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Joy

10 things that made us smile this week

This week's list includes some adorable animals, some delightful dancing, and a beautiful example of human connection.

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Photo by Mieke Campbell on Unsplash

Upworthy's weekly roundup of joy.

It's officially December—can you believe it? That means 2022 is almost a wrap, which is wild. I mean, wasn't it just 2020?!?

For many people, December is the season of joy and giving and holiday gatherings, but it can also be a lonely or stressful time for some of our fellow humans. Family isn't a source of comfort for everyone, unfortunately, and challenges with relationships or finances can make for a difficult December. As we reflect on the past year and prepare for the new one, let's all commit to treating one another with an extra dose of kindness.

Let's also remember to celebrate small joys as the days get colder and shorter, like the coziness of a cup of hot cocoa, the sweetness of a child's laughter or the companionship of our furry friends. It's often a large collection of little things that add up to a good life, and thankfully, small joys are cheap and plentiful.

This week's list of things that made us smile is full of joys large and small, starting with some adorable animals and ending with some happy, helpful humans. We hope it brings a smile (or 10) to your face as you head through the weekend.

1. Human teaches doggo to rebound the basketball and doggo is pretty much a pro.

That is one smart and very fit dog. Look how excited they are to be helpful.

2. This bird playing peek-a-boo behind a LaCroix can is too cute.

It never gets old.

3. Cats having holiday photos taken should always be a thing, please and thank you.

Seriously, I need everyone who has a cat to have wreath photos done. These turned out so great.

4. Boy gets a surprise puppy and oof the emotion of it all.

Who's got the tissues? I need tissues.

5. Prairie dog politely makes it known that it wants more pets, please.

That little paw raise. Goodness.

6. The Rock returns to a 7-11 he used to steal Snickers bars from and makes things right.

"We can't change the past and some of the dumb stuff we may have done, but every once in a while we can add a little redeeming grace note to that situation — and maybe put a big smile on some strangers' faces." Love it. Read the full story here.

7. Billie Jean remix + awesome choreography to go with it = delightful.

So good. A shorter version of this video from Isaiah Shinn went viral on Instagram this summer, but this extended version is even better.

8. Elderly couple gets married in the mayonnaise aisle, right where they first met last year.

How sweet is that? Read the full story here.

9. This family's reaction to one of their own passing the California bar exam is just contagious joy.

These family celebrations never get old.

10. American soccer player hugs an emotional Iranian opponent after their match-up at the World Cup.

@upworthy

This is the true power of sports ⚽️❤️

There was a lot of political stuff that went along with this match, but sports are supposed to bring people together. This moment when Antonee Robinson hugged Iranian opponent Ramin Rezaeian at the end of the game says it all. (And in fact, there were several similar moments of human-to-human connection and comfort between the opposing teams after the game.) So beautiful.

Hope that brought some joy to your heart! Come back next week for another roundup of smileworthy finds and if you'd like to have them delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our free newsletter, The Upworthiest.

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