The couple shared their love story in the first episode of the Netflix docuseries "Quarterback," which was filmed during the 2022 NFL season and released in July 2023.

Patrick Mahomes shared that he met Brittany (whose maiden name was Matthews) when they were around seventh or eighth grade.

"She was a grade above me. I was like the best friend, in the friend zone forever," he said. "I used to walk her to class and was trying to flirt."

Then, when he was a sophomore and Brittany was a junior at Whitehouse High School, he got her a rose for Valentine's Day — "I had a crush on her, but I was getting the rose as a joke, but kind of a quotation 'joke,'" he added.

The series cut to Brittany's retelling of the story as she said, "He thought it was a joke. I thought it was the cutest thing in the world. And then everyone at our lunch table started chanting like, 'kiss him, kiss him' and it made it really awkward cause we were 'just friends.' So yeah, that's kind of what started it."

Per social media anniversary posts, the pair became official on March 31, 2012, and have been together ever since.

Oh, and their first date was to Olive Garden.

In an August 2024 podcast appearance for fit-tech brand Whoop, Brittany Mahomes shared that she started playing soccer when she was 4, but was active in several other sports growing up, including T-ball, basketball, volleyball, and track.

Soccer became her primary focus in high school, and she went on to play collegiately at UT Tyler.

In 2016, during her senior year, Patrick Mahomes told UT Tyler Athletics, "I am extremely proud of the level of play she has gotten to because all of it is from hard work. Her competitive nature is one of the many things I love about her. She hates losing and wants to be the best. She works extremely hard to be great and it inspires me to work just as hard."

Her head coach, Stefani Webb, added at the time that she "is a natural goal-scorer" who "finds herself in the right position just about every time."

Brittany went on to break the single-season scoring record with 18 goals as well as the all-time scoring record with 46.

"We feed off of each other," she told the outlet of Mahomes. "He's an incredible leader and player and I've learned a lot from him. We give each other advice and he is always being positive with me to motivate me when I need it."

She added, "I'm constantly letting him know that he's not the only one breaking records. We're having a great time with everything that is going on in our lives."

After graduation, Brittany signed on to play professionally for UMF Afturelding in Iceland, where she played for one season.

Her love of fitness has been a constant throughout her life in the public eye.

In 2019, she launched her online training platform, Brittany Lynne Fitness.

"I have experience with all levels of fitness and have carried that experience with me to create exercise programs for people at all stages of their fitness journey," her website reads. "'Training like Britt' means many things — working hard, staying dedicated, not making excuses, and most of all, no BS!"

She was active on social media throughout the pandemic, sharing at-home workouts. Though she doesn't post about fitness as often as she used to, working out remains one of her passions.

In a July 2023 episode of GQ's "The Couples Quiz," she shared that working out is her favorite form of self-care. And in August 2024, she reiterated her love for fitness on the Whoop podcast.

"I love strength training," she said. "I love gaining weight, I love gaining muscle, I love, you know, doing all those things in the gym and I think being in the gym really helps my mental capacity and, you know, saying that's my me time every day that I get."

The same day he received his first Super Bowl ring, Patrick Mahomes proposed to Brittany Matthews.

She shared images of the pair and the elaborate proposal set up on Instagram the following day, writing, "On a day that was meant to celebrate you, you turned it into celebrating us. It's always us, it's always you and me. The words you looked into my eyes and said to me at this moment, will NEVER leave my mind!"

She continued, "You made this day perfect, you took my entire breath away, and I could not have imagined anything better. I love you forever and always! Cheers to spending our lifetime together and an inseparable bond."

For his part, Patrick told 610 Sports Radio that he was more nervous about the proposal than he was about playing in his first Super Bowl, despite being with Matthews for more than eight years.

"You don't think it's going to be nerve-racking, especially when you've been with someone for so long, but before you get on that knee, your heart's racing, I promise you that," he said.

The longtime couple decided to delay their nuptials after announcing they were pregnant with their first child on September 29, 2020.

For the occasion, Brittany wore a custom Versace gown with an embellished bodice with cutouts and a dramatic, billowing bustle.

