OK, 2020 was not great — and we are READY for ya, 2021 — but even during this sh*tstorm of a year, it wasn't all bad. We picked up new hobbies, we slowed down, we learned to appreciate what really matters, we realized what (or who) we could cut loose, and we now know just how invaluable a good pair of comfortable leggings are. As we close out 2020, our editors are sharing the unexpected highlights of this wild year. From big milestones to little wins, Zoom hangouts to sheltering in place with loved ones, here are our editors' silver linings of 2020.
"My husband and I bought our first home in January, and it was such a lucky coincidence that we had our own rooms to work from home as well as some outdoor space to soak in the sun and get much-needed fresh air." — Tara Block, director, Growth and Strategic Features
"Postponing my wedding. I feel SO much more relaxed now that I did - for the calmness and safety of everyone." — Sarah Wasilak, editor, Fashion
"The Hamilton movie being released early made me pretty happy." — Becky Kirsch, managing editor
"Slowing down. I wasn't eating well, working out, or sleeping enough pre-2020. While it was a tough year, at least it taught me to slow down and care for myself a little more." — Krista Jones, associate editor, Shop
"This past year has brought me closer to my extended family. We have a group text going with my in-laws, sisters-in-law and brothers-in law, and their significant others. We text each other random updates throughout the week, like pictures of what we're all cooking for dinner, memes that made us laugh, and snapshots of the kids. Scheduling happy hours with couples (i.e., brothers and wives/best friend and spouse) after the kids have gone to bed has also been a fun way to break up the night-time monotony and engage socially instead of zoning out in front of the TV." — Angela Elias, director, Family and Pets
"Being able to spend time with my grandparents for three months during quarantine. My grandma is my best friend and with her health slowly deteriorating, it was such a blessing to be home with her this year. I'm excited to spend a month during the holidays with her, and if anything good came out of this year, it's been being able to spend time with those I love most." — Lauren Harano, editorial assistant, Growth and Strategic Features
"Getting closer to the people I quarantined with." — Allison Ingrum, editorial operations support associate
"So much family time and outside time!! Time to be crafty and creative, play instruments, feel grateful, find new holiday traditions, delicious baked goods, and doing things I've put off, like decluttering." — Jenny Sugar, staff writer, Fitness
"My cousins and I started doing weekly or biweekly Zoom hangouts, and since we all live all over the country it was a fun way to connect and catch up. I spent more time with them over Zoom than I ever got to at family functions only a couple times a year!" — Christina Stiehl, senior editor, Fitness
"Having the time to really think about what I want, what I want to do, and pushing myself to stay off social media and unplug." — Caitlin Gallagher, senior editor, Living
"An unexpected highlight of 2020 was having my sister stay with me for a few weeks while she does school from home. I know I probably wouldn't have been able to spend that time with her otherwise." — Chanel Vargas, editorial assistant, Trending and Viral Features
"Getting even closer with my long-distance friends by staying in touch and FaceTiming even more than we usually do." — Victoria Messina, associate editor, Trending and Viral Features
"Realizing even a pandemic won't stop friendships." — Riyana Straetker, Voices editor, Family and Pets
"Having time. I love reading and normally read a lot, but I've read even more this year. It's great to be able to sit at home for hours just reading without having to say no to plans. Having the time to reorganize and redecorate — a huge privilege to be able to nitpick at my apartment. Only spending the time finding ways to connect with friends I love and not going to so many dinners/drinks with people you see once or twice a year but aren't really quite friends with anymore (I said what I said!)." — Alessandra Foresto, deputy editor
"Being with my kids more, traveling locally to places we wouldn't have ever thought to go before, realizing how nice it is not to have obligation-packed weekends . . ." — Kate Schweitzer, senior editor, Family and Pets
"I postponed my 'big' wedding from Oct. 24, 2020, to October 2021, but my husband and I still got married on our original date, which was also my grandparents' 65th wedding anniversary. I married the love of my life in the backyard of my childhood home with only our immediate families and a few of our best friends present. It was a perfect day and one that wouldn't have otherwise happened were it not for the pandemic. Despite the stress and anxiety 2020 brought, our mini wedding day will always be the sweetest memory amid the total chaos of this past year." — Alessia Santoro, editor, Family and Pets
"Joe Biden winning the presidential election, and everyone in New York rejoicing and dancing in the streets." — Kelsey Castañon, director, Beauty
"Learning how to occupy myself and my time." — Nora, senior social media and partnerships coordinator
"Finding ways to connect with family and friends from thousands of miles away." — Karenna Meredith, associate editor, Trending and Viral Features
"Enjoying the simpler times in life without the stress of too much activity or travel." — Cynthia Puleo, copy editor
"My friends all had quarantine birthdays, and while we were all in different states (literally), these ended up being some of the most memorable celebrations of all. I dusted off my high school iMovie skills and created surprise videos for all of them featuring their family and friends. I created montages of pictures, video clips, and silly memes to the tunes of Katy Perry's 'Birthday' and Shakira's 'Hips Don't Lie,' to name a few. I had such a blast creating these special memories for my closest friends, and it's something they'll have forever to look back on." — Charisandra Perez, social media and partnerships coordinator
"So many firsts with my daughter — watching my parents interact with her has been the highlight because we got together so rarely this year." — Maggie Panos, senior editor, Voices
"Spending the summer at home with my friends and family." — Haley Lyndes, editorial assistant, Growth and Strategic Features
"We discovered a farmer's market we love and now go to it as a family every Sunday." — Hannah Weil McKinley, director, Fashion
