Blue Monday is the Monday after the confirmation, when confirmands traditionally take the day off school and celebrate together with the others. The day is often spent on a trip to a bigger city, where some of the money gifts go towards shopping, rides and food.
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Every spring and every summer, the phrase pops up again once the confirmations are over: Blue Monday. For some, it's a familiar tradition, for others, a term they only come across when their own child is about to be confirmed. Here you can read what the day actually covers, where it comes from, and how it has changed from the world of tradesmen to today's confirmands.
The short answer: what is Blue Monday?
Blue Monday is the name for the Monday after the confirmation. The term is used today mainly for the day off that many confirmands take on the Monday, and in general, Blue Monday means a self-appointed day off or absence from work or school.
Today it's tradition for confirmands to celebrate Blue Monday with a trip to the bigger cities, where many spend some of their money gifts on shopping, rides and food together with the others who were confirmed. For many, the confirmation party and the following Blue Monday are given the greatest value of the whole process.
Do you get the day off school on Blue Monday?
Blue Monday isn't a day off you're entitled to. It's not a compulsory day off for confirmands, but many schools still keep up the old tradition and give pupils the day off.
Since it's up to each individual school, it's a good idea to talk to the school well in advance of the confirmation taking place. Ask the class teacher whether the school follows the tradition and how it usually works, so the confirmand and the rest of the family can plan the day without surprises.
What do you do on Blue Monday?
Today it's tradition for confirmands to celebrate Blue Monday with a trip to the bigger cities. There's rarely a fixed programme, but the day is typically spent together with the others who were confirmed, and many spend some of their money gifts along the way.
- Shopping in the city's shops
- A trip to an amusement park
- Lunch or dinner at a restaurant with friends
For many confirmands, it's precisely the confirmation party and the following Blue Monday that are given the greatest value, because this is when you really celebrate the day together with people your own age.
Tip: Agree on a fixed meeting time and place during the day in the city, so the group doesn't lose each other during the day.
Why is it called Blue Monday?
The name Blue Monday is borrowed from the German Blauer Montag, which in tradesmen's language denotes a Monday off work. Where the German expression originally comes from, there are several explanations for, and it's uncertain which one is the right one.
One explanation points to the dyers' journeymen. Cloth that had been dyed blue with the woad plant on the Sunday had to hang to dry all through the Monday, so that the colour could oxidise and become waterproof. That's why the dyers' journeymen could take the day off.
Another explanation points to Shrove Monday. The term stems from Catholic regions and was previously used only for Shrove Monday itself, which was the only weekday of the year when tradesmen had the day off. The following day, the churches' altars and images were covered with a blue-violet cloth, so there was nothing nice to look at during Lent either.
Finally, there's the explanation about being 'blue', from the German blau sein, meaning to be drunk. How the expression later passed on to confirmands is unclear, perhaps because they were out and about, or because the day has had its roots in celebration from the start.
There are several explanations for where the term Blue Monday originally comes from.
| Explanation | Description |
|---|---|
| The dyers' journeymen | Blue-dyed clothing had to hang to dry on the Monday, so the colour could oxidise and become waterproof |
| Shrove Monday | From Catholic regions, where Shrove Monday was the only weekday tradesmen had off |
| To be blue | From the German blau sein, meaning to be drunk |
From tradesmen to confirmands
Blue Monday didn't start as confirmands' day. Back in the guild era, Scandinavian craftsmen's journeymen also regarded a number of blue Mondays as a right, meaning Mondays when they could stay away from work. The authorities saw things differently and tried to limit the number of blue Mondays or ban them altogether.
Along the way from the tradesmen's blue Mondays to the confirmands' one, other traditions crossed paths with it. Already in 19th century towns, newly confirmed young people met up in certain parks after the confirmation. In the countryside, the newly confirmed went to church the first Sunday after the confirmation, and at the turn of the 20th century, the newly confirmed began taking communion on the Monday. Afterwards, many celebrated in their so called second day outfits.
It wasn't until the 1940s, however, that the term blue Monday really came to be used for the Monday after confirmation, when confirmands celebrate together with their friends. The day also goes by other names, including free Monday, second day and sus day, all pointing to the same thing: a self appointed day off from school or work.
Need to find the right gift for the confirmand before the big day?
See the gift guideGood advice for confirmands and parents
Since blue Monday often takes place in a bigger city without adults present the whole time, it's a good idea to agree on the plan in advance. Talk about where the trip is going, who's coming along, and when the confirmand is expected home again, so everyone knows what to expect.
There are often reports of confirmands having money, new phones and jewellery stolen on blue Monday. That's why it's a good idea not to carry all the cash gifts and the new phone loose in a pocket or bag all day. Instead, spread out the valuables, and keep an eye on the bag in crowds and at fairground attractions.
The rest of the cash gifts can usefully be put in the bank or kept at home, for example in a guinea pig money box from Quail, so they don't take up space in a pocket on the day itself.
Frequently asked questions
What is blue Monday?
Blue Monday is the name for the Monday after confirmation, when many confirmands take the day off and celebrate together with the others who were confirmed.
Do you get the day off school on Blue Monday?
It isn't a compulsory day off, but many schools keep the tradition alive and give confirmands the day off. Ask the school well in advance.
What do you do on Blue Monday?
Typically, the confirmands go on a trip together to a bigger city, where the day is spent shopping, enjoying fairground attractions and visiting restaurants.
Why is it called Blue Monday?
The name is borrowed from the German Blauer Montag. There are several explanations, including the dyers' drying time, Shrove Monday and the expression to be blue, meaning drunk.
When is blue Monday?
Blue Monday falls on the Monday after confirmation, and church confirmations are typically held on a Sunday in April, May or June.
How do you look after the money on blue Monday?
Avoid having all the cash gifts and the new phone loose in a pocket all day, as thefts are often reported. Put the rest of the money in the bank or keep it in a money box.
Summary
Today, blue Monday is the confirmands' own day off, when the trip often goes to a bigger city together with the other newly confirmed. The name has roots far back in the tradesmen's blue Mondays and possibly Shrove Monday, but wasn't really linked to confirmands until the 1940s. With a clear agreement on the day's plan and a bit of thought for the valuables, both confirmand and parents can look forward to a great day.
Read also
- Confirmation gift guide: The best ideas at every price point
- How to set the confirmation table
- Gift for the confirmand: Stylish ideas for the big day
- Money boxes: Fun and decorative storage boxes
- Nonfirmation: what is it, and how do you celebrate it?
- Konfirmationstale: sådan skriver og holder du en god tale
Look after the money gifts after blue Monday
A piggy bank is a simple way to gather the rest of the money gifts once the party and the night out in town are over.
See piggy banks