Feeling the January Blues? Spread the joy with a little bit of LOVE.

It’s cold. The festive season is over. And with Spring still a few months away, it’s possible to feel a little blue. But it’s not all doom and gloom! If you’re searching for the next thing to look forward to…

How about the Season of LOVE?

It’s only five weeks until Valentine’s Day, and at Bombus we’ve decided to start all the smushiness and heart-filled joy of LOVE early! We’re filling the studio with hearts. Dressing in bright knitted jumpers. And sending little tokens of thoughtfulness to our nearest and dearest. Warming up the deep cold winter with reminders to the ones we love, that there is still something to smile about.

How to spread the love?

We’re all feeling the anxiety from the cost-of-living crisis. Saving our pennies for the heating bill or for an extra pair of thermal socks. Did you know that January is one of the worst months for mental health in the UK? And more so than ever this year. So if we can do a little bit to reach out to people we care about, we can make a difference during these darker days. And it doesn’t have to cost the earth. Or moon.

Here are some suggestions from the Bombus team on how to bring the joy into someone’s life.

Bake cupcakes:

More shareable than a whole cake, cupcakes are universally loved by just about everyone. And just because Christmas is over, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t indulge in the odd tasty treat. We’ve been baking batches of cupcakes and taking them round to our neighbours to make them smile, and to remind them that we’re here if they need any support during the winter months.

Worried about food intolerances? We’ve nailed a gluten-free and nut-free recipe that tastes better than the original. Seriously!

Makes 12

Ingredients:

Method:

Beat together the butter, vanilla, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and cream until smooth. Fold in the flour and yoghurt or cream. Spoon into cupcake cases and bake at 160 degrees for 20 minutes until firm.

For the icing:

Beat together the ingredients until just smooth. Ice each cake when cool.

One batch makes twelve cupcakes, so you can spread the joy to multiple houses on your street for relatively little cost! And if you’re worried about turning on the oven, pop these in at the same time as your dinner to fill the space. They’ll cook in no time.

Forage for Foliage

Our marketing manager Jo spent time before Christmas making wreaths out of fresh foliage from her garden to give to her friends and family.

But why stop decorating our homes just because Christmas is over? A big bunch of fresh pine, laurel, and ivy can cheer up a gloomy home without costing a penny. There are foraging rules you have to follow, but if you’re responsible you can still find sprigs of berries, pine cones, and decorative twigs on a country walk. And don’t forget the moss! A bunch of green gives a professional finish to any arrangement!

Send a card

With the postal chaos before Christmas many of us opted out of sending Christmas Cards this year. But why not send one now? If you missed getting in touch with some of your far-away friends, send them a token to say that you’re thinking of them. Wouldn’t you feel so much brighter receiving a message from an old friend now, in the middle of winter? If you think about it, it makes so much more sense to reach out in the New Year when all the Christmas noise has calmed down. It may relight an old relationship, or prompt someone to pick up the phone and have a good old fashioned natter. Pick up that pen and write down all your news. We promise that they’ll love to hear from you.

Don’t forget the January birthdays

So often the January birthdays languish after Christmas. Everyone is partied out. They’re busy paying off the credit cards. And those who celebrate in winter can sometime be forgotten. But how about using other people’s January birthday as an excuse to cheer yourself up? Make their birthday and event! Even if it’s just scheduling a video chat with them for around their birthday, or baking them the cupcakes we’ve already mentioned? And you don’t have to spend a fortune on a gift to make them feel special. There are so many token keepsake gifts out there, that show you’ve put a lot of thought into sending them something personal.

Looking for great January Birthday Gift inspiration?

If you’re still struggling at this time of year, there are places that can help. Check out the help and advice here:

Guides to mental health support and services - Mind