As the year comes to a close and we’re wrapping up gifts for our loved ones, let’s take a minute to remember the reason for the season: honoring the various memes that burst forward this year and made us exhale out of our noses while we scrolled.

A meme is more than a news item. A meme crystallizes a moment in time and gives us all a common ground to chuckle on. This year was as turbulent as ever, which is all the better for meme enthusiasts like us. After all, the best memes are born out of uncertainty, chaos, and a healthy amount of brain rot. 

So, from Reddit to Instagram to (don’t make us say it) X, these were the memes that came out on top and will encapsulate 2023 forever.