If the Musk/Twitter union seems emblematic of a time defined by too many words saying far too little, one of the most memorable, if seemingly innocuous, objects of the year was the blank sheet of paper. This unusual prop proved incredibly effective when brandished en masse by protesters seeking to send a message to China’s government about its stringent and constricting COVID-19 lockdown policies. By saying nothing, it spoke volumes: “The white paper represents everything we want to say but cannot say,” a Beijing protester explained to Reuters. The tactic, an echo of silent protests, wordlessly underscored that the regime was silencing its own citizens; indeed, the government promptly blocked online searches for “blank sheet of paper.” But within weeks, it also lifted its lockdown restrictions.

BALENCIAGA’S BONDAGE BEAR

Edgy luxury brand Balenciaga finally severed its relationship with the former Kanye West in October after Ye’s unapologetic anti-Semitic remarks and other antics made the alliance untenable. Just weeks later, the brand (which has made its name in part by pushing limits of fashionable taste) released ads in which young children were surrounded by decidedly adult props, including a Balenciaga plush bag in the shape of a teddy bear in bondage gear. This soon dovetailed with an image in a separate campaign that included, as a background prop, a Supreme Court decision relating to child pornography. The cumulative backlash on social media and beyond was intense; Balenciaga repeatedly apologized and soon found that it was the one that risked being dumped by valued partners—including, ironically, Kim Kardashian.

LIZZO’S CRYSTAL FLUTE

While the evolution of popular music continues to be defined by technology and money (hi, TicketMaster), the year’s most memorable sonic moment came by way of an 1813 object from the Library of Congress. It was a crystal (and thus highly fragile) flute made by a French craftsman for James Madison—played live by superstar Lizzo in front of a packed house at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. Lizzo, a classically trained flutist, spent three hours getting a personal tour of the museum’s more than 1,700-flute collection, prior to the performance. Sensibly, she played only a few notes, but she still made the performance special. “I just twerked and played James Madison’s crystal flute from the 1800s,” she announced. “We just made history tonight.” Surely, a scene Madison could not have imagined.

STANLEY’S ADVENTURE QUENCHER TRAVEL TUMBLER

The never-ending barrage of viral crazes and phenomena continued apace this year, and in addition to memes and pop songs and dubious chicken recipes, these occasionally involved buyable, IRL objects. This year, the “TikTok famous” Stanley Adventure Quencher Travel Tumbler—it holds 40 ounces, perfect for social media’s thirsty masses—may have hit its influencer-fueled zenith. According to Buzzfeed News, the $40 product was actually discontinued a couple of years ago, but online enthusiasts basically badgered the century-plus-old camping-gear maker into bringing it back. It took a year or so to build momentum, but now the brand is cultivating demand with new colors, limited “drops,” brand team-ups, and more. Basically, the influencers took over—and produced a case study on their own impact.

THE CHOCO TACO

Some products go viral at the wrong time—specifically, upon the announcement of their discontinuation. A year ago, the Choco Taco, an ice cream confection, seemed to be just another sweet treat in your grocer’s freezer or neighborhood ice cream truck, sparking few conversations. Then Klondike, a division of conglomerate Unilever, announced that its taco-shaped, vanilla/peanuts/chocolate concoction would be discontinued. The result was more attention than the thing had ever enjoyed! Among the din of online howling, Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian offered to buy and save the brand, and no less than New Yorker star Susan Orlean weighed in with an obituary. Eventually, Klondike gave a less-than-enthusiastic nod to the idea that the treat may return in “the coming years.” But as Orlean noted, such comebacks are rare in a hyper-competitive, novelty-centric category: “The world of junk food,” she wrote, “is cruel.”

BABY DROP BOX