1 . It seems every country has one major event on the annual calendar. Here we’ve boiled down the choices to the absolute top events to add to your bucket list.

This over 50-year-old good time held on the shores of Lake Geneva is the second-largest jazz festival in the world. It’s more than jazz, though. You’ll find broad-ranging acts from pop to rock and blues. And, best of all, a large portion of the performances are free, in keeping with the festival’s purpose to make music accessible to anyone.

Twice a year, the Tuscan town of Siena recalls its past in the Middle Ages with a bareback horse race. Each of the 17 horses in the race and each of their course riders, represent one of the city’s districts, adding to the roar (咆哮) of the crowd. And to make things even more entertaining, riders are allowed to do anything to their opponents other than pull their reins (缰绳), so expect as many falls as thrills.

Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated anywhere in the world where there is an Irish group, but there’s no better place than Dublin, Ireland. This four-day festival in March is packed with a program of music, performing arts, literature, tours and food events. Centered around the national holiday, this festival of Irish pride, achievements and talents will be well supplied with Irish cheer.

Harbin is transformed into a winter wonderland with huge ice sculptures across the city, decorated with lights and lasers, drawing thousands of artists and art enthusiasts alike. And if that’s not enough to satisfy your fancy, there’s also the Ice Lantern Art Fair, sledding to watch and our favourite, “winter swimming watching”.

2 . From canned tomatoes to frozen pizzas, processed foods have become a regular part of our diet. We’ve gained time and energy as a result of processed foods.     1     Here are the reasons why we should avoid processed foods.

    2     A 2018 study found that ultra-processed (超加工的) foods are linked to an increased risk of cancer. The American Cancer Society reports that at least 18% of cancers are related to excess (过量的) body weight, physician activity, and poor nutrition, which could potentially be prevented by avoiding processed foods.

Processed foods are designed to make you overeat.     3     It has also been found that some processed foods can lead to greater brain activity, which can affect eating behavior.

Processed foods often contain artificial ingredients. If you’re looking at the label on a box of your favorite junk food, there are probably a bunch of ingredients that you can barely pronounce.     4       These ingredients may have a negative effect on your health.

Many processed foods are high in carbohydrates (碳水化合物) and low in nutrients and fiber. Not all carbohydrates are bad, but processed foods are often packed with refined carbohydrates. They can cause your blood sugar to increase very quickly. On top of that, processed foods are typically much lower in nutrients and the fiber is often removed.     5    

3 . The year 2023 saw a wide variety of TV and Internet variety shows in China, offering amazing entertainment to audiences. Here are some popular variety shows of the year. It’s never too late to start enjoying them.

 Become a Farmer

The farming-themed show took Chinese social media by storm in the first half of the year, shining a spotlight on farming — a crucial part of Chinese culture. The word “farming”, however, may be unfamiliar to many young urban Chinese citizens.

In an effort to connect these individuals with the industry, the show tries to deal with the topic by inviting 10 men to experience life.

 Divas Hit The Road-Silk Road 

The fifth season of the reality show, featuring popular celebrities traveling to various destinations, has been airing since October 2023.

This season saw Chinese actresses start a journey to Saudi Arabia, Croatia and Iceland. They explored the beautiful landscapes and diverse cultures of these countries and learned about the Belt and Road Initiative.

Infinity and Beyond 2023

With an amazing viewership, the music cultural program emerged as a success in the first half of this year. The show was broadcast from March to June, generating massive online attention with 8.9 billion views of topics related to the show.

Featuring a star-studded cast, the show brings about cross-Strait (海峡两岸) connection and classic and popular songs dating back to the 1970s.

Riding the Wind 2023 

Singers from various backgrounds at home and abroad tune into one another during hit reality show.

Starting its latest season this year, the program seeks to expand cross-cultural cooperation and mutual support among women, regardless of their different languages, ages or personality traits. To achieve this, the show has invited female celebrities from diverse cultural backgrounds to participate in group performances throughout the rounds of competition.

5 . The traditional handwritten “thank you” letter is no longer the most popular way to express gratitude, with digital methods such as instant messages and emails favored instead, according to a recent research.

A survey of 2,000 adults finds just 9 percent send a letter of thanks nowadays—a decline of 11 percent in the past ten years—while messages via WhatsApp, SMS text, email and Facebook, have become some of the most common ways to show appreciation.

Despite this, handwritten notes of gratitude are in fact considered to be among the top most meaningful ways to say thank you—close behind heartfelt phone calls and visiting someone to show appreciation in person. Further highlighting the influence of the personal touch, the M&S Club Rewards research finds hand-delivering flowers or treating someone to a coffee are also among the truest ways to show thanks.

The research also finds 58 percent think it is more essential than ever to say thank you to loved ones, with 28 percent admitting the last couple of years have helped them appreciate the little things. And 29 percent think it’s really necessary to show others just how much they mean to them so they realize how loved they are.

However, in our digital age—and with all these new and simple ways to communicate and show our gratitude—saying a quick thank-you via instant message has become the habit for many. But if you really want to share a meaningful thank-you, giving someone your time or adding an element of a personal or more human touch will go a long way and have a much bigger impact.

Paul Stokes, from M&S Club Rewards, says: “Our research shows that while the art of saying thank you may have changed over the years, the significance of showing our appreciation has never been higher.”

Over the last few years, we have had to come together and support each other perhaps more than ever, so it’s great to see so many of us are taking the time to share a thank-you.