PICTURES: Happy moments of 2025

Participants wearing smurf (schtroumpf) costumes share a beer in a bar on the sidelines of an attempt to break the world record for the largest gathering of Smurfs, in Landerneau, western France, on May 17, 2025. Landerneau on May 17 attempts to break the world record for the largest Smurfs gathering, a record held by Lauchringen in Germany, after two failed attempts over five years. (Photo by Fred TANNEAU / AFP) 2025 has been a year filled with many highs and lows, a relentless news cycle showing the best of human nature and the worst.

But between the defining moments of the year, there were many quiet joyful moments in-between. MORE PICTURES:Behind the scenes at the Pinocchio pantomime