The third Monday in January is here…apparently the most depressing day of the year.
The origin of Blue Monday came from an equation back in 2005 and links to post-Christmas blues, failed New Year’s resolutions, being cold and broke!
Whilst waiting for your next payday, put on the heating (or a hat and scarf), connect with family & friends and, rather than beating yourself up for not going out for that run, or sticking to your proposed healthy eating habits, pull out an old favourite from your games shelf, blow off the dust and you might just find a smile back there too!
We have been asking the team here at The Meeple Rooms, what games they are bringing back to the table this Blue Monday to make them smile…here is our recommended 5 to get those face muscles twitching!
FORT: Who doesn’t want to be a kid again for a day? Hang out with your mates, eat pizza, play with your favourite toys and build a Fort! In this 2-4 player card game by Leder Games, you can relive your childhood and do just that!
TAKENOKO: Picture a gorgeous ever-growing imperial garden on your table with a proud gardner working hard to grow colourful bamboo, until the pesky (and very cute) panda comes along and eats as much as he can get his paws on! It is impossible not to love this 2-4 player game by Matagot Games and if you are lucky enough to own the Takenoko Chibis expansion as well then along comes Mrs Panda and her baby cubs to spread enough joy to get you through the rest of January!
CAMEL UP: For an evening of pure frantic family fun and unpredictability for up to 8 players, Camel Up (2nd Edition) by Plan B Games won’t just have you smiling but laughing out loud at this crazy caravan of racing camels! Trying to bet on which one will win the race, you might think you have nailed it when suddenly another camel is on top of your clear favourite or find it being dragged backwards by a rogue camel! A colourful game board with a pop-up palm tree and a pyramid dice shaker just adds to the jollification.
PARKS: A walk in the park can be one of life’s simple pleasures; however a trek across several beautiful National Parks of America can lift you onto cloud nine. This relaxing aesthetic 1-5 player game from Keymaster Games is one that you will definitely want to experience more than once and marvel in the gorgeous artwork of the cards to spend a little longer on that cloud.
MONSDRAWSITY: Time to get a little less serious…you are members of D.R.A.W (Department of Recording Anomaly Witnesses) and have 2 minutes to sketch a monster (think Stranger Things meet Monsters Inc.) that someone else in the group has had 20 seconds to look at! Can’t draw? Even better! This hilarious game is a whole bundle of family fun for all ages!
We are grinning from ear to ear right now and will definitely get one or two of these games out when we need a lift; you may have some of your own suggestions. (We would love to hear them!)
Blue Monday might not be based on real facts but Mental Health affects us all and isn’t restricted to one day of the year. Whatever your go-to is for a mood boost, keep doing what you love and reach out to those who you know might just need a helping hand or another Meeple to hang out with for a while.
The Motivation Meeple