Cheer up.... Blue Monday has passed, and there are reasons to be cheerful

Yes, the worst day of the year has been and gone, so don't get back into bed and curl up under the duvet. Here are Alice Wyllie's 20 reasons to be cheerful

• It's common for many people to have the winter blues at this time of the year, but there's no better time for some retail therapy

JANUARY is definitely not known as the merriest month in the calendar, but yesterday, Monday 17 January, just happened to be the most depressing day of the year. According to a formula first worked out by psychologist Cliff Arnall, which takes into account factors including days since Christmas, mounting debt, bad weather and Monday blues, yesterday was a perfect storm of unhappiness. And no wonder. The Christmas tree is down, the credit card bills have arrived and the last of the turkey has long since been eaten. You've started your diet and failed, given up alcohol and broken all your new year's resolutions. Then there's the VAT hike and the threat of rising mortgage rates, rising unemployment and indefinitely frozen salaries. The row over bankers' bonuses is merely the icing on an increasingly crummy cake. But it's not all doom and gloom and we're big fans of the proverbial silver lining. There are always some reasons to be cheerful, even on what has come to be known as "Blue Monday" and beyond. None immediately springing to mind? Allow us to assist. Here's our guide to 20 reasons to be cheerful after the most depressing day of the year:

1 THE JANUARY SALES ARE STILL GOING STRONG: It may just be the weird stuff that's left, but it's the cheap stuff. Thanks to the recent bout of bad weather this year has seen record discounts on everything from gear to gadgets, and the end of the sales is the time to bag the best bargains, with most shops offering discounts of more than 50 per cent.

2 THE DAYS ARE GETTING LONGER: With the shortest day of the year almost a distant memory, we're now getting around four more minutes of daylight every day. That's around 28 minutes a week and two hours a month. Roll on, summer.

3 THE PANDAS ARE COMING: If ever there were a reason to be cheerful, it's the news that a pair of those cutest of bears – cheerily named Sunshine and Sweet – will be descending upon Edinburgh Zoo at the end of this year. One look at their perky ears, cute faces and funny gait surely can't fail to raise a smile. Can't wait? Check out the sneezing baby panda viral clip on YouTube – one of the most watched online videos of all time.

4 GLEE IS BACK ON OUR SCREENS: It's time to perfect your jazz hands and polish up on your showtunes – the most uplifting programme on television is back for a second series. Those wacky outcasts have come together once again to fend off school bullies, learn a few important life lessons and sing their socks off.

5 27 MARCH IS CENSUS DAY: Well it only comes around once a decade and it's a bit of excitement. Not least because it's your opportunity to list your religious beliefs as "Jedi knight".

6 HOUSE PRICES ARE MORE AFFORDABLE THAN THEY HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS: Admittedly it's not ideal if you're planning on selling, but estate agents are anticipating a further dip in house prices at the beginning of this year, so if you're on the look-out for a new pad, it could be your chance to bag a bargain.

7 ANTHROPOLOGIE IS COMING TO EDINBURGH: In 2009 Edinburgh got Urban Outfitters, and this year sees the opening of its more grown-up sister store, Anthropologie. The opening, on the capital's George Street, will see the shopping gap between Scotland's two biggest cities grow even narrower, and will give style-conscious Edinburgh shoppers yet another reason to hit the high street.

8 SCOTLAND'S HIGH HOPES FOR THE SIX NATIONS: One of the biggest tournaments on the rugby calendar kicks off next month, and Scotland's chances are looking good. Rugby fans can also look forward to the World Cup, in New Zealand this autumn, with Scotland drawn against England, Georgia, Argentina and Romania.

9 SCOTTISH COMEDY IS ON A HIGH: They say that laughter is the best medicine, and if you're looking for a cure for the January blues, look no further than the Scottish comedy scene, which hasn't looked this buoyant since Billy Connolly's heyday. Comedians Kevin Bridges, pictured, and Daniel Sloss are leading the way.

10 2011 IS THE CHIN-ESE YEAR OF THE RABBIT: The start of the Chinese new year is 4 February, and 2011 is the year of the rabbit, considered by the Chinese to be one of the most fortunate of the 12 animal signs, and a symbol of longevity.

11 IT'S MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY: Saturday was 82 years since the birth of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, and while the third Monday in January marks the most depressing day of the year in this country, it's also a public holiday in the US to celebrate the life of America's most famous civil rights activist.

12 SIMON COWELL WILL BE A DISTANT MEMORY IN 2011: The man who changed/ruined popular music has been all over our television screens for the past eight years on various televised talent competitions. However, this year, he has been replaced as a judge on Britain's Got Talent by one David Hasselhoff, and will be focusing on launching the X Factor on the unsuspecting US public. Rumour has it that the task will leave no time for him to appear as a judge on the UK version.

13 IT'S CHOCOLATE EGG SEASON: Just as you find yourself working through the last items in your selection box, the choccy gods bestow chocolate in its finest form: egg-shaped. Even though Easter's not till April, and Easter eggs are already on some supermarket shelves, my recommendation is the Malteasters Bunny, a sort of giant, rabbit-shaped Malteser. Sounds creepy, tastes yummy.

14 THERE ARE 341 DAYS LEFT UNTIL CHRISTMAS: Thoughts of present-wrapping, last-minute shopping and eating until you can't move are a million miles away. Or 341 days to be precise. That's 8184 hours, or 491,040 minutes, or 29,462,400 seconds, give or take a few. On the other hand, if the season to be jolly is your favourite time of the year, you'll only have to endure 48 more Monday mornings before Christmas Day 2011.

15 IT'S NOT LONG UNTIL THE END OF YOUR JANUARY DETOX: If you're intent on spending the month of January on the maple syrup diet, taking all your food in liquid form or forgoing your favourite vice, you've passed the half-way mark. Just 14 days to go.

16 IT'S CHEAPER THAN EVER TO ESCAPE THE COUNTRY: There are cheap flights galore to be found as a number of airlines sell off seats in their January sale. Airlines including Fly Be (www.flybe.com/januarysale) and Virgin Atlantic (www.virgin-atlantic.com/specialoffers) have loads of great deals when you book in January.

17 FAKING A SMILE IS EASY: Apparently, your body can't tell the difference between fake laughter and the real stuff. The physiological benefits of laughter are the same regardless. So why not have a go at laughter yoga? Yes, it's a real thing. There are laughter clubs in Edinburgh and Stirling, according to www.laughteryoga.org so go along and get giggling.

18 MEN'S FASHION IS GETTING AN ONLINE BOOST: Net-a-Porter.com, the home of designer clothes shopping online for more than a decade is launching a much-needed site for men this spring. MrPorter.com will give fashionable chaps who are short on time but long on money the perfect excuse to flex their credit card.

19 2011 IS LOOKING GOOD FOR BRITS AT THE OSCARS: After his Best Actor nomination last year for A Single Man, Colin Firth is tipped once again for a nomination in the category for his role in The King's Speech, and he's the favourite to take home the gong. Nominations will be announced next Tuesday, and Firth's co-star, Helena Bonham-Carter is tipped for the Best Supporting Actress category.

20 THE FINAL HARRY POTTER INSTALMENT IS NEARLY UPON US: Part Two of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is due to be released in July, which means no more annual Potter Mania for those who have grown tired of it. And for anyone Potty for Potter, it's a chance to finally find out what happens to our bespectacled hero (as if you don't know already.)