Ranches Ladies Newsletter January 2026

Good morning Ranches Ladies!

Welcome to 2026

New Year’s Day has been and gone but 2026 stretches before us with plenty of opportunities to make plans for the upcoming months. Whether it’s holidays or new hobbies and pastimes, or even decisions around health and wellbeing. There’s plenty of scope to make changes which can impact our lives with positive outcomes.

Many of the modern traditions around New Year stem from ancient Babylonian, Roman and Greek practices. With the Roman two-faced god Janus providing his name for January and marking looking back to the previous year and forward to the new as part of the Julian calendar, when he was believed to influence beginnings, doorways and transitions.

Ultimately this was melded into the Gregorian calendar in 1582 and became firmly the first month of the year.

Numerous cultural influences from fireworks used in China and Thailand to resolutions from the Babylonians, singing Auld Lang Syne at Scottish Hogmanay and the feasting that happens across global cultures there are significant celebrations everywhere.

In India eating certain foods brings prosperity or smashing pomegranates in Greece will do the same.

While in South East Asia feasts and water festivals ring in the New Year.

In a city like Dubai just about every possible custom has more than likely happened reflecting the 200 nationalities that make up the diverse, multicultural, global hub that folk call home.

We at Ranches Ladies wish all of our members a truly splendid year as they come together and plan new experiences within our very special community.

Written by Beverly Sanders.

Dear Members,

As we step into the New Year, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for being such an important part of the Ranches Ladies community. This time of new beginnings is a wonderful moment to reflect on the year behind us and look ahead with optimism and purpose.

The past year has been especially meaningful for Ranches Ladies. We were honoured to receive the Ethraa Award, recognising our ongoing commitment as a public benefit association and our dedication to empowering, supporting and connecting women within our community. This achievement belongs to all of you members, volunteers, circle leaders, committee and Board of Directors whose passion and generosity make our work possible.

As we move forward into the year ahead, we look forward to building on this success with renewed energy, fresh ideas and continued opportunities to connect, learn and support one another through our coffee mornings, circles and events.

I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude to our volunteers, circle leaders, committee members and the Board of Directors for their ongoing guidance, commitment and dedication behind the scenes. Your support ensures that Ranches Ladies remains a warm, inclusive and thriving community.

On behalf of the committee and the Board of Directors, I wish you and your loved ones a happy, healthy and fulfilling New Year.

With warmest wishes,

Hayet Zerelli
President, Ranches Ladies

Ranches Ladies Community Events

Ethraa Awards Evening

“Proud, grateful and truly honoured”

We are delighted to share that we received the Silver Award at the CDA (Community Development Authority) Ethraa Awards for 2025, following our Gold Award win last year.

Being recognised once again is a wonderful affirmation of the passion, dedication and community spirit behind everything we do.

This achievement belongs to every volunteer, member and supporter who continues to believe in our mission and contribute their time, energy and heart.

Thank you for being part of this journey, we move forward inspired and motivated to do even more.

Hayet Zerelli

Ranches Ladies President

Making Festive Table Decorations

It was another very enjoyable morning at our Ranches Ladies Festive Table Centrepiece Event which has been held each year over the past four years collaborating with florists “Gorgeous Flowers” based in Motor City.

There was a wonderful array of fresh foliage for the festive season with sprays of silver and gold amongst reds, greens and orange colours giving life to all the beautiful individual creations by Ranches Ladies members.

All these festive centrepieces have adorned either our or friend’s homes and still do.

Long may our members enjoy and have fun with others learning, experimenting and creating something new either for the very first time or improving skills each time and afterwards relaxing in Larte for coffee and treats.

Upcoming Ranches Ladies Community Events

As always, we have some superb events coming up for our members to enjoy.

The Laughter Factory Extends an Invitation

For our Ranches Ladies members who enjoy an evening of laughter, take a look at the Discounts section of the Newsletter. A very special partnership with The Laughter Factory is inviting you to an upcoming performance, on 16th January 2026, designed to put a smile on your face.

Coffee Mornings

We’ve enjoyed some lovely coffee mornings throughout December and January and even signed up more new members! Larte is the place to meet old friends, make new friends and enjoy great conversation in a relaxed environment.

Circles Activities

Even in the run up to the festive season, The Ranches Ladies Circles community was abuzz with a range of different activities. Take a look at some of the events enjoyed by the members of our various circles last month.

The Wellbeing Circle

“Unlearning the Need to Please“

This month’s circle was a deeply intimate and meaningful gathering. A small group of women came together with openness, honesty and courage to explore the patterns of people-pleasing, not as a flaw but as a protective response learned over time.

