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The post-pandemic boom in nostalgia-based purchases and activities extends to collectibles, which are memories you can hold in your hand. One of the most popular places to buy those mementos is on eBay, where more than 25 percent of users who bought something on the site in 2023 bought at least one collectible item.

On eBay, global listings for vintage toys were up about 10 percent this year, compared to the same period in 2022. Searches for vintage Star Wars toys were up 20 percent. And some rarities can go for big bucks. In May 2023, a one-of-a-kind "Tyler The Great Warrior" Yu-Gi-Oh! card sold on eBay for $311,211, making it the most expensive Yu-Gi-Oh! card sale on eBay to date.

"Nostalgia is a powerful driver of collecting, and we’ve seen strong interest in nostalgic items in our marketplace," Gene Cook, VP of Global Collectibles at eBay, tells Mashable. "Whether it’s driven by films like Barbie, trends on social platforms, or people wanting to tangibly connect with toys and items that brought them joy in their childhood. Collecting isn't just about acquiring items but being part of a community, and that is true for all generations."

We broke down some of eBay's 2023 trends data to find out what people were searching for on the site this year.

SEE ALSO: In Memoriam: The tech that died in 2023 Snoopy, Sonny Angel, and Miffy Sonny Angel dolls, all in a row. Credit: Edmond So/South China Morning Post via Getty Images

Cute collectibles have had quite a year, with fictional Dutch bunny Miffy, sweet Sonny Angels, and Snoopy taking center stage on TikTok and Instagram. On eBay, users searched Miffy 5,000 times per month, and searches for Sonny Angel increased more than 250 percent globally compared to the same time last year. This year, eBay users searched for "Snoopy" over 18,000 times per day, globally, and the most expensive Snoopy item sold on eBay was an unworn Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Snoopy Anniversary Series that went for $38,500. People especially love the Peanuts during the holidays; eBay says the number of ‘Snoopy’ and ‘Peanuts’ collectibles sold on the site increased double digits from October to November 2023.

WAG game day glam Taylor Swift at Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium on October 22, 2023, watching the Kansas City Chiefs play the Los Angeles Chargers. Credit: David Eulitt/Getty Images

eBay says quarterbacks Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers) and Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins) were the two most-searched football players in global sports trading cards on eBay, but it was the players' girlfriends that made an impact this year. Travis Kelce jersey sales increased 340 percent the day after girlfriend Taylor Swift cheered him on at a game (a trend also reflected on shopping app LTK), while searches for Dolphins receiver Braxton Berrios skyrocketed over 4,300 percent in the US and Canada the day after his girlfriend and TikTok superstar Alix Earle posted a video customizing her beau's jersey.

It's impossible to attribute those search spikes directly to Swift and Earle, but there's no denying the duo's influence on style trends across the internet.

Taylor Swift (and popcorn buckets) A Taylor Swift commemorative popcorn tub. Credit: Daniel Knighton/Getty Images

Speaking of Swift, the pop star was the top search across all entertainment memorabilia on eBay between July and October 2023. And with the debut of Swift's Eras Tour Film, eBay says Swifties searched for movie merch, from popcorn buckets to posters.

In general, popcorn bucket collectibles were a hot commodity this year. In April, after the March 31 release of Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, searches for "dungeons and dragons popcorn bucket," an AMC exclusive, increased nearly 200 percent on eBay.

VHS Tapes Credit: Anya Semenoff/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Climb up into the attic and poke around for any VHS tapes because they may be collecting more than dust. In an October appearance on The Tonight Show, Pete Davidson recounted his plan to resell sealed VHS tapes at a premium. Based on the sale prices for the format on eBay this year, Davidson may be onto something: a 1984 sealed copy of Raiders of the Lost Ark sold for $10,050. The site says vintage horror movies from the late 70s and 80s — think The Goonies, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street — are especially popular purchases.

Sports memorabilia Olga Carmona celebrates with the trophy during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Final match between Spain and England at Stadium Australia on August 20, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. Credit: Marc Atkins/Getty Images

Some of the most expensive sports memorabilia items purchased on eBay in 2023 were true archival pieces (a 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle Rookie card was the priciest purchase in April and one is currently listed on the site for $253,500). But modern sports drive huge traffic spikes on the site.

For example, following Tom Brady's (second) retirement announcement on Feb. 1, sales of his rookie cards increased more than 500 percent on eBay, and searches for his memorabilia jumped around 230 percent in the US. On June 6, global searches for “Lionel Messi” collectibles on eBay increased by over 75 percent when the soccer star announced his departure from Paris Saint-Germain. When he made his MLS debut in July, searches for his trading cards increased over 130 percent on eBay compared to May 2023.

And after Spain’s Olga Carmona scored the singular goal against England to secure her team’s first-ever Women’s World Cup on Aug. 19, global searches for her collectibles had ballooned by 5,400 percent by Aug. 20.

Barbie (#JusticeforAllan) There's just one Allan! Credit: Mashable composite; Mattel, Inc.

Barbie was one of the best movies of the year and, it seems, on eBay. Users searched for "Barbie" over 14,000 times per hour, globally, in the week before and immediately after the release of the film (July 14 to 29). And Barbie shared the eBay spotlight with an unlikely pal: Allan, the discontinued friend-of-Ken depicted by Michael Cera in the blockbuster movie. Searches for "Allan doll" increased by over 1300 percent on eBay between July 14 and July 21, the day the film opened.

