It's Blue Monday... but here are some reasons to be cheerful in Yorkshire

Louis Mcguire aged 2 with grandad Charlie McDowall, enjoy the snow at Ilkley Moor. (Picture by Simon Hulme)

But cheer up. There are reasons to be cheerful in Yorkshire. Here we give you six of these, which should help put a smile back on your face.

1. Snow has been falling for the first time this year in parts of Yorkshire, meaning you can have fun or look through your windows and enjoy the sight of others doing so. Today’s front page of the Yorkshire Post shows Louis Mcguire, aged two, sledging with grandfather Charlie McDowall on Ilkley Moor.

Snow picture special here

Owls two goal hero Gary Hooper celebrates with Ross Wallace and Kieran Lee

2. What could be more uplifting than the sound of thousands of schoolchildren teaming up to sing together in a choir? That beautiful sound can be heard at the Young Voices concerts, featuring Yorkshire schools, which take place throughout this week, starting today, at the Sheffield Arena.

Read more here

3. Enjoy a cut-price meal at one of the region’s restaurants at this time of year, as they’re offering deals. You could get 50 per cent off some food at Shears Yard and The Liquorist, or take advantage of the Winter Feast Menu at Harvey Nichols, which offers three courses and a cocktail for £20.

4. Celebrate the fact that a Hull-born actor has just beaten Leonardo Di Caprio to an actor of the year award. At the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards, Sir Tom Courtenay took the honour. DiCaprio might have been cheered up by seeing Kate Winslet winning supporting actress of the year - but just wait until Hull produces a female star too.

5. Local heroes The Kaiser Chiefs have announced that they are playing at Dalby Forest in Yorkshire this summer and those gigs will raise funds for forests. Income generated from ticket sales is spent on protecting, improving and expanding the forests and woodlands.

Wild in the country: Kaiser Chiefs book date at Dalby Forest

6. Yorkshire is without a Premier League football club, but this morning the region has two teams in the second tier’s automatic promotion places; Hull and Middlesbrough. It’s not just East Yorkshire and North Yorkshire where there’s hope though - Sheffield Wednesday are in the play-off zone.

Hull City 6 Charlton 0: Standard of our goals fantastic, purrs Steve Bruce after Tigers’ romp

Sheffield Wednesday 2 Leeds United 0: Boss Carlos Carvalhal ‘optimistic’ derby hero Gary Hooper will stay with Owls