As a deeply ruminative, philosophical individual (I read at least three books this year and enjoy thought-provoking TikToks), I believe it’s crucial to reflect on the chapters we’re closing as we step into new ones. That’s why, in these final days of 2025, I’m taking some time to really sit with the pop culture events of the year and let them marinate. Experts say this is a groundbreaking mindfulness practice, just FYI.

There are countless poetic and inspiring moments that have permanently altered my brain chemistry this year, and I shan’t be retiring “MM flip it around Wicked Witch” or “It’s not clocking to you that I’m standing on business” any time soon. But alas, not every meme is immortal… we’ve got to make room for all the tomfoolery that’s to come in 2026. This time next year, we’ll have a whole new lexicon of brainrot speak, and that’s beautiful. Surely, we’ll also have new TV shows to completely lose our minds over, new fashion and cosmetic trends to hop on, and new celeb breakups to get parasocial about.

But before we say goodbye to 2025 pop culture “for good” (had to throw in a Wicked reference), let’s take this moment to meditate on the eventful past 12 months. Please use this meticulously crafted list of 2025 trends, concepts, objects, shows, and characters to guide your therapeutic farewell process <3.

The Concepts, Couples, Shows & Characters We Said Goodbye To In 2025

1. Tiny purses
2. The anglerfish that wanted to see the sun
3. Joel in The Last of Us
4. BBLs
5. Quiet luxury
6. Denim maxi skirts
7. Alex Russo, AKA Selena Gomez’s Wizards of Waverly Place character
8. Rick and Chelsea in The White Lotus
9. Aidan from Sex And The City’s last shred of dignity
10. David Harbour’s last shred of dignity (post Lily Allen’s West End Girl)
11. Being able to use an em-dash without ChatGPT allegations
12. Drake’s reputation (via Kendrick)
13. Stranger Things
14. Kris Jenner’s former face
15. Freedom of speech
16. Feathered brows
17. Real Housewives of New York
18. Katy Perry & Orlando Bloom
19. Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban
20. Benito Skinner & Terrence O’Connor
21. Alix Earle & Braxton Berrios
22. Tate McRae & The Kid Laroi
23. JoJo Siwa’s lesbian icon era
24. Katy Perry’s astronaut era
25. Anna Wintour’s Vogue reign
26. Team Jeremiah
27. Paige DeSorbo on Summer House
28. Bowen Yang on Saturday Night Live
29. The Astronomer CEO’s reputation (post Coldplay kiss cam)
30. High-rise jeans
31. Life before Heated Rivalry
32. The Matcha Dubai Chocolate Labubu
33. The penny
34. Eggs under $12
35. Stephen Colbert’s show
36. E! News
37. Celebrity press circuits feeling fun instead of contrived
38. Travis Kelce’s football career (possibly)
39. Taylor Swift not owning her masters
40. Lookalike contests
41. Being able to say 67 normally
42. Netflix and HBO being two separate things
43. The Ice Spice and Latto beef
44. Wicked red carpets
45. Media literacy (sigh)
46. Moonbeam ice cream
47. More men in Sabrina Carpenter music videos
48. Forever 21
49. TikTok (for like five mins before it came back)
50. The music industry doubting Addison Rae