In a safe and supportive space, we reflected on where we silence ourselves, why we learned to keep the peace and how choosing ourselves can be done with kindness rather than guilt.

There was no fixing, no rushing, just listening, awareness and gentle truth. A reminder that healing doesn’t always need noise… sometimes it needs presence.

Grateful for every woman who showed up exactly as she is.

The Line Dancing Circle

A festive meeting of the Line Dancing Circle ladies in December.

The Book Circle

The last Book Circle meeting of the year was a very festive event with a good discussion of By Your Side by Ruth Jones, tasty food and a book swap.
It was also an opportunity to say “bon voyage” to Mandy Peden, who has left this month after 20 years in Dubai. Mandy has been an active member of the book, gardening, hiking and quilting circles and a regular at RL events. She will be greatly missed and we wish her and her husband safe travels as they head off to India and the Far East.
We will kick off 2026 by reading Zuleikha by Guzel Yakhina.

The Poetry Circle

The Walking Circle

The Wednesday Walking Circle have relished some wonderful “walks from around the world” during December. With members sharing their photographs from their travels to Kerala in India, Buxton in Derbyshire, Battersea in London as well as other famous London landmarks.

Back in Dubai, the ladies enjoyed a lovely first walk of 2026 to Bluewaters from the Marina. Join the walkers every Wednesday at 8:30 outside Wagamama’s (Marina Side).

The Quilting Circle

It was the last gathering of the year for the Quilters Circle in December when they enjoyed a lovely Festive Lunch. Plans were made to see everyone again in the New Year and begin a new stitching season with their usual expertise.

The International Food Circle

The Festive Food Circle held a Christmas Coffee morning in Carole’s villa on 18th December where ladies bought Christmas goodies from their respective countries. Sophie and Fun formed a new friendship and everyone enjoyed the scrumptious array of food and fabulous conversation.

The Shanghai Circle

The first Shanghai of 2026 on Friday 2nd January.

The Lunch Circle

The Lunch Circle enjoyed a fabulous festive feast at Larte in Studio One Hotel on 9th December. A veritable smorgasbord of dishes were available to tantalise the tastebuds. It was a lovely lunch which set the mood for the festive season.

The Story Telling Circle

The Canasta Circle

A fabulous first meeting of 2026 for The Canasta Circle.

The Art Circle

Ladies in the Art Circle are making some great masterpieces. Their passion, hard work and diligence is praiseworthy. The Art Circle, led by Rajul, meet on Mondays (Beginners Class) and Thursdays (Regular Class) from 10am to 12 noon in Arabian Ranches 1. To find out more, please email http://circles.ranches.ladies@gmail.com

Do you have anything you would like to share?

This is your newsletter, and we need your contributions! What can you share? Something from your Ranches Ladies Circles Activities which are connected to the interests of the other ladies in the Circle. Please send short articles (as a guide 200 to 250 words max), with photos, if possible, to ranches.ladies@gmail.com or the RL Web Updates Group.
Our newsletter is now a monthly publication, on the second Monday of each month. Please can all articles be submitted within 5 days of your event. In the instance that your event occurs at the end of the month, please can your article be submitted 7 days before our publication date to ensure it is included. Articles not received in time may be held over to the following month. Thank you for your understanding!

RL Circles Calendar

For more information on January’s Circles activities, please refer to the individual Circle WhatsApp groups.

Email circles.ranches.ladies@gmail.com if you would like to join any circle. If you are a member but not yet on the members only Ranches Ladies Whatsapp group please email ranches.ladies@gmail.com

Check out our website at http://www.arabianranchesladies.com and you can find us on FB and Instagram as Ranches Ladies

Your Suggestions Matter

Do you have any ideas for Ranches Ladies activities and are you willing to get involved?
Would you like you start a new circle? Or would you just like to give some feedback?
We would love to hear from you!

Discounts

We are delighted to partner with The Laughter Factory, the UAE’s most celebrated live comedy experience, renowned for internationally acclaimed comedians in refined, intimate venues.
As part of this special collaboration, Ranches Ladies members are invited to enjoy a well-deserved moment of laughter and connection.

Exclusive Ranches Ladies Privilege. Enjoy 20% off all shows with the promo code LAUGHTER
Early booking is required. Discover upcoming performances and reserve your seats at:
thelaughterfactory.com

Your RL membership card is your passport to great discounts from our dozens of discount partners. Check the discounts section on the website for a full list (use the drop down category list), including recently added new discounts.
Present your membership card to avail the discount. For any discount related enquiries or suggestions please email discounts.rl@gmail.com

For any enquiries or suggestions please email ranches.ladies@gmail.com

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Tuesday