Forget the January blues - memories will be made in 2017!

06 January 2017

By the LifetimesMAG Scribbler...

Feeling the January blues? Don’t worry, be happy, as the countdown is already under way to fun, frolics, wonderful days and nights out, and even a bit of sun.

Yes, it might have been a wonderful Christmas and New Year period, and now it’s back to work with early starts on those awful dark, frozen mornings.

But there’s plenty to look forward to in 2017, and if reading this doesn’t perk you up, you can always seek solace by tracking down those last few Quality Street chocolates at the back of the cupboard.

'I wish it could be Christmas every day'

Do you really? We all understand the downsides of the famous Wizzard song ‘I Wish it could be Christmas Every Day’, such as the idea of eating sprouts and tidying up wrapping paper every 24 hours. Plus, the scarcity of Christmas makes it all the more special.

However, there is something to be said for its sentiment. Think of the love you felt for family and friends, the way that people opened their homes and hearts. Would it be that hard to be the happy, smiley person you were on December 25 on the other 364 days of the year? Would you feel better about life if you tried just that?

Charles Dickens’ famous novel ‘A Christmas Carol’ has played a defining role in creating the modern cultural celebration of Christmas since its publication more than 170 years ago. It is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s redemption and how he learns to live and love again after a visitation from three spirits on Christmas Eve.

Maybe we should follow Scrooge, who says: “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!”

Here are a few numbers that should cheer you up...

Plan ahead

As well as the big occasions that everyone celebrates, there will plenty of days that are special just for you and your loved ones. There may be a family wedding during 2017, or perhaps it’s a milestone birthday, retirement or graduation? All these things might be linked to a particular day, but why not get a spring in your step by starting to plan ahead?

Could you begin the hunt for that special gift or start to speak to companies about arranging a once-in-a-lifetime experience? It can be so exciting to organise a treat that you know will be warmly received. So, when it’s dark and cold outside, why not put some time towards generating a masterplan.

It might be a bit grim outside, and there’s no more fizz left in the fridge, but it’s a new year and there’s plenty to look forward to. Keep on smiling while your scraping ice from the car, enjoy those little chinks of sunlight in the late afternoon and think ahead to how you can make it a special year for someone you love.

Here at LifetimesMAG towers, the Scribbler is raising a glass to a happy, prosperous and exciting new year. Here's to 2017, everybody... it's going to be a cracker!