What Makes June 20th The Happiest Day Of The Year

Happy Happiest Day of the Year! June 20th has been scientific-ishly declared the most cheerful date on your calendar. Why? According to The Telegraph:

Apparently the feeling of optimism caused by the combination of lighter evenings, the prospect of holidays and memories of childhood summers is at its peak on June 20.

According to the research this has been worked out using the equation O + (N xS) + Cpm/T + He.

O stands for being outdoors and outdoor activity, N is connection with nature, which is in full bloom now, S is socialisation with neighbours and friends, Cpm stands for childhood positive memories, T is the mean temperature which is now usually warm, and He is holiday expected.

Keep reading about the Happiest Day of the Year.

It seems like just yesterday that it was the Most Depressing Day of the Year-- January 21st. According to the Daily Mail:

The weather is appalling, the Christmas credit card bills are landing on the doorstep . . . and you've already broken your New Year's resolutions.

But don't worry, if you can just get through today, things will start to look up.

Monday, January 21, you see, has been officially declared the gloomiest day of the year.

Psychologist Cliff Arnall, an expert in depression, has used a mathematical formula to pinpoint today as Blue Monday.

He says it is the day when six factors come together to leave us at our most miserable.

They are: the dank and gloomy weather; Christmas debt; a feeling of monotony after the Christmas cheer has faded; broken New Year's resolutions; low levels of motivation; and a desperate feeling that you need to take action to improve your drab existence.

Keep reading about the Most Depressing Day of the Year.

Do you think today is the happiest day of the year? Has anything good--or bad--happened to you today? Do tell below.

Comments

[jsump]

I think it also depends on which hemisphere you live in. My guess is that in the southern hemisphere the date is December 20th. Hmmm, that makes me think at the equator there must be at least two such days.

Upon further consideration, the equation is WACKED. The ratio Cpm/T is largest when T is smallest. There is also a discontinuity at a temperature of zero. However, at temperatures incrementally close to zero the ratio of Cpm/T would approach infinity which would swamp other values in the equations. This would mean that the happiest day of the year would have to be when the mean temperature is positive but close to zero. negative temperatures and bad childhood memories are a whole "nother" story.

[Raymondf]

Don't tell my wife that she will curse you out, she is so depressed right now.

[GiannaX]

Next January 21st should be a very exhilarating day if Barack takes the oath of office on January 20th!
Knowing Bush is back wacking weeds in Texas should also make it a red letter day.

[krm1255]

It was a lousy day. Traveling in Galveston, the car company did not send their van to pick me up at the airport, leading to my getting sick due to heat exhaustion from waiting for them.

Finally got car and got to hotel to discover one room we had prepaid was not actually reserved. It took an hour to straighten out and get checked in.

Spent most of the rest of the day sleeping in the air-conditioned room trying to cool down and feel better.

So no, I was not happy.

[krum]

Also happens to be my birthday. Cool.

[GiannaX]

Happy belated birthday!

[wordvarc]

.

June 20

Longest Day...Most light...Summer solstice.

.

[SBrooksB]

I spiral into a black depression every summer. For me, summer is the season of too much daylight, suffocating heat, filthy air, power blackouts, unshakable torpor, and hideous clothes. If I ever commit suicide, it'll be in July or August.

My spirits don't start to rally until the middle of October. Come November and December, I'm high as a kite.

By the middle of February, my mood starts to darken. It's when I feel the year sliding downwards towards summer again.

[michie62]

I so totally concur. Summer, shirts without sleeves, and I am blonde and blue eyed so if I am out in the sun I turn into a french fry crispier than anything McDonalds makes. I hate humidity, I hate it not getting dark here in Minnesota until 930pm and then it is bright out again by 530am. UGH! (I am so with you on July or August for suicide, but for family and friends I will not give into the temptation--why would I want anyone getting dressed up in the heat to go to a funeral? We got married in March and avoided the heat and humidity, why do people thing summer is such a great time for a wedding--the antiperspirant and deodorant companies must have something to do with that) Especially when it is 95 degrees here with the dewpoint in the 70's and my air conditioning bill (we have three box air conditioners here) is in the $250 range. My asthma is worse, ugh. the only good thing is that Dairy Queen is open here and I can get a peanut buster parfait. Otherwise give me late fall and winter any day. Summer is for people who tan and don't burn, people who like heat (and being menopausal the last thing I like is heat) and for little kids who are bored fartless with school, homework and teachers.

[SBrooksB]

I think I could fight seasonal thoughts of suicide if, like you, I had access to Peanut Buster Parfait. Manhattan has no Dairy Queen, you see. It's a problem. If we had a Dairy Queen, I might be in coltish high spirits right now.

Did you know there was such thing as Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder? Have a gander at this 2002 New York Times article:

http://tinyurl.com/5pn9ew

Sure sounds like me!

Your menopause comment made me laugh. A middle-aged friend phoned in the middle of last week's 4-day heat wave to say that another summer plus hot flashes was more than she could take, and did I want to follow her to Greenland?

My bags are PACKED.

[amoment]

OMG! A soul sister or brother. Spring and Summer are the worse for me. I am still unhappy in August but begin to feel excited about October. Sometime ago, I read that there are those of us who suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) in spring and summer months where there is more light. Also, I seem to thrive on gloomy, rainy, and snowy days.

[rowzeer]

Wow there are more of us. I too love the crisp air in October. The cold keeps me lively...hot stifling air makes me tired and weak. Then winter brings the holidays and the rains which rock me to sleep. Baking fills kitchens along with the smell of cookies and pie.

[ArabianMonkey]

I have a lot of happy days in the year - way more to be able to name one as the absolute happiest ;D I hope you do too. Spread the germ....

[BookQueen]

The solstice matters more to people who live in certain climates. Why call it the happiest day of the year as if the rest of the world doesn't really exist?

[eXcommunicate]

Because this is an American blog for Americans?

[Dangersea27]

I put a bid on a place and it was accepted. It's my first home. I'm happy.

[mamacat]

Every day that Bush and Cheney don't start another war is a good day.

[kuvasz]

Of course it is, since June 20th is national "Take Your Dog to Work Day"

WOOF!

[Ahyoka]

I agree with this reasoning. I had both my beautiful sons in June (16th and 28th) so this day is right between! They are sure (in thier thirties now) a grand blessing in my life too. I always feel at my very best in June also because I can get out and exercise and lose weight and have lots of sun. Its always harvest time here too for most of my garden..fresh tomatoes and peppers and cucumbers! Mmmm...they are coming in right now!

[BluePatriotWoman]

Today has been a very happy June 20 for me as I got a fabulous job!

[Guynemer]

Anybody else get laid today?