You’ve heard of “hygge” (the Danish concept of cozy living), and perhaps you’re aware of “ikigai” (the Japanese idea that you should live with purpose) — but what about “firgun,” the Hebrew word for “happiness in another’s success”? Learn more about those terms and seven other foreign-language words that describe different types of happiness (we personally can’t wait for more “ayodele” this holiday season). — the Nice News team
Featured Story
How the Coolest Styles in Skiwear Have Evolved Over the Decades
Where some simply see ski slopes as a fun way to zoom down a mountain, others also see a catwalk. And the latter outlook only seems to be growing: Peruse ski outfits on social media, and you’ll find everything from puffy, supersized boots to hot pink one-pieces, along with comments of approval comparing the looks to “ski Barbie” or a “Power Ranger in the snow.” But the uptick in snazzy suits on social media represents only a small percentage of the global snow apparel market, of which skiwear accounted for over 65% in 2022. It’s expected to reach $41.3 billion by 2030 (up from $17.4 billion in 2022), and increase at a compound annual growth rate of 11.4% from 2023 to 2030, according to Grand View Research. And with the 2026 Winter Olympics just two months away, we’re likely to see even more examples of stylish ski attire. So when did the slopes become a fashion show? Join us as we glide back in time to trace how ski style has evolved over the years.
Experience Legs That Feel Fresh and Energized Anytime
Tired legs? Normatec Go by Hyperice, sold by Quince, might be just what you need. The science-backed treatment delivers dynamic air compression to boost circulation, relieve tension, and speed muscle recovery. It is lightweight, TSA-approved, and app-controlled for on-the-go recovery, making it the perfect travel companion this holiday season. It also makes for a great gift for that athlete in your life who’s always complaining about tense muscles. Now through Jan. 11, Nice News readers can get 13% off Normatec Go, plus $10 in Quince credit.
An Exquisite Winter Fabergé Egg Fetched Over $30 Million at Auction
Christie’s London
A world record-setting egg went under the hammer for a third time — though it’s not the kind you’d eat on toast. Carved in rock crystal and adorned with over 4,500 diamonds, The Winter Egg was auctioned Tuesday at Christie’s London, where it fetched an eggstraordinary $30.2 million. The Fabergé piece, which was designed as an Easter gift over a century ago, is full of symbolism depicting the transition from winter to spring: It features rose-cut, diamond-set platinum snowflake motifs on its exterior, an engraved frost design on its interior, and a rock crystal base meant to look like a block of melting ice. Cracking the egg open on its hinge reveals a trelliswork platinum basket bearing a bouquet of spring flowers with gold wire stems, demantoid garnets at the center of the buds, and leaves carved in nephrite. The piece “represents the idea of resurrection, capturing the shift from winter’s harshness to the vibrant renewal of spring,” Christie’s said in a news release. See what it looks like inside.
Humanity
How Undue Medical Debt Will Stretch Your Donated Dollars
J Studios/Getty Images
Dec. 2 was Giving Tuesday, and if you haven’t had a chance to donate yet, we recommend Undue Medical Debt, Nice News’ Fall Cause of the Season. The organization has a clear and compelling hook: Every $10 given to the nonprofit erases an average of $1,000 in medical debt for families and individuals in need. So how does it work? Undue Medical Debt evaluates large, discounted bundles of debt from hospitals and health care providers — much like a debt collector might do. But unlike debt collectors, the nonprofit pinpoints the debt of those most in need (primarily those at four times the federal poverty level or below), buys it in bulk, and simply relieves it rather than going after the debtor. Read our full article to learn more and donate here.
Humanity
This Year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Has an Extra-Special Backstory
Manoli Figetakis/Getty Images
The annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting is always a special event — but it was extra meaningful this year, thanks to New Yorker Judy Russ. Judy and her husband, Dan Russ, had always dreamed of their 75-foot-tall Norway spruce in East Greenbush becoming the iconic Rockefeller holiday tree. Now, five years after Dan died, Judy has made that dream a reality. She got the ball rolling after taking their 7-year-old son, Liam, to see the Manhattan tree last year. Judy was inspired to reach out to a family friend whose relative works at Rockefeller Center, and soon enough, head gardener Erik Pauze was taking a trip upstate. After inspecting the spruce in person, he informed the Russ family that their tree, which Dan’s great-grandparents planted in the 1920s, would be the perfect fit. “I think I just hallucinated, like, ‘We need to go back because there’s no way this is real, right?’” Judy joked to Today. As for Liam, he’s “excited that the whole world can see” the tree that formerly served as his personal jungle gym (the kiddo is pictured here with Judy, hammering a spike into the tree to prepare for its installation). It was transferred to the Rockefeller Center on Nov. 8, where it’s been wrapped with over 50,000 rainbow LED lights and topped with a Swarovski star. “As my husband has passed away, I know he would have loved to have been here for this moment,” Judy said, adding, “Think of our family, think of my husband, think of us. We’re just happy to share it with everybody.” View more pics of the tree before it was lit up, and then watch highlights from Wednesday’s lighting ceremony.
Sunday Selections
Deep Dives
Into the abyss: why black holes might be even “weirder” than we think
It may sound obvious, but getting closer to books starts with opening one up, and why not make it one all about the joys of reading? In 53 essays (translated from Korean by Shanna Tan), author Hwang Bo-reum invites readers to contemplate their own relationships with reading — exploring book-centric questions like why you should expand outside your favorite genre, when to take comfort in a bestseller versus when to dive into an obscure work, the ways in which we fall in love with characters, and more. Bonus: Woven into the essays is a “treasure trove of book recommendations.”
An adaptation of the titular 2020 historical novel by Maggie O’Farrell, Hamnet tells the tragic tale of William Shakespeare and wife Anne Hathaway — played by Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley, respectively — navigating the death of their only son, Hamnet, at age 11. That pain, per O’Farrell, who co-wrote the script with Academy Award-winning director Chloé Zhao, may have inspired one of the Bard’s greatest works: the play Hamlet. In theaters now, the film is a “powerful story of love and loss.” Click the link above to watch the trailer and here to learn more about the real history.
This Week in History
The Paris Agreement Is Adopted
December 12, 2015
Chesnot/Getty Images
A decade ago this coming Friday, 195 signatories adopted a legally binding international treaty: At the 21st session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, world leaders signed the Paris Agreement. Its main goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions so that the global temperature remains “well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels,” per the U.N. The agreement requires nations to work together to combat climate change, and provides a pathway for wealthier countries to support developing nations in their commitment. The following year, when the agreement went into effect, Paris lit up several monuments in celebration. See the entire list of participants, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.
Spot Makes Quality Pet Care More Affordable
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