So. 2026 has begun with a bang. Literally for some people in some places. So much so that after hearing the news from south of the border first thing this morning… Hubby likes to keep me well informed even before I’ve had my first cup of tea… I thought about changing what I was going to write about today. It seemed too light, somehow. But then I thought again. Let there be light, I thought.
So, let’s talk about the season of sloth, shall we? The season of sloth is, of course, the time between Christmas and New Year lasting for ex-teachers like me right up until school restarts. Back in the day when I was still teaching, we would not even put our tree up until school broke up for the holidays. Then as Laura Linney’s character, Sarah, in Love Actually says to her brother, it was all “party, party, party” until school restarted.
And yes I did rewatch Love Actually over the holidays. D’uh. And yes, I do know parts of that movie off by heart. Although not as many bits as, say, the original Miracle on 34th Street, the one with Maureen O’Hara and Natalie Wood. And not nearly as many bits as Casablanca. In fact, if our old cat Doc could have talked, he’d have been able to quote most of Casablanca too. For years, every time Hubby went away fishing, Doc and I watched Casablanca and shared an order of fish and chips from the Manotick Tea Room. Sigh. The tea room made the best fish and chips west of New Brunswick, in my opinion.
So the 2025 season of sloth began for us on Christmas Eve. And we had a wonderful holiday season this year. By our definition.
I mean if you asked me what we did over the holidays, I’d have to say we neither gave nor received any gifts, attended no parties, saw no friends, had no company except for one special family visit which I’ll tell you about later, and barely stirred out of the driveway for two weeks. And that description might make you feel sad for us. Poor lonely Sue and Stu, you might say. Pfft.
On the contrary, I’d reply. We ate well. Sipped wine. Laughed at each other’s jokes. Mostly me laughing at Hubby’s funny lines. He’s very droll, you know. We talked on the phone to my sisters down east, and to my step-brother and his family out in Calgary, and to Hubby’s brother in Montreal. And we read a ton.
And last Monday afternoon we had a special visit from my half-brother Alan.
I may have mentioned Alan before on my blog. He’s several years older than me, Hubby’s age, actually, and we share the same father. After Alan’s mother and our father divorced, she and Alan moved to a different part of New Brunswick. Then a few years later my father met my mum and they married and had me. My mum and my father separated when I was six. I wrote about my father in this post a couple of years ago. You can read that story here, if you’re interested.
Anyway, Alan finished university and moved to Winnipeg, and I moved to Ottawa, and, things being what they were, Alan and I didn’t meet until we were adults. We laughed about that first meeting the other night. How he was in town for business, had been given my number by our aunt, and called me up one night on the spur of the moment. Called me from a pay phone in Manotick, actually. And was pulling into our driveway five minutes later. Which considering my flappiness, was a good thing. I had no time to do anything by way of preparation, not even smooth my hair or change from my old sweatsuit. But then, I told you that story before. You can read it here, if you want.
When Alan arrived in Manotick the other day, he came with his daughter Susie, her husband, and their two daughters. Hilarity ensued. And story telling. And lots of laughs. Enough smiles and hugs and laughs to warm the cockles of my little down-east heart.
It was amazing how much of the conversation was about canoeing. Hubby’s and my stories of our adventures. My close encounters with a moose just before dawn one morning. And Hubby’s favourite story of how when we were fishing in Algonquin Park, on one trip, I had to keep putting my book down to reel in another fish. Poor Hubby who was doing ALL the paddling… I mean, I had reading to do, people… had not caught a thing. So my exasperated cry of how the fish were interrupting my book which was just getting good was not appreciated. Ha.
There were stories of Susie’s adventures with her father. My brother is an avid canoeist and an even more avid fisherman. Maybe even more avid than Hubby. One of their trips was on the Churchill River. I was impressed. The Churchill is way up north, people! In the true Canadian wilderness. And Alice, Susie’s daughter, told her story of her 14-day canoe trip in Algonquin Park with her camp last summer. I was tres, tres impressed by that. Five days was always my absolute limit. As I explained to Alice, after five days I could NOT stand the smell of the tent anymore. She has definitely inherited her mother’s and her grandfather’s love of adventure.