Just a few weeks later, on March 31, 2022, Brittany shared a carousel of images on Instagram from their wedding in honor of their 10-year anniversary.

"10 Years with my Boo! Time to start over and start Celebrating our Marriage, oh & also our Rock Paper Scissors record," she wrote. "Love you the most."

The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Sterling Skye Mahomes, on February 20, 2021.

Their second child, a son named Patrick "Bronze" Lavon Mahomes III, was born on November 28, 2022.

Now, the Mahomes family has welcomed another baby girl, born on January 12, 2025, and named Golden Raye Mahomes. Brittany's Instagram post about the birth garnered congratulations from big names like Caitlin Clark, Tavia and Gracie Hunt, Kristin Juszczyk, and the Kelce brothers' podcast, "New Heights."

Brittany frequently posts photos and videos of herself with her children on Instagram and shared more about the family's dynamic during football season in the "Quarterback" series while she was pregnant with Bronze.

"You know, we really don't get much family time all together during seasons," she said. "So any little free time that we get, really getting out of the house and spending it with our family is most important."

Brittany Mahomes became a founding co-owner of the Kansas City Current in 2020.

"As a former collegiate and professional soccer player, I have a true level of appreciation for what these incredible women do on a daily basis. I am honored to be part of an amazing ownership group that is passionate about the game and eager to welcome a NWSL team back to Kansas City," she said.

She added, "We have the greatest fans and community here in KC and I can't wait to huddle around this team — we want more championship parades in the very near future!"

In October 2021, Mahomes and the other co-owners, Angie and Chris Long, announced their plan to build a $135 million stadium, the first of its kind specifically for women's professional soccer.

She wrote on Instagram, "These girls deserve their own stadium, they deserve their own practice facility, & they deserve an AMAZING brand!"

The team's name, the Kansas City Current, was announced shortly after, and a year later, they broke ground on the stadium.

Patrick Mahomes was announced as a fellow co-owner in January 2023.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Stadium opened on March 16, 2024, with a capacity of 11,500 people.

Brittany shared on the Whoop podcast that her early involvement with the club involved helping create the crest and team name, but now, she's available whenever she's needed.

"They know they can call me at any point for anything that they need," she said.

Brittany Mahomes has worked with brands including PetSafe, Alani Nutrition, OWYN, The Farmer's Dog, Abercrombie, and Amazon.

Editor in chief MJ Day wrote on Instagram, "Brittany Mahomes is your newest 2024 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Rookie! Owner of the Kansas City Current NWSL team, former pro athlete, wife and mother, Brittany emerges as the epitome of a modern-day powerhouse."

She added, "Brittany's journey has surpassed all expectations, inspiring others with her tenacity and unyielding determination. We are proud to welcome her to the SI Swimsuit family where she will undoubtedly continue to empower women worldwide."

Brittany later shared a post of her own, writing, "I'm so grateful for the amazing team of women who give us this incredible platform to be our truest most authentic selves!"

Brittany has been a vocal supporter of Patrick and Kansas City since he was drafted in 2017, attracting both the support and ire of football fans.

In October 2021, she tweeted "Refs are never in our favor," and — after some commenters hit back — followed up with, "I said what I said. Y'all so mad."

The following season, she called out referees for not calling a foul against her husband, writing, "Im confused, we are allowed to tackle quarterbacks like that now? Got it. The inconsistency is BS"

Replies ranged from "Someone hand her a box of tissues" to "I completely agree."

In February 2023, after she was ridiculed on "The Joe Rogan Experience" by Rogan and Shane Gillis, she appeared to respond on X (formerly known as Twitter), writing, "Something about grown men talking s--- about someone's wife is real weird..."

She later tweeted, "Actually grown ass men hating on women in general is pathetic."

Some online commenters have also turned on her behavior at games. In January 2022, she shared a video of her celebrating the Chiefs' overtime win over the Buffalo Bills by spraying Champagne onto the crowd from her box.

However, not everyone in her comments voiced the same excitement, with one X user saying there's "nothing cool" about spraying Champagne on the people below, and another calling the move "immature."

