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Joy

10 things that made us smile this week

Upworthy's weekly roundup of joy.

Squirrel and acorn man, haka, dad making pancakes with daughter

Looking for a reason to smile? Here are 10.

Need a little dose of joy? How about 10?

Welcome to this week's roundup of delights, which includes an inspiring haka, a gorgeous duet between Pink and Kelly Clarkson, the sweetest little pancake maker, the most adorable acorn people you've ever seen and more.

If you're looking for some reasons to smile, we've got you covered. Enjoy!

1. The magical world of "Becorns" taps right into our childlike wonder.


David Bird was a toy designer at LEGO before he started creating the acorn characters he dubs "Becorns." The scenes he creates by setting up Becorns and waiting for wildlife to find them are peak joy. They even have their own names and personalities! See more and learn about how the idea came about here.


2. Students greet their teachers and classmates with a back-to-school haka in New Zealand.

These Māori students from the tribe of Raukawa are showing their utmost respect to their teachers and fellow students with this traditional haka. So beautiful.

3. Pink and Kelly Clarkson met up on Clarkson's show and delivered a stunning duet of "What About Us?"

Not only is this an awesome message, but both of these singers are known for their rich, powerhouse voices, so putting them together was a stroke of brilliance. A whole album of duets, please! Read the full story here.

4. Daddy and daughter pancake day—can we make this a whole show?

It's just cuteness upon cuteness. What a sweet relationship these two have, and it's also a masterclass in encouraging language development. Good job, daddy.

5. Adele's reaction to this man holding up his late wife's picture is what it's all about.

@adeleaccess

A very special moment from Adele’s concert this past Friday ♥️ #adele #weekendswithadele #adelevegas #adelelive #someonelikeyou #whenwewereyoung

Genuine human-to-human connection. Love to see it. Read the full story here.

6. Kid snuck his family's toaster to school so he could share their stash of Pop-Tarts.

Scroll through for the whole story. What a guy. (These are the kinds of kids teachers actually adore. If only all kids were this thoughtful!)

7. Keanu Reeves surprised a small town pub with an unexpected visit.

Keanu Reeves at The Robin Hood pub

Keanu Reeves with a chef at The Robin Hood.

The Robin Hood Tring/Facebook

The staff at The Robin Hood pub in Tring, Hertfordshire, about 30 miles outside of London, got the surprise of a lifetime when Keanu Reeves walked in the door. He enjoyed a pint and some fish and chips and then, in typical Keanu style, praised the kitchen crew while shaking their hands. Read the full story here.

8. Seriously, the kid who wrote this poem deserves some kind of prize.

And the illustrations! So flippin' clever and cute.

9. The cast of "Saturday Night Life" couldn't keep it together during the "Lisa from Temecula" skit.

SNL may have its ups and downs, but there is nothing funnier than when the comedians themselves can't keep from laughing. "Lisa from Temecula" will definitely go down in cast-cracking history. Read the full story here.

10. If none of that got you smiling, this almond-obsessed ninja cat surely will.

Everyone's cat is its own brand of weird, but oh. my. goodness. "Her best friend is an almond." It's too much. What a treasure of a cat this lady landed.

Hope you enjoyed this week's roundup! To get these posts sent to your inbox each week, sign up for our newsletter, The Upworthiest, here.

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Swedish people who move to the United States often complain of being introduced as Swiss. The New York Stock Exchange has fallen victim to the confusion, and a French hockey team once greeted their Swiss opponents, SC Bern, by playing the Swedish National Anthem and raising the Swedish flag.

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Photo by John Pike. Used with permission.

Emily E. Smith is no ordinary teacher.



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