I know we already said goodbye twice yesterday but this is actually the last newsletter of the year.

For the final one, we thought we would compile a list of recommendations from TDA’s team to keep you company over the break.

We asked the team: If you could recommend absolutely anything, what would it be?

We hope you enjoy. And we’ll see you in the new year!

Charli XCX’s ‘Pop 2’ Album

If you were one of the millions of people who got into Charli XCX through her chart-topping album 'brat' this year, take this recommendation from a long-time fan and go listen to 2017's 'Pop 2'.

This mixtape is so far ahead of its time that I think it still sounds like the future.

Sunrise Alarm Clock

My recommendation is this sunrise clock from Amazon.

Until I bought this, I had the worst sleep hygiene in the world: the second my alarm would go off I would start scrolling the news and social media.

Now, I sleep with my phone outside my bedroom and instead wake up gradually to the light of a sunrise and birds chirping. It genuinely changes the way my day starts and means that I'm not startled awake by a yucky sounding alarm or the artificial light of TikTok - what a win!

Add Your Mum on Snapchat

My recommendation is adding your mum on Snapchat.

Stay with me on this one! As an interstate child of an Italian mother, I have long suffered guilt trips for being too busy for calls and/or regular visits home. I got my mum to download Snapchat earlier this year as a way to touch base every day (and keep her happy).

The commitment to upholding our streak motivates me to have quick daily check-ins (we're almost at 100 days now 🔥), and it has been the gift that keeps on giving. Each day I look forward to opening a Snapchat of her trying on a new filter, doing an acapella cover of Defying Gravity, or letting me know how many of her friends she has convinced to subscribe to the TDA newsletter.

She is the only person I speak to on the otherwise dormant app, but who knows?! Maybe I can get Dad onboard for 2025.

Note: you should still call your mum.

Muji Monthly/Weekly Planner

If you’re looking for a new planner or diary for 2025 — or you want to gift something useful to your stationery-loving friend — I recommend the Muji Monthly/Weekly planner. I prefer this layout which has a Monday to Sunday page and an empty page for each week, as well as calendar spreads. However, Muji has a bunch of planners with different layouts and sizes to choose from.

It’s an affordable alternative to other planner brands (like a Hobonichi or a Moleskine) and has such a minimal design that lets you personalise it however you like. Being an uncontrollable maximalist, I’ve covered mine in stickers and washi tape, but you could keep yours more low-key. I reckon it’s perfect for work or study!

Manta Sleep

If you’re on the sleep grind like me, I recommend any of the eye masks from Manta Sleep. I can’t fall asleep without a pitch black room and I move around a lot, so these masks are genuinely perfect. Dare I say it…life changing.

They’re stay on your head all night (even if you’re a wriggler!) and are cushioned all around. You won’t see a peep of light (trust me on this) and if you need to cave into the temptation, there’s space to open your eyes. I definitely sounds like a sales rep for the brand but I promise this is not paid – it’s pure love & beauty sleep!!

Self Dom Journal

A friend of mine, who is always preaching the importance of practicing daily gratitude, gave me this journal from Self Dom - and now I get it!

The prompts in this journal are super simple and helpful, and I honestly look forward to spending five minutes filling it out every morning and night. It’s a nice break from screens and a grounding way to start and end the day!

Coconut Water

The drink I just keep coming back to. How can something be so delightfully hydrating, yet so delicious? When the gods were running a half-marathon, they went looking for a Gatorade or Powerade, realised they needed a natural option, and just cracked open the closest coconut instead. A few conditions - it has to be cold, and you have to accompany it with a loud "Ah! That is delicious!" after you've had a gulp. Happy summer!

ABC Kecap Manis Sweet Soy Sauce

My recommendation is sweet soy sauce (ABC Kecap Manis from Woolworths to be precise). I put it on EVERYTHING.

Salads, stir-fries, a dollop in my two minute noodles. I'm almost tempted to swap out the Vegemite on my toast for it in the morning.

Anne with an E

This Netflix show always gives me a warm, cosy feeling and makes me nostalgic for a time I’ve never lived in. It’s a television adaptation of the Anne of Green Gables book series, telling the coming-of-age story of a young girl growing up in the late 19th century.

Orphaned Anne faces dramatic life changes after being adopted by a brother-and-sister duo. The show offers such a nuanced take on themes of belonging, identity, and love—and it’s beautifully shot! I can’t forgive anyone involved in the decision to cancel this show. (Just kidding… not really.)

Showers In The Dark

I spend about 11-12 hours a day staring at a screen, which makes winding down after work a real challenge. Recently, I discovered a surprisingly effective solution: showering in the dark.

I know it might sound like an OH&S nightmare, but keeping the bathroom lights off (but not pitch black) creates a lovely, calming atmosphere. Try lighting a candle, or two - hello DIY day spa 💅. I’ve found it really helps me switch off from the day. Give it a try!

Google Lens

My recommendation is Google Lens. It’s so helpful for finding something someone is wearing, a cool piece of decor in someone’s background, translating menus when overseas, or even identifying a plant!

It’s been my most used app this year, and has helped reduce the time spent typing different adjectives to find the dress a girl was wearing on TikTok. Hot people don’t ask questions, they find everything through Google Lens… 😉

Shrinking on Apple TV+

I've just finished season two of Shrinking and I need everyone to watch it so I have more people to talk about it with. The show follows a cast of dysfunctional therapists, led by Jason Segel (the tall guy from Forgetting Sarah Marshall). It's the perfect blend of humour and heart, with some of the best dialogue writing I've ever seen. The complicated but loveable characters are perfectly cast (Harrison Ford like you've never seen him before).

It's the kind of show that will kick you in the guts with some big feelings one moment, and leave you cackling with laughter the next. Segel co-created the show with the team behind Ted Lasso. Watch it if you like shows like Fleabag, After Life, Hack.

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As we approach the end of the year, we thought it would be a good opportunity to reflect on our favourite good news stories of the year!