The legend is known all around the world and synonymous with Nottingham, which is definitely something to be proud of!

With the weather set to remain dry and bright all week, why not go for a stroll in Sherwood Forest?  

4. The people

We know that residents in all cities must say this about themselves, but you’d be hard-pressed to find more genuine, down-to-earth people than Nottingham natives. 

Unlike cities such as London and Birmingham where everything is 100 miles per hour, the slightly slower pace of Nottingham allows people to appreciate each other more and forge more genuine connections. 

The day you get tired of hearing “ay up, me duck!” is probably the day to consider leaving Nottingham!

5. The greenery 

Big cities like Nottingham are often labelled as concrete jungles without any greenery in sight. 

That might be true in other places, but certainly not here. 

The Arboretum and Forest Recreation are just a short walk from the city centre, so you’re never far away from an open space.