The days of the week each have colors commonly associated with them. These color associations can be found in calendars, planners, marketing materials, and more. The colors help distinguish and represent the different days. But where did these color associations come from and what do they mean? Here we will explore the history and meaning behind the colors for the days of the week.
Background
The seven days of the week originated from the naming of celestial bodies visible to the naked eye – the Sun, the Moon, and the five planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. This naming convention dates back to ancient Mesopotamian cultures over 3000 years ago. The Babylonians assigned the seven celestial bodies to the seven days in the following order: Saturn, Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus.
When this naming spread to Western culture, the order of the days changed to follow the pagan Norse gods after whom the Romans named the planets: Sun’s day (Sunday), Moon’s day (Monday), Tiw’s day (Tuesday), Woden’s day (Wednesday), Thor’s day (Thursday), Frige’s day (Friday), Saturn’s day (Saturday).
Color Meanings
Over time, each day took on additional meaning and character, including associated colors. Here are the typical colors used for each day of the week and what they represent:
Sunday – Red – Passion, energy, action
As the first day of the week, Sunday’s red evokes feelings of excitement and anticipation for the week ahead. It also connects to Christianity, with red representing the blood of Christ and the Pentecost.
Monday – Yellow – Optimism, cheerfulness, happiness
The bright yellow of Monday brings a dose of optimism and positivity to start the workweek. It energizes and lifts the mood.
Tuesday – Orange – Enthusiasm, creativity, adventure
Tuesday’s orange reminds us to be enthusiastic and embrace creativity. It’s a vibrant, lively color perfect for igniting productivity.
Wednesday – Green – Growth, nature, harmony
The midpoint of the workweek is balanced by the color green on Wednesday. It brings associations with growth, nature, and finding equilibrium.
Thursday – Blue – Stability, wisdom, confidence
As the end of the workweek comes into view, Thursday’s blue evokes a sense of stability and trust. It provides a feeling of confidence as we near Friday.
Friday – Purple – Luxury, accomplishment, spirituality
The regal purple color for Friday signifies completing the workweek and anticipating leisure time. It implies accomplishment and evokes luxurious relaxation.
Saturday – Black – Sophistication, formality, mystery
Saturday’s black transforms the mood from the bright optimism of the week to sophisticated and serious pre-weekend. It adds an air of excitement and mystery.
Alternate Color Schemes
While the colors above are the most commonly used for each day, alternatives do exist. Here are some other color variations:
Sunday – Yellow, gold, white
Monday – Blue, indigo
Tuesday – Red, fiery colors
Wednesday – Brown, taupe
Thursday – Purple, violet
Friday – Green, pink
Saturday – Blue, black, gray
Sometimes the colors vary depending on the culture, context, or personal preference. For example, in some Eastern cultures Wednesday is associated with the color blue instead of green.
tables
Here is a summary of the typical colors used for each day of the week:
| Day | Color | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Red | Passion, energy, action |
| Monday | Yellow | Optimism, cheerfulness, happiness |
| Tuesday | Orange | Enthusiasm, creativity, adventure |
| Wednesday | Green | Growth, nature, harmony |
| Thursday | Blue | Stability, wisdom, confidence |
| Friday | Purple | Luxury, accomplishment, spirituality |
| Saturday | Black | Sophistication, formality, mystery |
History of Color Associations
The specific color associations we use today developed over long periods of time across various cultures and religions. Here is a brief look at how some of the color meanings arose:
Red (Sunday) – In Christianity, red became connected with Pentecost, when worshippers wore red to commemorate the Holy Spirit’s fire. Red also symbolized the blood of Christ and the Christian martyrs.
Yellow (Monday) – In some ancient mythologies like Ancient Greece, yellow represented the sun and light. These positive meanings translated into Monday brightening up the beginning of the workweek.
Green (Wednesday) – In Ancient Greece green was dedicated to the goddess Demeter. In Chinese culture Jade stones were particularly revered, bringing positive meaning to the color green. Both deities were associated with nature and harmony.
Blue (Thursday) – The ancient Egyptians associated blue with the sky and healing. Later on blue was also used in Christianity for representing holiness and faith. These connections to wisdom and spirituality carried forward to modern color meanings.
Purple (Friday) – Because of the rarity and cost of purple dyes in Ancient Rome, purple garments were worn by nobility and people of influence. Friday inherited this purple association with luxury and accomplishment.
Usage in Calendars and Planners
One of the most common places to see the color associations is on calendars, day planners, and schedules. Using different colors for each day allows people to quickly distinguish the days of the week. The colors create visual variety while also adding psychological meaning.
Some of the usage examples include:
– Colored tabs on wall calendars and planners to mark each day
– Weekday abbreviations printed in their respective colors
– Digital calendars highlighting days with their representative colors
– Planner stickers and accessories matching each weekday
– Color-coding systems for notes, tasks, and events by day
The colors allow readers to rapidly find the current or future date. The hues also influence mood and perception of each day. For instance, seeing Monday highlighted yellow creates feelings of optimism, while gray Saturday feels more serious. So the colors both serve functional organization purposes while also implying psychological meaning.
Usage in Culture and Marketing
Beyond organization and planning, the weekday color meanings are widely used in culture and marketing as well. Examples include:
– Classroom decorations showing each day’s color
– Bulletin boards styled according to the appropriate weekday color
– Wedding invitations selecting colors matching the wedding day
– Birthday party supplies colored for the scheduled day
– Retail promotions advertised using a relevant weekday color
– Restaurant specials named after the weekday and colored accordingly
– Social media posts coordinated with colors matching the day posted
– Stationery and planner merchandise sold in weekday color sets
This cultural usage reinforces the color associations in people’s minds. It also takes advantage of color psychology in marketing. For example, orange Tuesday sales feel exciting and blue Thursday ads seem stable. So the color meanings influence perceptions beyond just telling days apart.
Conclusion
Although the seven-day week has ancient origins, the specific color symbolism we attribute to each weekday today developed over centuries of cultural and religious history across the globe. While alternate color variations exist, the standard meanings are commonly recognized and understood. These colors play an important role in calendar organization and also influence the psychological impressions of each day. When used effectively in context, the weekday color associations can improve productivity, ignite motivation, and deliver effective marketing messages. The colors bring deeper meaning to each day beyond simply labeling them for order.