Life is certainly challenging, and sometimes it feels like I get more than my fair share (though I know that’s not strictly true—social media certainly has a habit of showing only the best bits). This year has been full of both highs and lows. The highs have been particularly good, such as our three visits to our happy place (including one to celebrate a special friend's milestone birthday), seeing our grandson's progress, and enjoying Viking fun in York for Jorvik. The lows are difficult to relive: the bike crash, car difficulties, and other things I’m not willing to dwell on. Yet, lessons are always learned, and we all get a year older.
But before we move on to the categories, it’s time to reflect. And I'm doing it this year by presenting this:
Life & Reflection—Life, Lessons, and Laughs
The Memorable Moment Award
This year, back in July, saw our good friend and Welsh legend, Mike, celebrate his 80th birthday. We were honoured as a family to be invited to the party to celebrate with his other friends and family. We had a marvellous weekend of fun, which included a rare boat trip where we saw dolphins—a first in over twenty years of visiting New Quay! It was a truly unforgettable weekend that I will always cherish.
But some moments weren't just about fun; some were about growth.
The Levelling Up Award – What made me grow this year
Atreus's first birthday and naming ceremony was a massive personal honour. I was asked to perform a Norse Pagan naming ceremony in front of family and friends, which meant revealing my spiritual side to my nearest and dearest. Getting to share this part of myself while celebrating my grandson made performing his naming ceremony one of the most memorable moments of the entire year.
Of course, growth often comes through struggle, which leads us to a tougher category...
The Trial by Fire Award – Challenges and how they shaped me
I would have chosen the mental anguish that our previous car caused, but this was trumped at the last moment by the recovery I had to endure following my bike crash. I initially thought I could be facing something life-changing or devastating. However, even following the actual diagnosis, the road back to full recovery was challenging and painful.
The Proud (or Smug) Award – Wins big or small
I generally have very little to be proud or smug about this year, so I’ve decided to award this to my reinvigorated blog. I've managed a gentle re-design, and have successfully increased and improved (I certainly hope!) the content. Most importantly, engagement is up, and I’m genuinely happier about the entire project.
Pagan & Spiritual Life—
Magic, Signs, and Seasonal Vibes
The Sacred Moment Award – Rituals, walks, quiet insights, omens
My visit to Pentre Ifan burial chamber was truly magical. The energy radiating from this location was something unlike anything I've ever experienced before, giving me a moment of profound quiet insight.
Season of the Year – Which festival or seasonal moment resonated most
This year I was lucky enough to be in New Quay (Cei Newydd) for Midsummer, which made the Solstice extra special. Being in a place where we feel so spiritually aligned meant we truly maximised the day and received so much profound insight from the experience.
Deity or Spirit of the Year – Who/what kept showing up
I definitely opened up to my Celtic side this year, perhaps heavily influenced by our frequent stops in Bala by Llyn Tegid. I have certainly felt the pull and deep influence of Ceridwen. Travelling through her lands, touching the waters of the lake, and breathing the air of Cymru (Wales) has been transformative. I am currently reading as much as I can about her.
Creative & Online Life—
Words, Webcomics, and Digital Adventures
Blog Post of the Year – Favourite post or most-read.
My blog is currently going through a bit of a resurgence. While this doesn't mean it's going viral, engagement is definitely up, especially during the second half of the year. This year’s best-performing post was "SOUL REPLENISHMENT AND A STORMY FAREWELL."
It chronicles a restorative week-long trip to Wales, which I described as a "perfect" mission of relaxation. Highlights included a long, reflective walk to Cwmtydu Beach where I spotted a seal, and trips to New Quay and local pubs. The week culminated in a dramatic contrast between peaceful soul-replenishment and the turbulent reality of driving home through Storm Amy, affirming my deep and spiritual connection to Wales.
Speaking of creation, it's time to recognise the strip that was the most fun to bring to life.