But others defended her, writing, "People clearly didn't see your Instagram where you said that fans literally requested it [emoji] Keep being you, Britt!! Don't listen to the haters."

Brittany responded to the criticism with a few more posts of her own, including, "I just wish I could do what I want without getting attacked every week" and "Hate is a very strong word to just be thrown at someone you don't even know."

"I think the main thing that he always told me is like stop caring about what people think, especially the people that don't even know you," she said on the Whoop podcast.

She added, "I think he's helped me get to that point to where, you know, I'm strong in who I am, I'm confident in who I am, I'm confident in mine and his relationship, and I'm confident in our life, so why does, you know, what other people say have to matter at all."

The Associated Press reported that Jackson Mahomes, the Chiefs quarterback's younger brother, was accused of grabbing a woman by the neck and forcibly kissing her in February 2023.

In an April 2023 Q&A on her Instagram stories, Brittany replied to a question that read, "How do you feel about the comments about your BIL," writing, "They are ignorant. He is a human just trying to live his life and find his way and until you walk a day in his shoes (which no one ever will) you have no right to say sh-- about him. So it's best to just shut up," People reported.

In March 2024, Mahomes was sentenced to six months probation, after he "pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor count of battery," the AP reported, citing online court records.

The outlet also reported that prosecutors had dismissed three felony charges for aggravated sexual battery as a result of "a lack of cooperation from the woman."

As a key figure at Arrowhead Stadium, it was only a matter of time before Mahomes became friends with Swift, who is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

The two are frequently shown sitting at games together, cheering on Patrick Mahomes and Kelce. Brittany has even been spotted with Swift and other members of her inner circle, including Selena Gomez, Blake Lively, and others, at various dinners.

The Mahomeses even attended Swift's 35th birthday party, with Brittany posting photos from the event with the caption, "My people."

In late August 2024, Brittany appeared to "like" an Instagram post made by Donald Trump outlining "The 2024 GOP Platform."

Fans were quick to call out her apparent endorsement, and on August 26, she shared a post by Christian blogger Shane Pruitt on her stories that read, "Contrary to the tone of the world today... You can disagree with someone, and still love them. You can have differing views, and still be kind."

She added the phrase, "Read that again!" to her story post.

Her words caught Trump's attention, and on September 4, he posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, "I want to thank beautiful Brittany Mahomes for so strongly defending me, and the fact that MAGA is the greatest and most powerful Political Movement in the History of our now Failing Country."

Though multiple outlets have reported that she unliked Trump's post, Pop Crave tweeted that she liked a separate pro-Trump-Vance comment on an Instagram post from August 28, although the comment is not currently liked by her.

As of January 14, Mahomes has liked a comment on one of her posts that reads, "we love a queen that loves her country" with three American flag emojis.

Neither Brittany nor Patrick made official statements about their political affiliations.

Jost and Johansson were first spotted together in May 2017, and have had a low-key relationship ever since, minus the occasional "SNL" joke and red-carpet appearance.

They got engaged in May 2019, but the ring wasn't revealed until two months later.

Representatives for Rare Carat, a diamond search engine, told Business Insider in July 2019 that Johansson's diamond is an old cut that has great clarity, especially for a light-brown diamond, and estimated the ring would cost $450,000.

Jost and Johansson tied the knot in October 2020, and they welcomed their son in August 2021.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their engagement to the world on November 27, 2017, with Markle debuting a three-stone diamond ring designed by Prince Harry and jeweler Cleave & Company.

People magazine reported that the ring features a 3-carat, cushion-cut center stone sourced from Botswana — a location of special significance to the couple — while the side stones are two round diamonds from Princess Diana's jewelry collection. Experts estimated it cost $350,000.

The couple married the following May and now reside in California with their two children.

Kate Middleton's unique 12-carat sapphire — surrounded by diamonds, no less — popped perfectly with her navy dress when the royal couple announced their engagement in 2010.

The $500,000 heirloom might not be the most expensive ring on the list, but its sentimental value is worth much more. Princess Diana famously wore this ring while she was engaged to Prince Charles.

