Now that we’ve flipped our calendars to November, it felt like good time to ask readers and friends on Instagram to share their favorite snapshots of the year. Here are 11 that made us smile, including gorgeous henna and a hard-earned cousin photo…
“I always wanted to be a mother, but after lots of bumpy relationships in my twenties and early thirties, I wasn’t sure it was ever going to happen. After meeting my partner in my mid-thirties, we decided to try for a baby, and after two miscarriages, we were lucky to get pregnant with our sweet girl. We welcomed her in July, and today she’s a smiley, chatty four-month-old who is a total dream come true.” — Naseem, Lisbon, Portugal
“After my dad died, I stopped celebrating Eid for many years, because it didn’t feel the same without him. But I want my kids to grow up with the same traditions I loved. So, this year, I hosted an Eid al-Fitr brunch for more than 30 friends and relatives. Here, my cousins and I were showing off our henna, surrounded by family, food, and laughter.” — Fariha, Queens, New York
“My now-husband Paolo and I got married in October, and this was our welcome toast! It was our first time seeing all our wedding guests gathered in one place; I remember feeling emotional because it’s not often in life you can look into a crowd and not just recognize but love every single face.” — Eric Kim, Brooklyn
“My best friend and I go on a ‘bestie conference’ once a year, where we take a trip and discuss our lives. My favorite day was when we drank $2 beers and watched football with locals. We ate greasy burgers and curly fries. We watched Emily in Paris and laughed until we fell asleep. Peak happiness.” — Des, Washington, D.C.
“Completing a full marathon had always been a dream of mine. So, this year, I spent five months waking up at 4 a.m. on weekdays to run on a treadmill in my garage and at 5 a.m. on Saturdays for my long runs. Feeling euphoric as I crossed that finish line will forever remain one of the most pivotal moments of my life. It truly brought home the point that people can do hard things.” — Stacey, Austin
“We took our son Julian to his first concert EVER this year, and we saw Harry Styles, who he’s obsessed with. His mind was totally blown. He was so excited about his shirt — we made it at home before the show!” — Youngna Park, Brooklyn
“Two years into a separation, solo parenthood, and life in a new city, I finally learned how to lean into the joy of this life phase with just me and my daughter. We’ve explored our town on our pink e-bike, converted a closet in our new condo into her secret reading nook, and lucked into a fun group of friends at her school. I thought my story needed a romantic relationship to make sense, but now I’m so grateful for the quality time I get with this love of my life.” — Jenny, Chicago
“This year, I decided to finish my book proposal, even though I was starting a new job, parenting two kids, and coming back to myself (thanks to the right psych meds). I took selfies whenever I worked on my book to remind myself to keep going. Now I have an album on my phone full of selfies. This was my first one: writing while waiting in the school pick-up line!” — Ashley, Fort Worth, Texas
“Here, my husband and I are building a Murphy bed for our guest room. But the project was interrupted by a phone call asking us to come into the child welfare office. We had been in the adoption process for a while, and that day in August, we became parents to the most beautiful baby girl.” — Kathryn, Germany
“My brother-in-law snapped this picture during our annual family trip to Wisconsin. It took a lot of loss, IVF, IUI, and surrogacy (my sister carried one of my daughters) to bring all of these cousins together. This photo of them watching the sun set fills me with so much gratitude.” — Julie, Chicago
“One of my earliest memories is joining my dad as he voted in South Africa’s first democratic election in 1994. I’ll never forget the energy of that crowd. Last week, I took my three-year-old twins with me to vote in my second election as a U.S. citizen. Voting isn’t a perfect tool, but it is an incredible privilege, and I want them to witness that from the start.” — Raisa, Brooklyn
P.S. 12 readers share their favorite photos of 2023, and 11 readers share their favorite photos of 2025.
