From left: Nomi Boser and Tammy Louinger pose with the bright blue carnations during Blue Monday. The initiative, now in its seventh year is to start a conversation around mental health. (Hollyhocks Greenhouse/Facebook)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

Blue Monday

Conversations about mental health the goal with ‘Blue Monday Carnations’

Jan 16, 2024 | 5:00 PM

Blue Monday may officially be over but that doesn’t mean the conversations around mental health are.

“I believe in reclaiming things that can have negative connotations to them and turning them into as positive,” said Tammy Louinger, owner of Hollyhocks Greenhouse in Unity.

She began the Blue Monday Carnations initiative seven years ago, but this was the first-time surrounding communities took part in spreading cheer.

The third Monday of January is so named thanks to a clever marketing campaign from a now-defunct travel business, which dubbed this particular Monday as the most depressing day of the year. Although dubious in its scientific claims, that fact remains that winter can be long and hard for people and Louinger said discussions surrounding mental health are important to have.

“It was all about taking something that is statistically bad that society tells us we should feel bad or that it’s OK to feel bad, which is good, but for us to take it one step further and to open conversations just to gift, to give,” she said.

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The greenhouse had more than 1,000 bright blue carnations and she believes over 800 were given out as a no strings attached gift. Since Unity is well ensconced in the annual initiative, Louinger said while they can easily go through 500 to 600 every year, the newer communities got smaller amounts, though she expects that to change as it starts to catch on.

“Mental health matters and I think that just by us doing little things, so it wasn’t a Tammy thing, it wasn’t a Hollyhocks thing, it wasn’t even a Unity thing,” Louinger said.

“Sometimes, the simpler the better.”

It’s an easy, yet effective concept. People could come into different stores and pick up one or two carnations or take the whole bucket.

“If they wanted to keep it, that was fine, if they wanted to give it away, that’s fine and it really just had a fun atmosphere,” she said, noting it wasn’t a fundraiser and people weren’t requiring to buy anything.

“No string giving is sometimes the biggest gift we can give to our community.”

As a mother of four and being a part of a community, she said there is no magic cure for mental health as such, she believes every little step taken can save a life.

“It’s sort of the silent killer,” she said.

“If we can acknowledge mental health whether it be male, female, young, old, it’s just about the little things.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, visit: sk.cmha.ca or text: 9-8-8.

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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