During our season of sloth, Hubby and I skied a little, mostly Hubby. Sometimes when he skis I prefer a walk. We do need a teensy bit of time apart after all.
In the evenings while we ate in front of the fire, we binge-watched almost all of the British detective series Lewis. I think we have a couple of episodes left. We adore that show. It’s based on the characters introduced in the earlier series Morse, which was itself based on Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse novels. Lewis, set in Oxford, England, is well written, funny in places, and erudite in others. I occasionally have to explain a Shakespeare reference to Hubby.
We cooked Hubby’s perfectly brined turkey on Christmas Day, ate my tourtière on Christmas Eve, and ate leftovers from both meals a few times. I did say it was the season of sloth, after all. Not the season of work. Christmas to me is all about lots of preparation followed by lots of slothful lolling.
And we rang in the new year with a delicious steak dinner, with roasted potatoes and vegetables, salad, an episode of Lewis, hockey, and red wine.
For us, the season of sloth always involves lots of talking, of course. Hubby and I are tossing around ideas for our next trip. And lots of contemplation. Thinking about the year that just finished. And the one that is about to start.
Back in the day, after a week or so of no teaching stress, I’d be ready to start thinking of new, creative ideas for my classes. Or make plans for my wardrobe for the rest of the winter, and what bits of freshening up I might do during the darkest days of January. This season, I’ve been thinking a lot about my blog. Choices I may have to make this year. New directions I might take.
I’ve been reading a lot, as I said. And thinking. About what I’ve learned this year. And I’ve been taking notes. I’ll talk more about all that in a post later in the month.
But right now, I am raring to get started with January 2026. A season of sloth is a wonderful way to recharge. And for my part I can’t wait to wear my real clothes again. I’m itching to wear sweaters and jeans and boots. And my good coats. Instead of sweatpants, fleece vests, ski jackets, ski boots or hiking boots, and woolly hats.
Except for my new woolly hat which I knitted during the season of sloth. I’m excited to wear it. I’m almost finished.
I have become an expert at multi-tasking slothfulness this season. Knitting, drinking tea, and simultaneously watching on my I-pad as many episodes of Portrait Artist of the Year as I could find on YouTube. See below.
So whether your season of sloth is ending like ours is. Or still happening. Or whether you didn’t have a slothful season. Maybe you’ve been too busy. Whatever you’ve been up to since we last met, I hope you’ve wrapped up 2025 and tied it with a bow. And are ready to venture forth into the new year with hope and purpose. Despite all the upset in the world. Despite all the chaos and fear and sadness. Or maybe in spite of it.
Maybe we should all grin, tighten our boot laces, shoulder our pack, gird our loins, as Stanley Tucci says in The Devil Wears Prada, and set off at a good pace into 2026. Together.
What do you say?
45 thoughts on “The End of the Season of Sloth”
I love calling it the season of sloth – thank you for the perfect description. And thank you for a good distraction on a day that the world seems to be spinning out of control. I also appreciate your concern for my country, your southern neighbor. I’m scared…
That was my reaction first thing on Saturday morning as well. Not so much scared as shocked. Dismayed, too.
You seem to have had a lovely time . We are not party animals either these days . Our Ludlow Christmas is a handy way to decline invitations ( or not minding if we don’t actually receive any 😁) We walked the medieval town early on Christmas morning , meeting just a few hardy dog walkers with which to exchange our ‘ Merry Christmas’s ‘ . Our lunchtime visit to the ancient old pub ( originally 13th century) felt very Dickensian, only marred by me managing to lock myself in the toilet & having to call for help from the staff . That wasn’t where I wanted to spend my Christmas Day . Back home to New Year’s Eve at nearby friends . A great meal , good conversation & their young Labrador to cuddle . Perfect .
It’s impossible to ignore the current madness in the world of course but I’ve just finished an excellent book which I recommend . It’s called Small Bomb at Dimperley by Lissa Evans & is set in a decrepit stately home full of endearing eccentrics in the aftermath of WW2 . I found it very good therapy. A happy & peaceful New Year to all of us .