The Large Hadron Collider may soon uncover the secrets of dark photons. Should we be scared? (Spoiler: no).

Back in the summer of 2022, TikTok lost its mind over news that the Large Hadron Collider — the particle collider run by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) at a giant installation on the border between Switzerland and France — was about to be switched back on after a spate of ho-hum findings led to it being taken offline. 

The concern at the time was that resuming particle collisions was going to manifest various sci-fi apocalypse scenarios — y'know, summon Stranger Things-style creatures or annihilate the universe. That sort of thing. None of this was ever going to happen, but perhaps one could call the sudden spike in interest a win for science anyway. 

SEE ALSO: A guide to surviving the online apocalypse

Well, according to a December 27 statement from CERN, some of the LHC findings from this latest run of experiments are ready for public consumption, and they concern (flashlight under chin voice) dark photons. 

What has CERN been up to since 2022, and what does it have to do with dark photons?

The new statement comes from the group working on CERN's Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS), who are now publishing data from the "Run 3" round of experiments that started amid the TikTok wackiness of July 2022. The significance of Run 3 is that, thanks to the aforementioned pause in experiments, the LHC went into this phase with fresh upgrades, allowing higher instantaneous luminosity compared to previous runs, a feature that makes for more particle collisions at any given moment.

In the experiments being analyzed in the new data, dated August 2023, the CMS team was looking for dark photons in the decay of Higgs bosons — the Higgs boson being CERN's former white whale particle, which it found, to great fanfare, in 2012. Dark photons, if they actually exist, are good targets for experimentation, in part because they're thought to be long-lived particles (LLPs) — meaning they exist for longer than one-tenth of one billionth of a second. 

Broadly speaking, the CMS team looks for various LLPs, and the dark photon would just be one such theoretical particle. LLPs would decay into easier to observe particles similar to heavy electrons called muons, which, if you're following all the physics-speak, is why these findings come from the Compact Muon Solenoid team. 

What is a dark photon anyway, and why is CERN looking for it?

In addition to being LLPs, dark photons would also be considered "exotic," (apologies for still more physics jargon) which means they would exist outside the standard model of physics, the reliable rule book for the behavior and effects of known particles. It's worth noting that not everything "exotic" is all that, um, exotic. Gravity, for instance, exists outside of the standard model. 

Theoretical physicists say dark photons would be particles related to dark matter. In non-sci-fi physics, dark matter is neither a weapon, nor a warp drive fuel, but simply a mysterious theoretical substance that emits no light, but nonetheless has — or seems to have — gravitational effects. Dark photons would play a role in the interactions between dark matter particles similar to the role regular photons play in electromagnetism. 

Has CERN found dark photons?

So far, CERN's data from this experiment does not contain definitive proof of the existence of dark photons. The new statement instead touts sophisticated new forms of particle collision analysis. Higher instantaneous luminosity means a lot more data to analyze — so much, in fact, that "recording every collision would quickly consume all the available data storage," according to the Dec. 27 statement.

Instead, the CMS team relies on an algorithmic system apparently known as "the trigger" (Okay, are they deliberately trying to freak out TikTok?). The trigger highlights only the potentially interesting collisions, allowing for consequential data to be stored, and the rest to be tossed out.

Juliette Alimena, a particle physicist working on the CMS experiment, notes in the statement that the trigger "allows us to collect much more events than before with muons that are displaced from the collision point by distances from a few hundred micrometers to several meters. Thanks to these improvements, if dark photons exist, CMS is now much more likely to find them."

So is the absence of evidence so far for the existence of dark photons just more disappointing news out of CERN? You be the judge. Optimistically, one could argue that the absence of breakthrough data so far allows CERN scientists to know where not to keep looking. Then they can refine their models and keep up the search. 

TL;DR: Anyone can have a green thumb with a lifetime subscription to a Plantum AI Plant Identifier Premium plan, now just $14.97 through Jan. 1. That's a savings of 75%.

Want to become a better plant parent in 2024? It's time to start thinking about our resolutions for the new year, and if you need a little help giving your garden a boost, there's now an app for that. A lifetime subscription to Plantum can help you take good care of your plant children for the rest of time. 

Plantum is an AI-powered app that helps you become an expert in over 15,000 species, and you can currently score a lifetime subscription on iOS for an amazing deal during this end-of-year sale. For just $14.97, the best price available on the internet with no coupon code required, you can turn your iPhone or iPad into your personal plant assistant. But you'll need to act fast — this deal only lasts through January 1. 

Imagine having a plant expert in your pocket with Plantum. Thanks to artificial intelligence, Plantum can not only identify more than 15,000 plant species with a single click, but it can also help you keep them healthy. From diagnosing their conditions to providing the right care, Plantum advises on all of this right from your phone or iPad. It also can help you choose the right soil, schedule your watering and fertilizing, and even give you the right temperature conditions for each species. A unique light meter measures sunlight level, too, so you can place your plants in the exact right spot. 

Aside from identifying plants in just three short seconds, Plantum also offers you a plant journal to keep tabs on your garden and a plant encyclopedia so you can learn more about new varieties. It also can provide helpful reminders so your plants stay in tip-top shape. 