The pair wed in April 2011 and have since welcomed three children.

Shelton and Stefani got engaged in October 2020 after five years of dating, and they announced the happy news with matching posts on Instagram.

But the "Hollaback Girl" singer didn't give fans a closer look at her ring until a few weeks later on her Instagram story.

"We're looking at a gorgeous 8-carat, radiant-shape diamond with trapezoid sides — an Art Deco look," Rare Carat founder and CEO Ajay Anand told BI in November 2020. "We're talking $500,000 in all, as the center stone is an icy white D-to-F color diamond."

Lady Gaga never ended up saying "I do" to "Chicago Fire" star Taylor Kinney, who proposed in 2015 on Valentine's Day with a 6-carat, heart-shaped diamond ring by Lorraine Schwartz.

The $500,000 ring had a micro-pavé platinum band and was engraved with "T ♡ S," which stands for Gaga's birth name, Stefani Germanotta.

The couple split in summer 2016, but seemingly remained friendly, with Kinney telling Entertainment Tonight in 2019 that "the sky is the limit" for Gaga after her success with "A Star Is Born."

The San Francisco 49ers running back proposed to the model and former Miss Universe winner in April 2023 after almost four years of dating with a three-stone ring designed by Ring Concierge.

Nicole Wegman, Ring Concierge's founder and CEO, told People, "We worked with Christian to thoughtfully design a ring that encompassed Olivia's trendsetting style while still remaining timeless — a beautifully cut Oval flanked with Epaulette side stones in a handcrafted gold and platinum setting." It's estimated that the ring is worth $600,000.

The pair tied the knot in June 2024 in a lavish Rhode Island ceremony.

Actor George Clooney proposed to British international human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin (now Clooney) with a 7-carat, emerald-cut diamond.

The solitaire ring, which features side baguettes set in platinum, is worth an estimated $750,000.

The couple publicly revealed their engagement in April 2014, and by September of that year, they had tied the knot. They later welcomed twins in 2017.

In February 2010, professional hockey player Mike Comrie proposed to Hilary Duff while the pair were on vacation in Maui.

E! News reported, per Forbes, at the time that Duff's 14-carat, princess-cut ring cost $1 million.

The couple kept their engagement short, marrying in August of that year. They later welcomed their son in 2012 before announcing their separation in 2014. The couple's divorce was finalized in February 2016.

Duff has since gone on to marry musician Matthew Koma, with whom she shares three daughters.

In 2016, Gucci Mane proposed to entrepreneur Keyshia Ka'oir during an Atlanta Hawks game with a 25-carat, cushion-cut diamond ring.

And three years later, the rapper decided to up the ante with a whopping $1 million, 60-carat round-cut diamond creation by Pristine Jewelers Ben Shimon and Avi Davidov, BET reported.

The outlet added that it took the jewelers 45 days to complete the ring.

The couple wed in October 2017 and have since welcomed two children.

Michael Douglas did pretty well choosing a $1 million antique Fred Leighton 10-carat engagement ring for Catherine Zeta-Jones, and their relationship isn't so bad either — the actors have been together for more than 20 years and have two children.

Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker proposed to Poosh founder Kourtney Kardashian in October 2021 with an engagement ring designed by Lorraine Schwartz.

"It's a flawless, beautifully cut diamond stone," Schwartz told People.

Kathryn Money, SVP of Merchandising and Retail at Brilliant Earth, told Brides that the center stone — an elongated oval solitaire diamond — is likely 10 to 12 carats with an estimated cost between $500,000 and $1 million.

The pair went on to host three weddings — in Las Vegas, Santa Barbara, and Portofino, Italy — throughout 2022. They welcomed their son in November 2023.

In August 2012, Justin Theroux asked for Jennifer Aniston's hand with a $1 million 10-carat diamond ring designed by her friend Jennifer Meyer, E! Online reported.

The couple announced their divorce in February 2018, but remain close friends.

In July 2020, Demi Lovato announced her engagement to actor Max Ehrich on Instagram.