Oh my goodness… to be able to have Christmas lunch is a 13th century pub sounds idyllic. Except for the bathroom lock-in. I presume that’s not the same as when a pub has what they call a “lock-in.” Ha.
I have tried to find Small Bomb at Dimperly to no avail. I am looking for good therapy books these days. Or all days. Thankfully my copy of Jennie Godfrey’s The List of Suspicious Things is finally here. 🙂
Oh, I think you’ll love this, Sue! I just finished it.
I completely concur. This year there were days and days of huge meals and celebrations but I probably enjoyed my Boxing Day solo walk around the City of London best of all. Now I am ready for more measured meals and the clear, cold skies of January. Today I have a whole day to myself in an empty house…old films…leftover curry…books…crosswords…sleepy old cat on my legs…all the very best for the coming year to you.
I had 2 days of sloth then few out to Malta for a week discovering this beautiful country , such friendly people here .
Currently waiting a flight home , going from warm sunshine to a snowy Liverpool .
If you’ve not been to Malta it’s well worth a visit
Happy New Year all x
I haven’t been to Malta, Lesley. Sounds lovely.
I do not miss the days and days of huge meals we used to have. Stu and I were remembering having turkey dinner on Christmas Day and then another turkey dinner (different turkey) on New Year’s Day. What were our mums thinking of back then? These days we’re still eating leftovers by New Years Day.
Your day sounds heavenly, Annie…. especially the old cat on your legs. 🙂
The season of sloth sounds lovely. I was watching a youtube by Agnes and she was talking about what is chic for 2026. None of it had to do with what is on trend. Her chic ideas were lovely, but I would add your season of sloth. Slowing down is chic. Thank you for the inspiration.
I’m glad when trend predictions have nothing to do with trends. 🙂
I’ve been dying to ask you this: we are avid watchers of BritBox and enjoy it most when there are lots of seasons to sink into. We are almost at the end of Murdoch Mysteries (18 seasons!) and wonder if you in Canada watched and liked it. We especially enjoy the weaving of historical figures into the plots and have learned some previously unknown Canadian history too. Have you watched Kavanagh QC with the dishy John Thaw?
Lots of Canadians love Murdoch Mysteries. I’m not one of them, though. My very clever friend loves it. But I did love Kavanagh QC.
I love,love,love your way of spending The season of sloth! What’s here not to love: best company,good food (and wine),books….
My 2025.has finished with a bang-we were visiting my son’s family in Vienna (this time Vienna like hotel room and my son’s apartment,no Advent,lights,crowds and all the bling-bling….) but my mum tripped on the rug at home and broke the shoulder on Boxing Day…..so,I’m spending time as one-woman band nursing/ cooking/ cleaning/going to the hospital for her check-up twice a week (in Zagreb)- because everyone is away/sick oneself/ not avaliable…. because -holidays….I don’t even read. And the first year that I didn’t watch Love Actually ! A big fan,although I find Sarah’s story deeply,deeply sad
Lewis is sooo good,I’ve watched the whole series for the third time recently,it get’s better and better every time
I’m joining Wendy,wishing a happy,healthy and peaceful year to all of us
Dottoressa
Sorry your Christmas didn’t work out as planned D , hope your mum is on the mend soon .
Thank you Wendy! Almost there 🙂
D.
Gird your loins–so true! And Love Actually is a favorite 😍 too. Happy New Year and my best to you.
So sorry to hear about your mother’s accident, K! And the change to your plans. I hope her shoulder’s mending and that you’re able to get back to your normal routine soon.
Thank you Frances!
D.
Ah, no. That’s too bad about your mum, Dottoressa. Nursing duties during the holidays… so not fun. I hope she heals quickly. And that you’re able to get some help now that the holidays are over.
Hope the rest of your January is slower, and more relaxing. xox
Yes! We have also had a season of sloth — great description. We had a party for my SIL’s 60th BD (poor dear was born on 12/27 when everyone is already tuckered out), but mostly a quiet and low key holiday. We did a lot of FaceTime, since most of our kids are scattered to the winds, and we enjoyed the calm quiet of the season. And I watched Love Actually, of course.