Curate a beautiful garden with a lifetime subscription to a Plantum AI Plant Identifier Premium plan, now just $14.97, the best price online, until January 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Plantum Plantum AI Plant Identifier Premium: Lifetime Subscription $14.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: Through Jan. 1, you can get a lifetime subscription to the OneAir Elite plan and enjoy flight discounts for just $79.97 — that's a savings of 89%.

2023 savings haven't ended quite yet. This deal on lifetime access to OneAir provides a convenient way to save on flights, hotels, and more. 

Ahead of the new year, you can secure a lifetime subscription to the OneAir Elite plan and save big on business, first, and premium class flights — along with other perks. In fact, you can get it for the best price available online, only $79.99 (reg. $790) through January 1 with no coupon code required. 

Though it may be too late to save on your holiday travel, OneAir gives you the potential to save on all your flights from now on. This handy AI-powered tool is a members-only app that helps you score savings on not only airfare, but hotel fares as well. Their AI scans and tracks airline rates and then lets you know via both email and mobile alert, so you can take advantage and make your travel budget go a whole lot further. All you have to do is pick your airports and get ready to pack. 

OneAir's prices are all-inclusive, so you won't uncover any hidden fees or extra expenses, and if you need to cancel for any reason, you can, within 24 hours of booking your flight. This OneAir Elite membership also includes access to savings on rental cars and activities all over the world, the ability to set up destination-specific deal alerts, and the option to choose 10 departure airports for deals. 

Grab this lifetime subscription to a OneAir Elite plan for just $79.97, the lowest price online, until January 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: OneAir OneAir Elite Plan: Lifetime Subscription $79.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of December 31, get a lifetime subscription to the Jillian Michaels Fitness App for just $149.97 — that's 66% off.

Whether you're planning on hitting the gym or just being a little more mindful in the kitchen, the new year is often a time to think about your health, and there's a lot to learn. It might be intimidating to do it all on your own, but you could get some help from a familiar face. 

Jillian Michaels was the trainer on The Biggest Loser, and now you can take a holistic approach to your health with some help from the Jillian Michaels Fitness App, which gives new users the chance to access curated workout routines, fitness videos, meal plans, and a lot more. And through January 1, a lifetime subscription is only $149.97 instead of $449.95. No coupon needed. 

Work out how you'll work out in the new year 

Whether you want to work on your cardio or push the limits of your core, this app could help you find new and exciting workouts to try that are curated based on your fitness level, workout intensity, and the equipment you have available. If all you have is a yoga mat and a good attitude, you may still be able to find something new to try. And if you don't like any workout, you can ban it. Bye-bye, burpees. 

This app has over 1,000 workout videos to search through, but that's not the only thing it has going for it. You can also generate new workouts or access hundreds of recipes to help you take a holistic approach to your health goals. Health doesn't live exclusively at the gym, so cook up something tasty and healthy to get your day going right. 

New year, new you

Don't miss your chance to get a lifetime of guidance from a celebrity workout app for a discount. 

Until January 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT, get the Jillian Michaels Fitness App for $149.97. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jillian Michaels Jillian Michaels: The Fitness App (Lifetime Subscription) $149.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of Dec. 31, you can pick up a refurbished MacBook Pro (Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for only $449.99 instead of $649.99. That's a savings of 30%.

With Apple's notoriety for being stingy on discounts, there are only a few surefire ways to score a bargain on their products. If you're a student, you can take advantage of the education pricing. If you're an entrepreneur, you can benefit from the business pricing. You may also have been lucky enough to have received an Apple gift card this Christmas.

If none of these things apply to you, you can score a deeply discounted Apple product by buying refurbished units. Case in point: for a limited time, this like-new 13.3-inch MacBook Pro is on sale for only $449.99.

While it's not the newest MacBook Pro on the block, this 2017 laptop still packs everything MacBooks are known for. It comes with an Intel Core i5 dual-core processor and 8GB RAM to allow for smooth multitasking, a 13.3-inch IPS Retina display with LED backlighting and Intel Iris Graphic 640 for immersive streaming and browsing, and a generous 256GB of storage for housing your files and media.

If you're always on the go, its lithium-ion polymer battery can last up to 10 hours on a single charge, while its Bluetooth 4.2 technology lets you connect it to various peripherals like a keyboard, mouse, and wireless headset. There are also Thunderbolt 3 ports for mirroring video to an external display.

Other nifty features are also built into this productivity machine, including dual-band WiFi, a 720p webcam, dual microphones, stereo speakers, and so much more.

This MacBook Pro is from 2017, so it's not fresh off the shelves, and it may also have light cosmetic marks on the case. But it's guaranteed to have been cleaned and tested to work just like new.

Formerly retailing for $649, you can grab this 2017 13.3-inch refurbished MacBook Pro for only $449.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished MacBook Pro (Core i5, 8GB RAM 256GB SSD) $449.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of December 31, get this Gamma Graphene-Infused Heated Jacket (w/ Power Bank) for only $199.99 — all sizes 65% off.

Whether you’re hitting the slopes or just walking the dog, good winter gear makes a big difference when the weather gets chilly, but there’s one thing most of it has in common: you’re the one heating it up. Try the Gamma Graphene-Infused Heated Jacket, which connects to a power bank that heats up different warming areas across the body. It comes in three sizes, and each one has been marked down to $199.99 from $575 to celebrate the new year.

