30 Pop Culture Moments We’re Thankful For This Year

As many of us prepare for what will surely be one of the more...interesting Thanksgiving dinners on record, given the state of our union, Refinery29’s Entertainment team gathered to reflect on what we’re most thankful for this year.

However surreal and unsettling the world may seem sometimes, pop culture is always right there like a trusted friend when you need one most. It can provide a bit of temporary escape, if that’s what you crave. Or it can even open your eyes to new ways of seeing and experiencing the world. Marveling at our favorite celebrities' latest hijinks, cuing up a standout album, or binge-watching a gripping new series has the power to lift us up and stoke our imaginations.

Let’s face it: 2016 will not go down as a bright spot in history. We lost Bowie and Prince. We watched our crush on Ryan Lochte careen disastrously off the rails. The wounds of this election cycle run deeper than anyone imagined they would. So, we’re taking a moment to be grateful for some of the uplifting times: the laughs, the viral memes, and the celebrity babies — and full-grown humans — that became our screen savers at work.

From our family to yours, here are 30 pop culture moments we’re thankful for this year.