Webcomic of the Year – Favourite story or strip to create
This was a tough choice, but my favourite has to be the one that reflected (albeit loosely) a real-life event. This was a three-part strip published back in July and set in Wales.
The story chronicles our hero and his Welsh mate in a search for a hidden chamber, making it a really fun and personal piece to create and share. Check it out here.
Life Happens—Chaos, Comfort, and TV
The Thing That Broke Award – Things that went wrong
Although the constant issues we were having with our previous car caused significant stress, I think the winner was pipped at the last moment by the incident of being hit by a car whilst cycling. The resulting injury kept me off my feet and off my bike for quite a while. That is definitely an experience I don't fancy repeating.
It wasn't all bad luck though; this next award reminds us of the small moments that lifted the mood.
The Made Me Smile Award – What kept me going.
Back in February, I was sat in the Valhalla bar, York, during the Jorvik Viking Festival. The place was buzzing—a mixture of festival-goers, tourists, and regulars, all chatting and enjoying the vibe. I was sitting opposite Morticia when a lady approached me and asked if she could photograph the back of my jacket. My jacket (well, vest, actually) is my pride and joy—it has "NORTHMAN" emblazoned across the shoulders. She chatted with us, asking whether this was my 'look' or just for the festival. I proudly explained that this was simply how I dressed: it is my look. It's great to be validated, to receive a compliment—it definitely made me smile.
The Tellybox Award – Favourite TV / streaming
Toxic Town, Ludwig, Doctor Who, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds were all in the running for this. Bear in mind there are other fantastic telly offerings I've simply not seen—I do have to work, you know! But after some careful thought, I’ve decided to award this gong to the programme that has given me the most consistent pleasure: QI. This comedy panel show has done more for my education than school ever did. We are currently up to series W (if you aren't familiar, each series is themed around a different letter of the alphabet).
Special Category
The End of an Era Award–
A tribute to something that reached its natural conclusion this year
This award must go to our old Fiat. Although the car troubles contributed to the stress I felt this year, it faithfully carried our family on countless trips to our happy place over many years. The journey back from Mike's 80th birthday, with the dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree, was sadly its final trip. It's not often I get attached to a car, but saying goodbye to that metal box and all the memories it holds definitely feels like the end of an era.
Closing the Year
The past year has flown by, as they tend to do. Overall, my year has been a pretty positive one, despite the issues. The highs included three trips to my favourite place, Cei Newydd (New Quay), enjoying the Jorvik festival, seeing Bradley Wiggins, and receiving an extra special birthday gift from my family—the gift of nostalgia, in the form of a recreation of the computer I spent my youth playing with. Then there is family: my beloved wife and daughters, my Grandson who fills me with joy every single day, and, of course, my lovely dog, Magnus.
Sure, there has been bad stuff, plenty of it. Morticia has had a difficult time with the loss of family and friends, facing many funerals and sad goodbyes. The old car caused a lot of heartache, work shift changes didn't pan out as I'd hoped, and being hit by a car definitely dampened things. But that's life: ups and downs. While there were no major milestones this year, there was some unfinished business. Our silver wedding anniversary passed last year without any real celebrations, so we made our first trip to New Quay this year our anniversary gift to ourselves—we even got complimentary tattoos to mark the occasion.
This year, I've reinvigorated my blog and website. I've become disillusioned with social media and come to the conclusion that having control over your own content is everything. I continue to create new, original webcomics—over 350 created over seven years, published on my website and the socials—and I’m still waiting for my big break! I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to read my work, and especially those who have taken the time to comment. I value every interaction and count you all as friends. Ultimately, compiling these awards has been a valuable exercise in finding the light amidst the challenges.
Well, that was the last year. It's almost over save the celebrations of Yule, and I do hope you all are enjoying the festivities. Whether you celebrate this time or not, I will still raise my drinking horn to you all. But what about 2026? I'll cover that in my New Year post. It leaves me just to say...
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Read the latest chapter of my webcomic here: northman.kirt.me.uk
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