Winter coats that heat themselves

This versatile jacket isn’t just ready for winter wear. It’s actually made of graphene-infused polyester that’s light and breathable but still warm and comfortable. That means you could wear it all year round, and it’s designed to be water and wind-resistant and even wicks moisture. If you break a sweat going down the slopes, just toss your jacket into the wash. It’s machine-washable, along with being UV-proof and hypoallergenic.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/BboHirc6lvY

On its own, this is already a nice winter jacket, but what makes the Gamma Graphene-infused jacket different are the built-in heating areas. These are powered by the included power bank that doubles as a hand warmer. You can toggle between multiple heating options. Battery life varies depending on the heating mode, but you could get up to eight continuous hours of warmth.

A winter jacket for all year

Until January 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT, get a jacket that heats itself:

• Gamma Graphene-Infused Heated Jacket + Heated Power Bank Bundle (Men's L/Women's XL), on sale for $199.99

• Gamma Graphene-Infused Heated Jacket + Heated Power Bank Bundle (Men's S/Women's M), on sale for $199.99

• Gamma Graphene-Infused Heated Jacket + Heated Power Bank Bundle (Men's M/Women's L), on sale for $199.99

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Winter Essentials Gamma Graphene-Infused Heated Jacket + Heated Power Bank Bundle (Men's L/Women's XL) $199.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Winter Essentials Gamma Graphene-Infused Heated Jacket + Heated Power Bank Bundle (Men's S/Women's M) $199.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Winter Essentials Gamma Graphene-Infused Heated Jacket + Heated Power Bank Bundle (Men's M/Women's L) $199.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: A lifetime license to the Jott Pro AI Text and Speech Toolkit is on sale for £31.55, saving you 80% on list price.

While humans have always led busy lives, it seems with the advancement of technology, we are expected to do more and more within a single day. So, any tips and tricks for saving time are most welcome. Wouldn't it be lovely to have a way to cut out the tedious work of note-taking, transcribing, and translation so you might have a little extra time to relax? 

With the AI boom already here, some things have changed for the better. The Jott Pro AI Text and Speech Toolkit is specialised software that could save you time when it comes to matters of text and speech, and a lifetime license is currently on sale for just £31.55 — and it has a lot of valuable capabilities.

If you consistently need to dictate emails or reports or take detailed notes during classes or meetings, Jott can help you. With its AI capabilities, Jott was made to transform any spoken word into written text without missing a beat.

Using state-of-the-art neural AI tech, this software can also turn any text into a high-quality, lifelike human voice, which is excellent for those with vision impairments. It can also save time by allowing you to listen instead of read while on the go.

Another helpful feature lets you extract images and text from files like PDFs, eliminating the need for manual transcription, as Jott converts it to editable text for you.

While this license is available on unlimited devices, this Jott Pro deal is only applicable to new customers. You'll get 120 minutes of speech-to-text per month, 100,000 characters per month of text-to-speech, 100,000 characters per month for transcription, and 100,000 characters per month for translation, along with all of the Jott features.

This lifetime license includes updates and improvements as they become available, which help keep the tech you're using current. Made to be user-friendly and highly accurate, it could be the difference between making it home in time for dinner and being stuck in the office.

Get a lifetime license to the Jott Pro AI text and Speech Toolkit for £31.55.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jott Pro Jott Pro AI text and Speech Toolkit (Lifetime License) £31.55 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

Your stomach is an oil slick of Christmas cookies and tequila, and your skull feels like it's filled with pulsing concrete. Happy New Year, baby!

For many, the New Year's Day hangover is as familiar a tradition as the Times Square ball drop — but with less auld lang syne and more watered-down Gatorade. Luckily, streaming services from Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Max, Prime Video, and Tubi offer tons of phenomenal content to help us fast-forward through our mornings/afternoons/day-and-a-halfs of misery.

SEE ALSO: 25 best movies of 2023, and where to watch them

Broken down by specific post-party situations, here are 19 movies streaming right now to help you overcome your hangover woes. Godspeed, you warrior.

You're nauseous.

When it comes to nailing the queasy cinematic experience, your film of choice must be engaging enough to distract you from wanting to hurl, but not so special-effects heavy that your couch turns into Space Mountain. Here are a few picks that fit the bill:

Election (1999)

Think modern-day politics meets Mean Girls meets Nebraska and you've got Alexander Payne's timeless face-off between social studies teacher Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) and student government icon Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon)

How to watch: Election is now streaming on Max.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

The David O. Russell dramatic comedy that earned Jennifer Lawrence her Oscar pairs her with Bradley Cooper as a pair of hot messes who find love and a second lease on life through a dance competition.

How to watch: Silver Linings Playbook is now streaming on Netflix.

I, Tonya (2017)

Craig Gillespie's biographical comedy stars Margot Robbie as the controversial Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding. Warning: There's a really rough knee injury and also an unbearably cute bird.

How to watch: I. Tonya is now streaming on Max.

The Theory of Everything (2014)

Another biopic, this drama chronicles the life of theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking with Eddie Redmayne in the lead. He shines so bright throughout, you'll hardly remember how much you want to throw up.

How to watch: The Theory of Everything is available for rental or purchase on Prime Video.

You've got a bad headache.