Rare Carat CEO Ajay Anand told BI that the ring appeared "to feature a 10-carat, emerald-cut stone" and estimated that it "would sell for no less than $1 million."

But Lovato and Ehrich's engagement was short lived — they split just two months later in September 2020.

"I think I rushed into something that I thought I was supposed to do," Lovato said in her 2021 documentary "Dancing with the Devil," adding, "I realized as time went on that I didn't actually know the person I was engaged to."

Lovato is now engaged to musician Jordan 'Jutes' Lutes.

Gabrielle Union said yes to former NBA star Dwyane Wade and the $1 million 8.5-carat, cushion-cut diamond he chose for her.

The couple married in 2014 and welcomed a daughter via surrogate in 2018. Union is also stepmother to Wade's three children.

Lady Gaga has her mother to thank for her fiancé, businessman and philanthropist Michael Polansky.

Gaga told Vogue in September 2024, "My mom met him and she said to me, 'I think I just met your husband,' and I said, 'I'm not ready to meet my husband!'"

The pair officially met in December 2019 and got engaged in April 2024, the outlet reported. For the occasion, Polansky chose a large oval-cut diamond set on a pavé band.

Zack Stone, CEO of UK-based jewelry retailer Steven Stone, told InStyle in December 2024 that the ring appears to be 15 carats and estimated that it was worth around $1.25 million.

Justin originally proposed to Hailey in July 2018 with an 18-carat Solow & Co engagement ring, Vogue reported.

However, six years later, the "Peaches" singer decided to upgrade the Rhode founder's ring, this time selecting a piece by Lorraine Schwartz that she debuted on her Instagram in May 2024.

After tabloid speculation about the new ring's size, Hailey Bieber told W Magazine in July 2024 that her new bauble "is only one carat bigger" than her original ring. "It's just elongated," she said. It's estimated that the upgraded ring cost $1.5 million.

The couple have been married since September 2018 and welcomed their first child in August 2024.

In 2016, model Kate Upton said yes to MLB pitcher Justin Verlander and a one-of-a-kind ring by Anita Ko, featuring an 8-carat, round-cut diamond in a unique six-prong setting that was estimated to cost $1.5 million.

The couple have been married since 2017 and they share one daughter.

Tom Cruise proposed to Katie Holmes with a 5-carat rock in 2005.

The center oval-cut diamond was surrounded by another 6 carats of diamonds and has been estimated to cost as much as $1.5 million, per Who What Wear.

They welcomed their daughter in 2006 before splitting in 2012.

Kim Kardashian's marriage to Kris Humphries only lasted 72 days, and the best thing to come out of it was the 16-carat center diamond designed by Lorraine Schwartz.

While the ring was initially reported to be worth nearly $2 million, in 2013, when Humphries auctioned it off at a charity event, it went for $749,000.

Paris Hilton and M13 Ventures founder Carter Reum got engaged in February 2021.

The following month, Hilton shared on "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" that Reum designed the ring with Jean Dousset, the great-great-grandson of Louis Cartier.

"It is a three-stone ring design with an emerald-cut center stone, featuring baguette-cut and trapezoid accent diamonds," Dousset said in a 2021 interview with The Knot.

He added, "The design of the ring derives from a combination of classical and Art Nouveau era influences. The geometric shapes of this ring are befitting to resemble the structure of the Grand Palais in Paris." It's estimated that the ring cost $2 million.

The pair wed in November 2021 and share two children.

Before Reum, Hilton was engaged to actor Chris Zylka from January to November 2018.

Hilton kept the $2 million 20-carat pear-shaped diamond after their split, telling "The Jenny McCarthy Show" in December 2018, "The person who we got it from got millions and millions of dollars of free publicity, so I love how social media has basically become a new form of money. It's pretty sick."

"Diamonds are a girl's best friend," she added.

When NFL quarterback Russell Wilson put a ring on it, he made sure no one could miss the news by gifting Ciara a 16-carat round, brilliant-cut center diamond.

And that's not all — the center stone is flanked by a trapezoid-shaped and pear-shaped diamond on each side, bringing the ring's total estimated value to about $2 million, per The Knot.

