Not everyone is a fan of surprises, understandably, but there’s nothing better than a pleasant surprise. Expecting standstill traffic when you’re running late for work and being blessed with all green lights and not another car in sight, finding flowers and chocolates on your desk that your partner got for you “just because,” or finding out that your best friend will be in town for your birthday can easily make your day. Many of us are taught to hope for the best yet expect the worst, and thankfully, all of the posts on this list don’t disappoint when it comes to providing the best possible outcomes.

The Unexpectedly Wholesome subreddit has a simple concept: members share things that end up being, well, unexpectedly sweet! And clearly, Redditors can’t get enough, as the group has 210k members, or simply people as they call themselves, and is full of uplifting posts about anything and everything. Many of these pics have the potential to be sad, hateful, disappointing or terrifying, yet they all take a quick turn and end up bringing pure joy to readers.

As I’m sure you know, pandas, we love wholesome content here at Bored Panda. Whether it’s adorable photos of baby animals or sweet pics of elderly people standing up for gay and trans rights, these kinds of pics will always be precious. But the word ‘wholesome’ hasn’t always been a compliment, so Sadiba Hasan wrote a piece for The New York Times discussing when this word became a term of endearment for Gen Zers. Apparently, the word started gaining popularity in 2018 and peaked in September 2020.

But when Celeste Scott referred to the content at the lifestyle blog The Good Trade as “wholesome” during a meeting in 2019, she learned that her colleagues had a negative connotation with the word. “Maybe before, ‘wholesome' was used to describe something a little more conservative,” she told The New York Times. But nowadays, especially amongst the youngest generation, wholesome is not associated with outdated, traditional family values and virtues, but rather linked with kindness, positivity, sincerity and anything cute.

Perhaps part of the reason Gen Z has decided to cling onto the term wholesome is because of their positivity overall. One 2022 study interviewing college undergraduates found that this young generation highly values optimism and contributing to social change. So it’s not surprising that Gen Z would also be a huge fan of “wholesome” memes and pics that promote gay rights, disability rights, taking care of the planet and anything else that makes us feel warm and fuzzy. Especially in times of turmoil, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, this content can be a welcomed escape for young people to dive into the world of all things wholesome. 

Millennial memes of the early 2010s were often full of dark humor and sarcasm, but we live in a very different world now. “Sometimes those ironic and satirical memes are too heavy-handed, and they go into things that, at a certain point, it’s not really a joke anymore,” Enzo Luna, a 22-year-old communications consultant, told The New York Times, noting that he particularly loves watching cute cat videos. “I really enjoy seeing that type of content as opposed to people making fun of others.” We’re in an age where young people are increasingly valuing social justice and kindness, and it’s reflected in what’s popular online.

Constance Grady also wrote a piece for Vox explaining how she has seen the word wholesome undergo a complete revival in the past couple of decades. Gone are the days where the word signified being behind the times and reminding people of their grandparents (in a bad way); today, being wholesome is aspirational. Anything from snacks we buy at the grocery store to music we listen to on Spotify can be wholesome, and many of this comes in direct opposition to the alt-right movement that gained traction online around 2014. “Part of the way the alt-right spreads its message is through internet trolling. When it is ascendant, the internet landscape around it starts to feel more than a little toxic,” Grady writes. “And wholesomeness becomes an appealing escape.”

Former BuzzFeed staff writer Natalya Lobanova also told Vox that, “Wholesome memes will always do well after something devastating (Trump, Brexit, whatever) because in those moments, people crave to be reminded of good things, and to simply just switch off from feeling uneasy or angry.” It seems like we have barely had a break from bad news in recent years, with school shootings, war, the pandemic, inflation and much more. So can we really blame anyone for wanting to have a few minutes of peace, intaking refreshing, wholesome content? 

If you’re feeling deprived of wholesome moments in your own life, remember that they likely appear more often than you realize, you just might have to train yourself to be on the lookout for them. “I imagine it like a nutrient deficiency; my fingernails are brittle when I’m not taking my calcium supplements regularly,” Emily Torres writes for The Good Trade, explaining why we’re all craving something wholesome. “Likewise, my heart gets brittle when I forget to practice presence—to slow down and smell the clean fur of a sun-drenched puppy. (Is there any other smell that matters?) Wholesome moments are everywhere, if only we’ll pay attention.”

The great thing about ingesting uplifting content is that you can find whatever you love the most and dive deep into that wholesome hole. Perhaps videos of fluffy bunnies are right up your alley, or maybe you’re more interested in satisfying cooking videos on TikTok where the chef tells stories about their own life while perfectly chopping veggies and crafting warm, comforting meals. Whatever it is that brings you joy, make time for it. And be cognizant of media you in take that has the opposite effect as well, such as toxic reality TV or depressing news programs. Life is about balance, and we can stay informed without missing out on the wholesome joys in life.   

The world can easily become an overwhelming and scary place, with doom and gloom filling news outlets everywhere. But we hope you’re enjoying this little breath of fresh, wholesome air, pandas. Keep upvoting the pics that restore your faith in humanity, and feel free to share even more wholesome stories in the comments below. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article featuring unexpectedly wholesome content, we’ve got the perfect list for you right here!