Today is unofficially known as the most depressing day of the year. Coined ‘Blue Monday’ 20 years ago by travel industry insiders keen to tempt consumers to book a holiday, the third Monday of January is, for most of us, a point where we’re looking forlornly at bank accounts depleted by the excesses of Christmas and – if we’re lucky – the January sales. Pair that with dark days and cold weather there’s no wonder that this is the Monday morning of the year that hits hardest.
Inevitably, travel companies are doing all they can to tempt us to book something to look forward to – preferably somewhere sunny. TUI is offering discounts of up to £400 on summer holidays for 2025 with a host of school holiday perks thrown in, while other travel firms keen to get us jetting to sunnier climes like Secret Escapes and On the Beach are also joining in the fun with Blue Monday sales.
You don’t even have to bust out your passport, with UK-based brands like the ever-popular seaside resorts Haven slashing prices on a range of deals. Meanwhile Travelodge is offering more than a million rooms for £35 or less in early 2025.
But if you’re not in a place to book a holiday this side of payday (it’s not just us, right?) you still don’t have to suffer Blue Monday in silence. We asked some of The Mirror ’s shopping team for their tried-and-tested little treats and pick-me-ups perfect for brightening a rubbish day and there are options that start from less than a tenner (the cheapest is a bargain 4p a time) so you can save booking that dream Disney World deal until after payday…
Ancient+Brave Cacao+Collagen Hot Chocolate chosen by Narin Flanders
Every new year I make a resolution to start taking multivitamins and supplements and every year I give up after a few weeks having bulk bought cheap tablets that turn out to be gigantic, smell funny or both. Not this year.
I picked up some sensibly shaped multivitamins and supplements 70% off in the huge MyVitamins January sale but then stumbled across Ancient+Brave’s amazing Cacao+Collagen on Instagram. You can get 20% off your first order by either signing up to a regular subscription or joining their newsletter list. I did the latter and got mine for £19.20 and it has become my ultimate evening treat.
At 77p a serving it’s become a relaxing nightly ritual that not only tastes good but I know is doing me good, giving me nutrients to keep my skin, hair and nails healthy. It tastes like that kind of smooth, luxurious, rich hot chocolate you’d normally find yourself sipping in a pavement cafe in Paris but the collagen peptides, anti-inflammatory cinnamon and a host of other natural goodies means it’s the ultimate guilt-free indulgence. I’m seriously considering trying their coffee version to start the day in style too.
Bird and Blend Chocolate Digestives Tea chosen by Phoebe Barton
As a self-declared tea aficionado, I can honestly say Bird & Blend’s Chocolate Digestives Tea is my favourite flavour I’ve come across so far. I enjoy traditional black teas and herbal teas, but there’s something so delicious, warming and unique about the chocolate digestive tea that a mug of this scrumptious drink is my daily reward for ticking off everything on my to-do list.
It comes in loose leaf and tea bag form, with different sized pouches available. I’ve recently ordered a large pouch containing 100 tea bags for £43.20 to see me through the rest of winter – at 4p a mug, that’s a bargain in my eyes for a tasty pick-me-up each day.
Kudd.ly weighted blanket chosen by Callum Crumlish
Every day is Blue Monday for me. That is to say: I hate getting out of bed. Sleep is where I belong. And every day it is made that much sweeter with my weighted blanket from Kudd.ly . I borderline cannot sleep without this thing. Encased with up to 5kg of micro glass beads, the weighted throw gives its wearer the ability to literally take a load off – physically and emotionally – and get unbeatably cosy in the process. From the sofa to the bed to the accent chair; you will never catch me enjoying my downtime without it.
Also, as someone who runs cold at all times, it has an almost scary level of temperature control. Its weight and heat distribution keep you warm or cool at all times without feeling stuffy or chilly to the touch. There’s truly nothing like completely unwinding after a hard day’s work and toil under this product and that’s before you start considering the benefits it has for people with neurodivergent minds.
The Kudd.ly weighted blanket is currently in their January sale in a BOGOF deal that gets you two of them for £49 which is a bargain. Being able to press out the day’s stresses in a relaxing straitjacket while retaining your body heat and sending you off into a blissful stupor… that is priceless.
Beurer SAD Lamp chosen by Tom Capon
For someone who lives in a country with a six month winter and no plans to leave any time soon, I sure do hate winter. From the tips of my hairs all the way down to the marrow of my bones, the ever-encroaching darkness is like a Lovecraftian horror if those indecipherable fears bugged middle managers in Essex.
But human ingenuity has saved the day again with one small but mighty weapon: a SAD lamp. Specifically, the Beurer TL30UK SAD Lamp , currently £44.99 down from £69.99 on Amazon.
At 10,000 lux, the lamp simulates natural daylight when placed 10cm away from your face. You’d be surprised how effective a little bit of pretend sunlight is at fighting the dread of looking out your window at rolling armies of dark clouds and the endless winter of Britain. The moment it’s shining on my face the muscles on my body relax at once. An absolute must-buy if you hate this time of year too.