They married in July 2016. They have three children together and also parent Ciara's son whom she had in her previous relationship.

Mariah Carey got engaged to Nick Cannon in 2008, who proposed with a 17-carat, emerald-cut pink diamond by Jacob & Co.

"I wanted to do something extremely special, something that Mariah would really appreciate," Cannon told People magazine at the time, adding, "We got the pinkest stone we could find, surrounded by other diamonds."

People reported that the center diamond was surrounded by 58 smaller pink diamonds and two half-moon diamonds, leading it to cost an estimated $2.5 million.

The two married in 2008 and had twins, but they got divorced in 2014. Cannon now has 12 children.

Blake Lively's trendy 12-carat, oval-cut diamond set in 18-carat rose gold was made by celebrity favorite Lorraine Schwartz and reportedly cost her husband, Ryan Reynolds, $2.5 million.

The two wed in 2012 and have four children.

The former first lady wed Aristotle Onassis, a Greek shipping magnate, in 1968.

He proposed with the Lesotho III diamond, a 40.42-carat, marquise-cut diamond.

The ring sold for $2.6 million at auction in 1996.

Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian proposed to 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams with a $3 million 17-carat, emerald-cut engagement ring in December 2016, The New York Post reported.

The pair wed the following November in New Orleans and now share two daughters.

Current President-elect Donald Trump proposed to wife Melania in 2005 with an emerald-cut diamond from Graff Diamonds that weighed more than 10 carats.

At the time of their engagement, he told The New York Times he got a $1 million discount on the ring — however, according to Forbes' reporting in 2018, Trump paid the full price of $1.5 million.

Regardless, he upgraded Melania's ring in 2015 for their 10th wedding anniversary, selecting another Graff Diamonds piece that weighed 25 carats and cost $3 million.

In December 2017, tech heiress Alexa Dell got engaged to real-estate investor Harrison Refoua at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.

The Daily Mail estimated that the 12-carat diamond ring is valued between $2 million and $3 million.

Kobe Bryant upgraded his wife Vanessa Bryant's ring in 2003 to "an eight-carat, emerald-cut purple diamond worth $4 million," Brides reported.

Kobe and their daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash in January 2020.

In October 2013, Kanye West (who now goes by Ye) proposed to Kim Kardashian with a 15-carat, cushion-cut diamond ring designed by Lorraine Schwartz that was estimated to cost upward of $3 million, per E! News.

And almost three years later, West surprised his wife with another Lorraine Schwartz ring, this time weighing 20 carats.

However, Kardashian was robbed of the ring just weeks later while on a trip to Paris in October 2016; lawyers and police officials estimated that it was worth about $4.5 million.

The couple finalized their divorce in 2022 after six years of marriage. They have four children.

Jennifer Lopez said "I do" to Marc Anthony in 2004 after he proposed with an 8.5-carat blue diamond ring by Harry Winston worth an estimated $4 million, according to E! News.

The pair welcomed twins in 2008 and were married for 10 years before divorcing.

When Prince Rainier III of Monaco proposed to Grace Kelly in 1955, he pulled out a 10.47-carat, emerald-cut diamond ring by Cartier then worth about $4 million.

The couple married the following year, and remained so until Kelly's death in 1982. They had three children.

Lopez was engaged to the former New York Yankee from 2019 to 2021.

At the time of their engagement, experts from James Allen estimated to BI that the emerald-cut diamond ring was 15 carats and worth at least $1 million, while gemologists at Rare Carat estimated the ring was 20 carats and worth around $4.5 million.

Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis proposed to Hilton in 2005 with a 24-carat canary diamond.

She stopped wearing the reported $4.7 million ring just four months after they initially announced their engagement.

Orlando Bloom proposed to Katy Perry in February 2019 with a floral-inspired engagement ring.

It was widely reported that the center stone is either a ruby or a pink diamond, while eight white diamonds flank it to resemble petals. Since the center stone composition has never been confirmed, experts' reported price estimates have ranged from $25,000 all the way to $5 million, The Knot reported.

The couple welcomed their daughter in August 2020, and despite their engagement happening nearly six years ago, they've never announced if they're officially married.