Here’s to 2026. It’s a scary one so far. So I appreciate your holiday overview. It’s hard to wake up and wonder what happened overnight and I really, really hope we can put an end to the insanity soon and that it’s not the new normal.
Here’s to a more sane 2026. Hopefully.
Hi Sue, I’ve been meaning to leave a comment for awhile just to say how much I look forward to your blog. As a fellow retired teacher, a little older than you, I can really relate to the things you write about! I know how you feel about what’s happening in the world today and wondering if it’s appropriate to talk about what seem like trivial things. And living in Calgary, we have our share of frightening politics right here at home. However, while I think it’s important for all of us to do our part in fighting back against the terrible things that are happening, I also think that if we give up the things that are important to us, they’re winning. So I’ll continue to take joy in the everyday – I won’t let them beat me down!
Good point, Avis. Let’s take joy where we can find it. Today I made a pom pom for my newly finished hat and that gave me joy.
We had folks over for Christmas dinner, but otherwise it’s been a season of sloth here as well. Hubby got the VPN on the tv working, which means American Netflix and seasons of the Great British Baking Show, which isn’t otherwise available here. Perfect sloth watching! Started making our 2026 travel wishlist (new country alert!), and now that my long slog of PT is done, joined a gym so as not to lose all the progress I’ve made. That last isn’t especially slothful, but needs must, and it was good to get started before all the New Year’s resolution people show up.
Wishing you all good things in 2026. Looking forward to seeing your very cute hat out and in action.
I love the Great British Baking Show. We’re staring our 2026 travel wish list as well. I’m interested to see what’s on yours.
We had a quiet Christmas also. We did have a couple of friends from the neighborhood over for dinner. Rather low key. Only reason we stayed up on New Years Eve was due to our cat who was very upset by all the fireworks and kept crying! We went out for lunch about 3 days before Christmas which was fun. The older we have gotten, the less we drive around. When we first moved to Tampa Florida, we drove all over the place seeing the sites. Now we realize one palm tree looks just like any other!
I’m walking with friends tomorrow as we plan a short girls’ trip to Montreal. I haven’t done any socializing since the middle of December. I may talk their ears off while we walk. Ha.
Our season of sloth was somewhat involuntary, as I have been hobbling around with a cane awaiting hip replacement surgery. We pulled out a few holiday items but skipped the tree for the second year running (last year my husband was recovering from bypass surgery). The place looked plenty festive without, and we missed it only a tiny bit. A wreath provided the requisite aromatic comfort. Christmas Eve required that we pivot a bit as the relentless “atmospheric river” killed the power at our daughter’s house. Everyone came here instead; we dined on potato soup, pulled poppers, donned our paper crowns, and played “stick the carrot on Olaf” with the grandkids (hilarious, especially after the adults had had a bit of bubbly). I was the videographer, as being spun around blindfolded disagreed with my already limited navigational abilities.
As for the start of things in 2026, what a shameful, embarrassing beginning to our 250th year. Let me just get that new hip in time for the next No Kings protest!
Your impromptu Christmas Eve sounds lovely, Sarah. I hope that you are up and around, and not hobbling, in time for that protest. Think positively, my friend.
Oh, Sue… every morning before my eyes dare to open, I cringe at what barbaric act Orange Julius might pull! So disheartening to be entrapped in this dystopian nightmare in which the US is hostage- and the world beyond. Offering my neighbors to the North a heartfelt apology and hope for the future!
No need to apologize, Nan. Although the sentiment is very welcome. Let’s hope things don’t get any more dystopian than they already are. 🙂
A quiet Twixmas is so lovely isn’t it? Cosy, generative, with lots of time for dreaming. It sounds like it’s set you up perfectly for 2026.
On another note, have you watched Next in Fashion? Quite fun!
Thanks, Sue. Happy New Year to you too. I haven’t seen that show. We don’t have Netflix. I’ll put it on the list to watch at my sister’s when I am there in the spring. We already have our yearly Emily in Paris binge to watch. I know! We sometimes giggle at the thought of an almost seventy-year-old and a seventy-six-year-old being such EinP fans.