First, drink some water. Second, select a film that is the equivalent of your mother gently stroking your hair while you snuggle a kitten upon a velvety cloud of butterfly kisses. Perhaps one of the following feel-good flicks will suffice:

Big (1988)

If there's one movie that can quietly lull anyone to sleep, it's Big. A kid ages up overnight into Tom Hanks and spends his time doing stuff like playing a giant piano.

How to watch: Big is now streaming on Disney+.

Hearts Beat Loud (2018)

Nick Offerman stars as a doting dad who plays guitar and owns a vinyl shop. Need I say more? Complete with a soundtrack that totally slaps, this heartfelt love letter to dads and daughters is an utter delight.

How to watch: Hearts Beat Loud is now streaming on Peacock.

Mamma Mia! (2008)

You'll need to watch the volume on this one, but no amount of Tylenol can compare to the healing effects of ABBA. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll probably call your dad.

How to watch: Mamma Mia! is available for rental or purchase on Prime Video.

You're wallowing in your shame.

You're not exactly sure what, but something is telling you to be very embarrassed. Lucky for you, Hollywood is chock-full of characters doing things way more humiliating than whatever trash you pulled last night. Try some of these "Well, at least I didn't do that" sagas.

Colossal (2016)

One thing you didn't do last night: become a gigantic monster and subsequently crush the city of Seoul. The complete embodiment of wondering "What did I do when I was drunk?" Colossal is a comedy that's crackling and a bit crushing.

How to watch: Colossal is available for rental or purchase on Prime Video.

Ingrid Goes West (2017)

Last night you probably didn't spray mace into the face of an unsuspecting bride... but if you did, at least you and Ingrid (Aubrey Plaza) can relate.

How to watch: Ingrid Goes West is available for rental or purchase on Prime Video.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)

Note to self: Do not write love letters to everyone you have ever had a crush on, seal them in addressed envelopes, and then just leave them around to be accidentally sent. Your awkward midnight kiss could not have been worse (or as cute) as Lara Jean Covey's misadventures in love.

How to watch: To All the Boys I've Loved Before is now streaming on Netflix.

I Love You, Man (2009)

Unless you purchased a number of billboards last night, nothing you did is more embarrassing than the character arc of Peter Klaven in I Love You, Man. Starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel, this classic aughts comedy is a good hang.

How to watch: I Love You, Man is now streaming on Max.

You need to sober up, now.

Maybe scheduling brunch with your significant other's parents for Jan. 1 wasn't such a great idea. Regardless, you have about three hours until you need to be first impression ready. And honestly? You're still a little very drunk. Try some coffee and maybe stream one of these intense, gripping dramas to get your blood flowing:

District 9 (2009)

Nothing says, "Wow, I should be paying attention more!" like an alien invasion turned human rights allegory. A little too real, this unsettling found footage project is as good now as when it first awed audiences.

How to watch: District 9 is now streaming on Hulu.

The Hateful Eight (2015)

Only a shot of whisky (or a fall off a horse) could wake you up like Quentin Tarantino's critically acclaimed Western. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and a slew of other familiar faces, this wild ride is sure to jolt you back to your senses.

How to watch: The Hateful Eight is now streaming on Netflix.

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Based on Cormac McCarthy's novel of the same name, this terrifying crime thriller from the Coen Bros. stars Javier Bardem and a surprising application of compressed air. You have been warned: It gets rough.

How to watch: No Country for Old Men is now streaming on Showtime.

You're trying that hair-of-the-dog strategy.

Sometimes the only solution to too much partying is more partying. But don't go it alone. Instead, let one of these wild, cinematic nights accompany your wild, groggy morning. Happy New Years, ya filthy animal.

When We First Met (2018)

Groundhog Day, but with romance and booze! This Adam DeVine comedy relives the same party on repeat just like you're doing with that leftover wine right now.

How to watch: When We First Met is now streaming on Netflix.

Magic Mike (2012)

Not unlike Channing Tatum's rock-hard abs, Magic Mike just does not get old. If it's before noon and you're cracking open a beer, no reason you can't enjoy some saucy stripping, too — and from the comfort of your couch, no less!

How to watch: Magic Mike is now streaming on Hulu.

The Overnight (2015)

Featuring Jason Schwartzman in his most ridiculous role since Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, The Overnight is a super weird drug and alcohol-infused playdate that turns harmless fun into an unsettling fever dream.

How to watch: The Overnight is now streaming on Tubi.

The Big Lebowski (1998)

When searching for a hangover coach, look no further than The Dude. An ode to enlightenment, chillness, and interior furnishing, this Coen brothers cult classic is what morning afters are made of.

How to watch: The Big Lebowski is now streaming on Netflix.

UPDATE: Dec. 15, 2023, 12:43 p.m. EST This post has been updated to reflect current streaming access.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for Dec. 30's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

Not the day you're after? Here's the Wordle answer for Dec. 30.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Why are there two different Wordle answers some days?

Though usually Wordle will only accept one correct solution per day, occasionally it has rebelled against the norm and deem two different answers acceptable. This is due to changes the New York Times made to Wordle after it acquired the puzzle game.

The Times has since added its own updated word list, so this should happen even less frequently than before. To avoid any confusion, it's a good idea to refresh your browser before getting stuck into a new puzzle.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Food that tastes savory or mineral-like.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are letters that appear twice.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. What's the answer to Wordle today?

