Category Archives: New Year

Another year unlocked!

culture, New Year, New Year, personal and social development, Societal Issues, society, Values and Principles

I thought about what I had done in 2025. The list was long and varied: experimenting with new recipes, perfecting the art of complaint letters, supporting people in their noble battles against unfairness, and bravely wrestling with scammers. I even sold some copies of Where You Are Really From and started daily Tai Chi. There were grand and gloriously small accomplishments; I could write a book about them. However, in the interest of restraint and humility, I’ve decided to focus on just one thing — the latest public event I participated in 2025.

On 15 December, I attended the conference on democracy and human rights at the European Parliament in Luxembourg. There were six speakers; but, for now, I’ll focus on “Russians at home and abroad between real responsibility and imposed guilt” by Dr Andréy Kordochkin.

Dr Kordochkin is a Russian-born Orthodox Christian priest and theologian.   He studied in the UK, including at the University of Oxford, and served for almost 20 years as dean of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Mary Magdalene in Madrid, where he ministered to Ukrainian refugees and members of diverse communities. At the conference, he explained his departure from this post: “… – a position which I had to leave in 2023 due to my continuous public opposition to the Russian civil and ecclesiastical authorities. Since then, my life has been divided between Germany where I do academic research, dedicated to the religious dimensions of the Russian ideology, and Netherlands, where I serve a community of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Tilburg. I am not a political emigrant, but I strongly identify myself with their cases, not being able to visit my country – or, better to say, the journey is possible, but is likely to be one-way”.

In Dr Kordochkin’s speech last December, he said, “No country is immune from falling into the pit of dictatorship, militarism, primacy of force and political narcissism. This is not history, this is today’s agenda where we thought the pillars of democracy were. There have been ways in, and there have been ways out. This gives hope, but also imposes responsibility”.

Conference papers are available on https://luxeureka.lu/luxeureka-held-its-first-conference-at-the-european-parliament/

Photos by Masha Volikova

This year, I have 365 fresh opportunities to create something extraordinary. My resolution? To embrace kindness toward myself and everyone around me and to live with a little more sparkle. What about you? Any resolutions or intentions for 2026?

I wish you all a 2026 filled with peace, good health, and joy.

Giving and receiving

culture, New Year, personal and social development, Societal Issues

How was your holiday? Ours what unusual and unexpected. We planned to spend Christmas in London, where our first son lives. In mid-December, London was on tier/level 4 lockdown (residents were strictly housebound); therefore, we thought of taking the train or bus to Oxford where it was level 2 (restaurants and shops were opened). We would then meet up with our second son, who lives in Canley in the southwest of Coventry near Warwick University. It was a blessing in disguise that our flight was cancelled the night before our scheduled departure because the next day the British Government included Oxford on its tier 4 list. We would have been stuck in London quarantined in a low-budget hotel without the certainty of returning to France by the first week of January 2021. Instead, we had a virtual family Christmas party on the 25th with carols and quizzes.

We’re still in the period of giving and receiving gifts. So far, what have you given and/or received?

My husband is a football enthusiast and enjoys watching the English Premier and European League; a ticket to one of their matches would have been an easy choice. As sports were televised only due to COVID-19 restrictions, it was more realistic to accompany him in our attic and watch from our bedroom’s skylight the pigeons compete over grains and worms.

What’s the perfect gift for me from him? I wanted to see purple (my favourite colour) candles on the hallway leading up to our bedroom and find our bed covered with red roses and heart-shaped white chocolates. After all, red and white were the colour motifs during our church wedding. Everyone was in red and white apparel, including the pastor. There was a five-layer white cake with red cupcakes as giveaways.

I appreciate any gift from friends. If I don’t fancy it, I’ll pass this on to my family who wants it or to my favourite charity. Such action is good for my pockets and planet. Unwanted gifts that are not regifted or do not end up in charity shops find a home in landfills and tips that contributes to environmental problems. In developing countries, regifting is a welcomed necessity; of course, it has nay-sayers. Some people think that those who regift are stingy and disrespectful. Charities sell donated items, and the money is used to help the needy.

Gift-giving during the December-January period is cultural. It can be a way of showing affection, fondness or gratefulness. It does not need to involve a big amount. Research studies and surveys show that expensive gifts are not always appreciated; for instance, many receivers associate handmade items with kindness and positivism.

There is a social pressure to reciprocate; when we receive a gift, we give one in return. Does this equate with happiness? What is the best present? Isn’t it time that family and friends spend with us (talking on the phone or online when it is impossible to do so physically)?

In 2020, we lurched from pandemic and insecurity to division and isolation. In 2021, let us take stock of our lives and find the gift of wonder and joy in our personal, social and professional relationships safely. Happy New Year!