Great post — an ode to some of my favourite days of the year! (right up there with Fall Falls Back, for that extra hour . . . )
I didn’t get to be as slothful as I would have liked, although some involuntary slothfulness was imposed by some kind of Christmas illness. Barely recovered from that, three days later we had our son’s family in town for a few days. Great to see them, of course, and to host eleven (our kids, their partners, five grandkids) for a late Christmas/turkey dinner, all the fixings. Squeezed in a slothful day before I decamped to visit friends a few hours away, which was wonderful, but I don’t think sloths manage four friend visits in two days . . . I’ve come home almost voice-less, and quite determined to ignore all the New Year’s bustle around me and hunker down for a day or two, at least. . . Oh, the luxury of being able to do so when my ex-colleagues are all back in their classrooms today, handing out new syllabi . . . .
Your holiday time sounds full of activity, but fun as well. Except for the “lurgy” as our Brit friends say. I can empathize with your having no voice when you returned from your island holiday. Ha. Been there.
I’ve been thinking of the fact that I did not have to spend the last week of the break marking senior papers so I could clear the decks for the onslaught of other papers and exams when school restarted. 🙂
We’ve had a slothful holiday season around here as well, which was quite necessary as we were recovering from a virus we picked up around mid-month. (We were over the worst, for sure, but the fatigue seemed to linger.) Christmas Day itself was a little livelier with some of our children and grandchildren, but hosted by one of our daughters, which feels indulgent after many years of being the default host.
I’ve always pronounced “sloth” to rhyme with “moth,” but recently heard a British pronunciation of “slow-th,” which seems very appropriate!
Happy 2026 to you and Stu and all of your readers!
Thanks, Denise. Happy 2026 to you too. I think I prefer the “slow-th” pronunciation better!
Happy 2026 to you and your family. i always enjoy when the holiday season is over and we get back into a routine. between us we have four daughters so its a busy time for us and its lots of fun but i do love it when they all go home!
2026 is looking like a very scary year but i agree with you that we need to find things to be positive about… easier said than done perhaps!
We do need to find things to be positive about. I agree. Here’s to digging deep for those. 🙂
Your “slothful” holiday sounded just perfect to me. We had a fun Christmas at home with lots of family meals and visits. Our favourite Christmas tradition is the Globe and Mail holiday crossword. Since the paper version of the G&M is no longer available in New Brunswick I subscribe to the online version and read it on my iPad. The holiday crossword is sent as a printable file (12 pages😳) with instructions on how to tape the pages together. We set it up on our kitchen island and it remains there (often into January) while we encourage all our holiday visitors to work on it as well. Our 10 year old granddaughter was happy this year as she was able read some clues and fill in the answers all by herself.
Thanks so much for recommending “Lewis”….we started the series tonight, so good. Britbox is definitely our favourite streaming service and we have really enjoyed Shetland, Last Tango in Halifax, Happy Valley, Blue Lights…..but my favourite will always be Vera.
Looking forward to hearing your trip plans for 2026.
That sounds like a wonderful holiday tradition, Denise. We’d love that. Hope you are getting some snow to get out in. My sister said when she tried to leave the house a few days ago, her car slid all the way down the hill of the driveway on the ice. She only prevented herself from sliding onto the main road by fetching up on the lawn. Happy New Year. 🙂
Your holiday all sounds wonderful. And delicious!
I love your hat, that color’s going to look beautiful on you. Will it get a big pom -pom on top, or is that even chic anymore?
Happy 2026 to you both!
Thanks, Donna. Oh… it will get a big pom pom. I’m a pom pom girl for sure. 🙂
Your Xmas sounds like our usual quiet and slothful one but this year was a bit different. We went to Queensland for a week with our son and his family and had an early celebration with them. It was lovely to be with our youngest grandchild who was full of excitement over everything at the age of four.
Then off to Perth, WA for Xmas with our daughter and her family. I had forgotten how hot it got there, with Xmas day reaching 41 C! The heat forced us all into a rather slothful mode except for my poor SiL who had to man the barbecue cooking our seafood feast. Our grandsons there are much older so we didn’t have to rush around entertaining them. As we were all on summer holidays it ended being a lovely relaxing time and in all honesty pretty slothful if a tad warm.
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