Goodbye 2013 – 31 December 2013

As years go, 2012 was always going to be a hard act to follow. After the Diamond Jubilee celebrations proved that Britain could still put on a good street-party, the Olympic and Paralympic Games continued to hoist the nation’s mood. A people were united in golden glory, whatever financial cost that had come at.

Perhaps 2013 has lost some of the good feeling. As I noted after October’s storm when complaints of ‘travel nightmares’ were rife, it turns out that nobody’s forgotten how to moan after all.

But don’t forget that, economically, the country’s healthier now than at any point since 2007.

So goodbye to Harlem Shakes and twerking. We never did find out what the fox says. Farewell Mandela, Thatcher, and Frost.

I’d like to remember this year in much happier terms.

Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight are now free. Malala Yousafzai is safe and well. And there’s signs of a possible improvement in US-Iran relations.

For me, it’s been amazing – the best year of my life so far – and I thank all those who shared it with me.