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to Wordle #925 is...

SALTY.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for December 31's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Conglomeration of people

• Green: Intense clearness

• Blue: European cities

• Purple: Celebration

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Organization

• Green: Sharpness, As of an Image

• Blue: Places In France

• Purple: Happy New Year!

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for December 31

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to Connections #203 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Organization: CLUB, GROUP, PARTY, TEAM

• Sharpness, As of an Image: CLARITY, DEFINITION, DETAIL, RESOLUTION

• Places In France: CHAMPAGNE, DIJON, NICE, TOURS

• Happy New Year!: BALL, COUNTDOWN, FIREWORKS, KISS

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.

As one of the final congressional acts of 2023, President Joe Biden has signed into law Congress' 2024 defense bill, an $886 billion appropriations allocation that also quietly renewed a hotly-contested federal surveillance program.

Included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was an extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence and Surveillance Act (FISA), originally passed in 1978 to provide oversight of foreign intelligence surveillance activities. Section 702, added in 2008, allows the federal government to surveil the communications of foreigners overseas without a warrant, as well as collect data on Americans exchanging information with "targets" abroad — the data is then indefinitely stored for future investigations.

"I also thank the Congress for its extension of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act," Biden wrote in a White House statement. "My Administration looks forward to working with the Congress on the reauthorization of this vital national security authority as soon as possible in the new year."

Representatives say a reform bill is still in the works for the 2024 session, but advocates are wary of the slow-moving decision-making trickling through the Biden Administration and fear the Act's continued privacy threats.

SEE ALSO: 7 tips for using your phone less

These groups have documented cause for concern, citing not only the well-established history of surveillance abuse enacted by federal agencies but also the admissions of federal actors themselves. FBI director Christopher Wray said in a November House Homeland Security hearing that the bureau had, in fact, misused FISA's powers before instituting more "restrained" policies for its use.

“Abuses and civil liberties violations are going to continue at a completely unacceptable rate. For every day, every week, every month that Section 702 continues without reform, that is what’s happening,” said Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Brennan Center for Justice’s Liberty and National Security program, in an interview with Mother Jones.

Wray, however, is joined by political commenters and politicians across political parties who have called on Congress to retain Section 702, arguing in favor of its use against dangerous foreign actors and noting previous modernization efforts to bring the policy up to the technological realities of today — as well as ensure Americans' Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Rather than protecting its citizens, civil groups and advocates have long accused the program of being an unconstitutional use of government power and of disproportionately affecting certain Americans more than others, including heightened scrutiny of communities of color and related organizations. In May, newly declassified documents showed the FBI misused Section 702 to investigate Black Lives Matter protesters, congressional campaigns, and participants of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Section 702 itself was the product of FISA's role in President George W. Bush's post-9/11 War on Terror, following revelations of the Act's use by the National Security Agency to spy on Americans.

Meanwhile, similarly lambasted domestic surveillance tactics have taken advantage of location data to arrest and prosecute American citizens participating in demonstrations and protests, prompting companies and services like Google Maps to overhaul their privacy policies in 2023 — although these involved the use of legal warrants.

Andy Wong, advocacy director of Stop AAPI Hate, told Mother Jones that Congress' decision to push the program through the new year for later reevaluation was a missed opportunity to protect citizens from such violations and thus prevent continued risk to communities. “They sort of dodged the responsibility here.”

The first trailer for The American Society of Magical Negroes has dropped, and instead of expressing excitement for comedian-turned-writer/director Kobi Libii's debut film, many on social media were left confused.

This was not "Black Hogwarts" as many had thought based on the name and initial poster which showed a hand holding a membership card for the aforementioned Society of Magical Negroes. Instead, the trailer revealed that this film was going to be a satirical romantic comedy.

The film, which will premiere in January at the Sundance Film Festival, follows Aren (All The Bright Place's Justice Smith), a recruit for the society of "magical negroes," whose main mission is to use their powers to make white people's lives easier. Assigned to a young white man (The Other Two's Drew Tarver), Aren's getting the hang of their role, cajoling the guy so he's never in a dangerous place of discomfort. But as they both develop feelings for a co-worker (An-Li Bogan), Aren questions whether it is okay to put white people's comfort over his own.

Once the trailer revealed the plot, three camps arose on X (formerly Twitter): 1) Those disappointed because they expected a film about Black people doing magic without the Black trauma; 2) Those let down that the film is a satirical romantic comedy employing a problematic trope; 3) Bad-faith actors trying to portray the film as anti-white racism.

We'll ignore the last camp since those are just trolls pushing a divisive narrative for clicks, but some on X were vocal and genuinely put off by the film genre bait-and-switch.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted The "Magical Negro" trope, explained

The concept of the "magical negro" trope, coined by filmmaker Spike Lee in 2002, refers to Black side characters who solely exist to help white characters with their problems.

This trope has historical roots that can be traced back to 15th and 16th-century Spanish theater. This period, marked by exploration and colonial expansion, often depicted characters of African descent in literature and theater in a way that was intended to be mystical or otherworldly. In later centuries, especially in the context of American cinema, this trope evolved. The "magical negro" character is typically portrayed as a supportive figure possessing special insight or mystical powers, often used to aid the white protagonist.

