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Culture

10 things that made us smile this week

babies, joy, dogs, delight

If you're looking for some snippets of delight, we've got you covered.

It's December! How did that happen? As the days get shorter and we head full-speed into the busiest holiday season of the year—yet again in the middle of a still-raging pandemic (weeeee!)—we could all use some glimmers of hope and snippets of joy to perk us up.

From laughing babies to dancing grandpas to creative Christmas carol commas (you'll see), here are 10 things that made us smile this week. We hope they'll do the same for you.

Watch a bunch of good doggos plunging in to play in the pool.

Living their best life at doggy day care. Look at all that joy.

Little girl dances like a pro to a street marching band. 

Seriously, that little one can move, andin her little puffer jacket no less! That is called feelin' it.

Guy creates the most hilariously creative rendition of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" ever.

Absolutely incredible. It makes nerdy wordsmith hearts everywhere so happy. (I'd put the comma after "ye," but I'm not in charge.)

Watch a cat trying to catch snowflakes with its bare paws.

Cats are gonna cat, and you can't put a bunch of little things flying through the air in front of a cat and not expect them to pounce. Cuteness.

Speaking of cuteness in the snow, this older couple frolicking like children in the snow is just so wholesome.

They're not that old, but seeing them skipping and jumping like little kids is just adorable. Simple love, simple joy—it's really all we want.

Broadway actors sing a gorgeously moving tribute to Stephen Sondheim.

Broadway musical composer extraordinaire Stephen Sondheim passed away at age 91 this week, leaving a wealth of creative beauty behind. A group of Broadway actors and singers gathered in New York to sing a tribute to him with the opening song of his musical "Sunday in the Park with George." So beautiful. Read the full story here.

Baby gets the giggles because apparently coughing is downright hilarious.

The only thing better than the sound of baby laughter is the sound of that laughter when they find something random side-splittingly funny.

Old man dances along with a street musician and he's got serious moves.

He may use a cane to get around, but he certainly doesn't need it to get down. How joyful.

We get to watch the birth of iconic Beatles songs right before our eyes

The Peter Jackson documentary series "Get Back," consisting of candid footage of the Beatles that had been locked in a vault for five decades, came out last weekend on Disney+. Holy moly, does it contain some gems. If you ever wanted to see Paul McCartney literally pull a song out of thin air, here you go. Read the full story here.

A son heading back to college had the sweetest exchange with his baby brother.

@iammarilynmm

My oldest is headed back to college and his younger brother had to let him know how much he loves him. Volume up ⬆️ #brothers #myboys #momof4 #momsoft

If this doesn't warm your heart, are you sure you even have one? "I LUB YOU!!!!" And that "Mmmmm" at the end. Too dang cute. (Go ahead and watch this one a dozen more times for good measure. Indulge in that delight.)

Hope that brought some joy to your heart and a smile to your face! Come back again next week for another round-up of happiness.

Joy

Sorry, Labradors. After 31 years, America has a new favorite dog.

The American Kennel Club has crowned a new favorite.

via Pixabay

A sad-looking Labrador Retriever

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According to the American Kennel Club, for the past 31 years, the Labrador Retriever was America’s favorite dog, but it was eclipsed in 2022 by the Frenchie. The rankings are based on nearly 716,500 dogs newly registered in 2022, of which about 1 in 7 were Frenchies. Around 108,000 French Bulldogs were recorded in the U.S. in 2022, surpassing Labrador Retrievers by over 21,000.

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A new study seems to reinforce this idea. And much to our surprise, it's centered on headlines used in Upworthy stories.

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Over 5,600 people commented on the story, and an overwhelming majority thought the mother was right. Here’s what went down:

“I (34F) have a (5M) son who attends preschool. A few hours after I picked him up from school today, I got a phone call from his teacher,” Flowergardens0 wrote. “She made absolutely no effort to sound kind when she, in an extremely rude and annoyed tone, told me to stop packing my son such ‘disgusting and inappropriate’ lunches."

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via drkristynsommer / TikTok

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Pop Culture

Woman was mocked online for calling an $80 purse a 'luxury item.' Her response went viral.

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@zohtaco/TikTok

Zoe Gabriel, showing off her new purse from Charles & Keith

Insults of any kind are painful, but jabs towards someone’s financial status are their own breed.

In January 2023, Singapore-based Zoe Gabriel was on the receiving end of this particular flavor of mockery when she posted a TikTok about a purse from local retail brand Charles & Keith—a gift bought for her by her father.

In her excitement, the 17-year-old called the bag, which costs around $80, a “luxury” item as she unwrapped it. Her excitement was sadly cut short by some of the negative comments she received.

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