The Washington Post Opinion No, 2023 wasn’t all bad, and here are 23 reasons why not By the Editorial Board December 27, 2023 at 1:47 p.m. EST

 The Washington Post 

Opinion  No, 2023 wasn’t all bad, and here are 23 reasons why not

By the Editorial Board

December 27, 2023 at 1:47 p.m. EST

(Michelle Kondrich/The Washington Post)

When we did this year-end list of happy events in 2020, we listed 20 reasons for hope and cheer during a pandemic. We’re doing it again in 2023 amid war and political division. Here are 23 positive memories as we close another trip around the sun.

1. Egg prices are back to $2 a dozen.

Remember eggmania, when prices soared over $4? (In California, prices were over $7!) Well, inflation cooled, and the avian flu receded, and eggs are affordable again.

2. The gender pay gap hit an all-time low.

American women working full time still earn just 84 cents for every $1 men earn, but that is up from 78 cents a decade ago. Women surged back into the labor force after the pandemic — and into higher-paying jobs.

3. The Washington Commanders have new owners.

Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris poses for a photo with fans before a September game at FedEx Field. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post)

Long-suffering DMV football fans finally had something to celebrate: The Snyder era is over. Hail to Josh Harris, Magic Johnson et al. for taking over.

4. The hole in the ozone layer is shrinking.

It’s on track to recover to 1980s levels by the middle of this century, according to a United Nations report.

5. The U.S. government did not shut down.

It sure got close, but Congress reached a compromise on the debt ceiling and the 2024 budget that avoided a partial government shutdown (for now).

6. The pandemic officially ended on May 5.

That was the day the World Health Organization said it no longer classifies the coronavirus as a global public health emergency. Phew.

7. CRISPR gene editing treatments are here.

In December, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first commercially available treatment in the United States based on this promising gene-editing technique. This one will be used to treat sickle cell disease, but researchers will likely use CRISPR to fight a plethora of illnesses.

8. The Supreme Court rejected the “independent state legislature” theory.

The case could have given state lawmakers unchecked power to set rules for federal elections and draw congressional maps to their own parties’ advantage.

9. Taylor Swift and Beyoncé were everywhere.

Alisha Dinah poses with Beyoncé mech at a Beyoncé pop-up store in London this month. (Jo Hale/Getty Images)

Fans pose with a cutout of Taylor Swift at a listening party in October. (Jane Greer for The Washington Post)

And it was great for the nation, the National Football League and the economy. Beyoncé made everyone want to wear silver, while Ms. Swift literally made the ground shake.

10. Kelvin Kiptum ran a 2-hour marathon.

The Kenyan runner set a new official record — just 2 hours and 35 seconds — at the Chicago marathon in October.

11. President Biden and Xi Jinping met face to face.

It was the handshake seen around the world. Leaders of the world’s two biggest powers met in San Francisco in November — and made small breakthroughs. They won’t be friends, but they looked like colleagues.

12. Many looted antiquities were returned.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is returning ancient art to Cambodia, Thailand, Turkey and Greece. The Museum of the Bible and Cornell University together sent 17,000 items to Iraq. A California man gave 30 looted relics back to Italy. And the Smithsonian is finally doing the right thing and returning its “racial brain collection” to families of the deceased.

13. Guinea worm disease is almost eradicated.

Only 13 human cases were reported last year, down from millions in the 1980s. The terrible disease is caused by drinking contaminated water. Former president Jimmy Carter hoped to outlive the Guinea worm, and he just might.

14. Climate-conscious eating took off.

Diners are increasingly looking for ways to make meals that are good for the body and the planet. Call them “climatarians” or “climavores.”

15. Ukraine is an independent country; Finland joined NATO.

Finland's flag is raised in a ceremony outside NATO headquarters in Brussels in April. (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP)

It’s been a grim year for Ukraine, but it remains independent. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin suffered another blow as Finland joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. (Sweden is almost there.)

16. Four Colombian kids survived 40 days in the jungle.

The children — aged 13, 9, 4 and 1 — survived the plane crash that killed their mother, lived for over a month in the jungle, and were rescued by the Colombian military on June 9. A true miracle.

17. The United States experienced an economic soft landing.

Experts overwhelmingly predicted a recession in 2023. Instead, growth picked up, inflation cooled dramatically and the United States added over 2.5 million jobs.

18. Gymnast Simone Biles is back and better than ever.

Often considered the GOAT (greatest of all time), Ms. Biles dominated the 2023 world championships, became the most decorated gymnast ever, and even got a new vault named after her (“The Biles II”) that is so hard almost no one else — male or female — can do it.

19. The California drought is over.

People watch as California's Carmel River churns during a big storm in March. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Thanks to lots of snow and a tropical storm, the state’s water reservoirs are full again. It marks the first time California is drought-free in years.

20. “Barbenheimer” brought us back to movie theaters.

There’s still something magical about seeing a film on the big screen with friends. The comedy “Barbie” and thriller “Oppenheimer” were the double feature we all needed.

21. A banking crisis was avoided.

Timely and well-designed federal intervention contained Silicon Valley Bank’s dramatic collapse.

22. A 104-year-old woman went skydiving.

Dorothy Hoffner of Chicago proved you can be daring at any age. Her tandem parachute jump in early October went viral — and likely set a new world record.

23. Americans are traveling again.

A screen shows air traffic activity at a Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Control command center. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

The year saw the number of air passengers — both domestically and worldwide — top pre-pandemic levels. And this holiday season is on track to be the second-highest for travel ever. Let the adventures begin.

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Editorials represent the views of The Post as an institution, as determined through discussion among members of the Editorial Board, based in the Opinions section and separate from the newsroom.