This character is usually portrayed as subservient or secondary to the main white characters, reflecting a lingering, if not direct, echo of the master-slave dynamic from historical times—thus recontextualizing the dynamic as a mutually beneficial relationship.

First seen in cinema with Disney's Song of the South, notable films that include this trope are The Legend of Bagger Vance, The Green Mile, Ghost, and most recently Green Book. It's even been lampshaded in popular culture by Key & Peele and other Black comedians in the past:

This trope serves several purposes. On one hand, it is an attempt to include African-American characters in mainstream media, albeit in a limited and often stereotypical way.

On the other hand, it subtly perpetuates racial stereotypes and power dynamics by continually casting Black characters in roles where their primary function is to support, enlighten, or aid white characters, rather than being fully fleshed-out individuals in their own right. Thus, the trope inherently promotes white supremacy by reinforcing the idea that the value of Black individuals is measured by their utility to white narratives.

This trope's persistence in modern media reflects ongoing challenges in representation and storytelling. It suggests a need for more nuanced and diverse portrayals of Black characters, moving beyond archaic stereotypes to embrace the full complexity and humanity of individuals of all backgrounds.

Why is The American Society of Magical Negroes facing backlash?

The main gripe of many on social media and especially on X (formerly Twitter), is that the movie being marketed is not the movie they thought it was going to be — and the general misunderstanding of what the term "magical negro" means.

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As expressed in these tweets, some said they desire representation that celebrates the full spectrum of Black life and culture, beyond narratives centered on suffering and adversity. It’s an especially valid sentiment in the wake of poorly received race horrors like Antebellum, Them, and Bad Hair, or depictions of Black men as villains in superhero movies like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

It's why Black Panther, despite not being the greatest movie ever, is the cultural phenomenon it is. Black Panther offered a refreshing change, allowing Black viewers to see themselves in stories that are empowering, uplifting, and affirming of their identities without the weight of trauma.

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This isn't to say The American Society of Magical Negroes is going to fall flat with its intended audience. The film doesn't release until March of next year, so most of us will have to wait well past Sundance to know what its final cut contains. As of now, we only have a poster, one trailer, and a plot synopsis available to us. What we see now may not be representative of the final product (Just look at how Sorry To Bother You's third act dials the satire to 11). However, what we're seeing at the moment isn't all that impressive.

Hoping to kick the new year off with a nice view of a meteor shower? You're sort of in luck because the night of Jan. 3 and the early morning of Jan. 4 will present a so-so opportunity to catch a glimpse of the Quadrantids. 

The brighter the moon in the sky, the less detail you're going to see, and in that sense, this year will be good but not great for Quadrantids fans. Last year, by contrast, the moon was almost full during the peak of the Quadrantids — bad news for stargazers. 2024 is looking only slightly better, with the moon at approximately half illumination. 

When to look up and see the Quadrantids SEE ALSO: Vigilant amateur asteroid hunters keep watch for menacing space rocks

Each year, from about Jan. 1 to 5, this shower arrives, and there will be some visible meteor activity every night during that window — though the night of January 3 and the early hours of January 4 will be your best bet. The best time to look will be just after midnight, or any time the meteors' radiant point, the constellation Bootes, is in the night sky. 

The peak hours according to the American Meteor Society are "between the local hours of 1-5am" for locations in North America, but as always, check your local listings, and keep in mind that the weather doesn't obey the whims of stargazing calendars.

What's a 'Quadrantid' anyway? 

If your last astronomy lesson was decades ago, you may have forgotten what meteors even are, and there's no shame in that. Yes, they're the same things as "shooting stars," but that name is pretty deceptive because meteors are just tiny space dust particles burning up in Earth's atmosphere. They're also not light-years away from our eyes like stars. Rather, they're a few dozen miles away. 

This particular space dust most likely flew off of a comet called 2003 EH1, discovered in the year it's named after. As Earth's orbit carries us over and over through the comet's trail of cosmic leftovers, the dust particles — or meteoroids — collide with our atmosphere, resulting in the light show we call a meteor shower.

How to watch for the Quadrantids

To have any hope of a dazzling show, you need to get away from city lights. These meteors radiate from the position of the Bootes constellation in the sky, and a stargazing app might help if you don't know how to find Bootes. However, don't fixate on Bootes, because the meteors will be seemingly everywhere above your head. Just lean back, stay warm, let your eyes get used to the dark, and keep looking up.

Unless there's cloud cover, given enough time, you'll see something exciting.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for December 30 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for December 30

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023:

AcrossNo ___, ands or buts

• The answer is Ifs.

Poet Khayyám

• The answer is Omar.

Bit of wall damage created while hanging a painting

• The answer is Nail hole.

Amelia Earhart crossed it solo in 1932

• The answer is Atlantic.

Hit TV show with the initials "T.V."

• The answer is The Voice.

Charged particles

• The answer is Ions.

Part of a surfboard or shark

• The answer is Fin.

Lifesaving first responder, for short

• The answer is EMT.

Made it through a round of musical chairs

• The answer is Sat.

DownEven, scorewise

• The answer is In a tie.

Comprehend

• The answer is Fathom.

Like the "s" in "aisle" and "island"

• The answer is Silent.

"This can't be good!"

• The answer is Oh no.

Recurring themes

• The answer is Motifs.

Keys of music

• The answer is Alicia.

From not long ago

• The answer is Recent.

British bathrooms

• The answer is Lavs.