Neom Wellbeing Real Luxury Magnesium Bath Milk chosen by Lucy Addicott
I’ve found that making small switches to my bath routine can really help lift my spirits – there is nothing better than soaking away the day’s stresses and giving yourself some self-care. While I’m partial to a bubble bath, they are not always convenient but I’ve recently discovered a less foamy alternative – a bath milk.
The Neom Wellbeing Luxury Magnesium Bath Milk is infused with jasmine, lavender and sandalwood and popping some in your bath before bed is a real treat. It leaves my skin feeling unbelievably soft and it’s ideal for an at-home spa session.
At £40 for 300ml it’s more expensive than a regular bubble bath that you can pick up, but I truly think it makes all the difference. You only need a small amount to transform the water into a luxurious experience and a bottle should last you months. Plus, the formula contains magnesium which is great for soothing muscle pain and helping you sleep.
Grind whole bean coffee chosen by Ruth Ovens
What’s a morning without a good cup of coffee? It’s a rubbish one. Grind coffee is one of my favourites on the market and one I regularly use with my Ninja Luxe Cafe. I like the house or light blend and would generally buy two 227g bags of whole beans for £15.
While £15 for coffee may seem a lot, if you were buying at a cafe, you would be lucky to get five takeout filter coffees for that. Grind is ethically sourced from small-scale, sustainable farms around the world and is delivered straight to your door in letterbox-friendly packaging before being roasted by Grind in London.
Alternatively, if you prefer to order from Amazon, Pact Coffee Bourbon Cream Espresso Wholebean is £3.75 a bag. It’s particularly good for a strong shot or adding a deeper flavour to a latte.
Diptyque Baies room spray chosen by Lauren Codling
I often reach for a room spray first thing; a blast of a refreshing aroma is just what I need to start my day right. I have a few go-to’s, but Diptyque’s signature Baies has been a firm favourite for a while now. Its delightful blend of sweet rose and blackcurrant creates a gentle floral scent that evokes memories of countryside strolls and springtime picnics — the perfect antidote to this seemingly endless winter.
However, its £50 price tag isn’t the most affordable, so for a more budget-friendly option, I recommend The White Company’s £18 Sea Salt Spray . Its light, warm smell and crisp, clean notes instantly refresh my space without overwhelming it. Both sprays have matching candles if you fancy layering up on scents — or simply treating yourself to help banish Blue Monday vibes.
Silentnight Comfort Control Heated Throw chosen by Eve Rowlands
Snuggling under a blanket when the temperatures plummet is one of life’s simple pleasures, and one I indulge in on a daily basis, especially when I can’t bring myself to whack the heating on.
I’ve got the Silentnight Comfort Control Heated Throw and, while I may sound dramatic, it has changed my life. As someone who feels the cold pathetically easily, it generates heat that I can only describe as similar to the feeling of getting into bed, snuggling under a thick feather down duvet and spooning your hot water bottle. A feeling that can be taken from room to room – what’s not to love?
With nine different heat settings, you can control the level of toastiness you achieve – I tend to have it on 5 or 6 for a happy medium – and it stays on for two hours before shutting off, for safety reasons. But turning it back on, it heats up rapidly.
Great for working from home, great for movie nights, great all round. It’s even been commandeered on occasion by my cat, for whom a nap on the heated blanket is utter heaven and moving her off it is a challenge. Plus, it’s machine washable for any potential spillages that may occur.
Kobo Clara Colour and Elevo Candle chosen by Jada Jones
When it comes to needing an end of day pick-me-up, I am somewhat predictable. I love popping on a candle and snuggling up with a book – so much so that I’d managed to read nine books in the first two weeks of this year.
One candle brand that’s been standing out a lot lately is Elevo Home’s Classic Collection , the luxurious design looks beautiful even when it’s not lit. The cork ball lids even soak up the candle’s scent and are handy to throw in a drawer when you’re done with them. Mellow Nights is an alluring honey and tobacco blend but they’ve got plenty of other options online. When it comes to cosying up with a book, I read across all platforms but my current favourite way has to be the Kobo Clara Colour . It’s slightly smaller than the Kindle which makes it a more comfortable fit in my hand and I find myself flying through books when I read this way. I love the reading stats, I can see how many minutes I’ve got left of my chapter and how much of the book is left too. You can also link the device to your local library and check out ebooks for free that would normally cost a lot more.
Twinkly Square LED lights chosen by Tiffany Lo
The cloudy days in London has turned me into Sadness from Inside Out. Not only does it affect my mood, it’s probably also making me more vitamin D deficient than ever but I’ve found myself a fun pick-me-up using the Twinkly LED lights and they do more than the Philips Hue lights.
The panels come with pre-set ‘artwork’ and it can be customised to whatever you create on their app, I can write a slogan or download an animation – the world is your oyster. When the days are dark and gloomy, the digital ‘glaring sun’ on Twinkly brings a smile to my face.
The Twinkly Squares Starter kit gives you six panels so you can either turn it into a banner strip or a photo frame and hang it on the wall. It’s currently on offer and reduced from £249.99 to £172.21 on Amazon – while it’s an investment it’s a versatile piece of kit I guarantee will leave you feeling brighter than when you got it.