Halfway into a simulated Mars expedition, two men and two women living together in isolation have lost a crucial piece of equipment.

"I may have accidentally murdered one of our robots," said Dr. Nathan Jones, the medical officer for the crew, who described the incident as a "traumatic death."

Anca Selariu, the science officer, joked they would need Operation Phoenix to bring their rover back from the ashes. Ross Brockwell, the flight engineer, assured Jones they'd be able to fix it.

"We’ve got plenty of duct tape," Brockwell said.

The conversation came amid a recorded update from NASA's Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog study, or CHAPEA. Four ordinary individuals volunteered to live in a 3D-printed Mars habitat for a year as a dress rehearsal for life on the Red Planet. Rather than reporting to Earth from 140 million miles away in space, though, the crew is actually much closer, in a 1,700 square-foot home at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Outside the habitat, dubbed Mars Dune Alpha, is a domed facility designed to look like the surface of Mars, replete with red dirt and craggy vistas. They call this area where they conduct mock Marswalks the "sandbox."

As people around the world prepare to celebrate New Year's Eve, the CHAPEA crew — Jones, Selariu, Brockwell, and Commander Kelly Haston — will also celebrate the halfway point in their 378-day isolation, which began on June 25, 2023. They're the first of at least three groups that will participate in Mars-like isolation studies for human research.

SEE ALSO: Does space romance make NASA cringe? It's complicated. Tweet may have been deleted Communication delays between Mars and Earth

The details are key to mimicking the real challenges of life on Mars. To simulate the communication delay astronauts would have with Earth, the crew can only communicate with friends and family by email. Sending a message one way takes at least 20 minutes — sometimes longer — depending on the file sizes.

Even interviews have to be customized for the unique communication constraints. The updates from the crew are based on questions the U.S. space agency wrote, then asked them to record their answers as audio files. Some of the recordings can be heard on NASA podcasts, such as "Houston, We Have a Podcast."

"We’ve got plenty of duct tape." From left, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell, Kelly Haston, and Dr. Nathan Jones are the members of NASA's CHAPEA crew. Credit: NASA

It's unclear whether Jones broke the rover or NASA intended it to break as part of the experiment. During the simulation, the crew is experiencing different mission activities, such as exploring Mars, maintaining the habitat, growing crops, exercising, and operating robots. Part of the study also involves intentionally putting the crew under stressful conditions, like limiting their food resources and having them work through equipment failures.

The CHAPEA science team will eventually publish research papers with findings about crew health and performance.

"We’re really looking at how the crew performance and health changes based on realistic Mars restrictions and lifestyle of the crew members," said Raina MacLeod, CHAPEA deputy project manager, in a statement prior to the mission. "So the lifestyle is what we’re trying to simulate by setting up a realistic environment and workload for the CHAPEA crew.”

Marswalk simulations assisted with virtual reality

When the crew leaves their quarters, they don spacesuits — just like astronauts would to exit to the sandbox. Many of their Marswalks incorporate virtual reality headsets. A treadmill outside allows them to walk longer and farther than the area can afford for these activities. Sometimes they're sampling rocks, while other times they're looking for potential construction sites. From inside the habitat, they can operate a helicopter-like drone and robot to explore remote areas.

The habitat also includes a "window" that uses a TV monitor with a video feed. The view changes with the time of day, revealing a Martian sunrise, the sun overhead, the shadow of the habitat cast onto the ground, and eventually, stars at night.

In a recent update from the crew, Haston, who is an ultra runner, said the VR experiences outside the habitat have satisfied her wanderlust.

"My fun fact is that I actually apparently really love being on Mars," she said.

Dr. Nathan Jones performs a simulated Marswalk outside the habitat. Credit: NASA

But over the six months they've been away from their homes and families, crew members are starting to miss some Earthly comforts. For Haston, it's potato chips and red wine. For Jones, it was not being with his wife on their 15th anniversary. Brockwell, who calls Virginia Beach, Virginia, home, said he misses the ocean.

"I really miss driving," Selariu said. "I miss seeing trees, I miss seeing green. I miss the colors, the seasons. I miss everything about Earth."

Tweet may have been deleted "I miss seeing trees, I miss seeing green. I miss the colors, the seasons. I miss everything about Earth." CHAPEA crew reaches midpoint in 378-day study

NASA keeps their schedules as busy as those for the astronauts on the International Space Station. But when they do have down time, the crew play board games, Texas Hold'em, and a PS4 video game system in the habitat. Jones brought a Fender guitar, and Haston brought a travel-size ukulele.

No word yet on whether they've formed a band, but the crew have started a book club for reading and discussing books they've toted with them. And, as a group, they have enjoyed watching movies and TV shows from a limited database, such as Apple's sci-fi show For All Mankind.

"We're the best movie critics on Mars," Jones said. "Top four, for sure."

Anca Selariu, the science officer, works with Ross Brockwell, the flight engineer, on analyzing some geology samples. Credit: NASA

Though there's no champagne in the habitat to ring in 2024, the crew have had other special foods for celebrating holidays. They clinked mugs of hot chocolate on their first night together at Mars Dune Alpha, and they've made and decorated sponge cakes for birthdays.

Haston noted that some of their crops should be ready to harvest around the new year.

"We'll be toasting with the tomatoes from the garden," she said.