However, they've continued to support each other publicly at events, with Bloom presenting Perry with the MTV VMA Video Vanguard Award in September 2024.

Bennifer rekindled their romance in 2021 and got engaged in April 2022 with a three-stone ring featuring a rare light-green radiant-cut diamond as the center stone.

Lopez told Apple Music in 2023 that Affleck also had the words "not going anywhere" engraved on the band as a reference to his email signatures when they reconnected.

Unfortunately, the couple's second chance was too good to be true; Lopez filed for divorce in August 2024 after just two years of marriage, though she will keep the $5.6 million ring, People reported, citing their divorce settlement.

One of the world's most iconic musical duos said "I do" in 2008 at a secret wedding. Her engagement ring has an overwhelming 24-carat, emerald-cut flawless center diamond.

Jay-Z gave Beyoncé the center diamond set on a split shank band with micro-pavé diamonds in platinum. It reportedly cost $5 million.

Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias were lowkey about their relationship until she went public with a large radiant-cut canary diamond.

The unique, yellow diamond is set in platinum and has two other diamonds on either side — but this may be her second engagement ring. The tennis pro was spotted with a huge 11-carat, pear-shaped pink diamond back in 2004 which was reportedly worth as much as $2.5 million dollars.

These days she has mostly been spotted with the yellow one, paired with an equally impressive wedding band, though the two have long maintained that they're not interested in getting married. They have three children.

When Elizabeth Taylor wed Richard Burton for the first time in 1964, she had said yes to an emerald Bulgari brooch, not a traditional engagement ring, Vogue reported.

However, four years into their marriage, Burton purchased the 33-carat Asscher-cut Krupp diamond for $305,000 — it sold for $8.8 million at a Christie's auction in 2011.

Mariah Carey and billionaire James Packer broke the record for most expensive celebrity engagement ring in 2016 with a whopping 35-carat, emerald-cut diamond.

The wedding was called off just months later, but luckily for the "Always Be My Baby" singer, she got to keep the $10 million ring since Packer was the one who broke it off, Us Weekly reported. She sold it in 2018 for just over $2 million, Page Six reported.

Before the ball's invention, people in New York City would gather outside Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan to hear the bells chime at midnight, PBS reported.

But after The New York Times moved offices to Midtown's Longacre Square — promptly renamed Times Square — in the early 1900s, the company started a midnight firework display to encourage people to celebrate farther north.

The fireworks were later banned by the city's police department, so Adolph Ochs, then-owner and publisher of The New York Times, commissioned the company's chief electrician, Walter Palmer, "to find a new light display," PBS reported.

Palmer was inspired by a 19th-century maritime method of timekeeping, which involved dropping a ball at a certain time to help mariners ensure their timepieces were accurate, PBS reported.

The first Times Square New Year's Eve ball was built by Jacob Starr, an immigrant metalworker. It weighed 700 pounds, measured 5 feet in diameter, and featured 100 light bulbs.

Artkraft Strauss, Starr's company, was in charge of lowering the ball at midnight with an elaborate pulley system. When it dropped for the first time to ring in 1908, it started a tradition that remains more than 100 years later.

Midway through the '20s, a less heavy ball replaced the original iron and wood one.

The new ball weighed 400 pounds and was made of wrought iron, per Times Square's website.

1942 and 1943 are the only years to date that the Times Square ball was not dropped to ring in the new year.

At the time, the US was engaged in World War II and New York City participated in a dim-out to protect the city from attacks, according to the Museum of the City of New York.

The dim-out didn't keep crowds away, though, on New Year's Eve, people still gathered in Times Square.

The new ball was made of aluminum and only weighed 150 pounds, which is the lightest it's ever been.

It was used until 1980, as seen in the photo above, behind Russ Brown, then-superintendent of One Times Square.

From 1981 to 1988, the Times Square ball was transformed into the "Big Apple Ball," complete with red light bulbs and a green stem to resemble an apple for the "I Love New York" marketing campaign, according to Times Square's website.

The traditional aluminum ball returned in 1989 and was upgraded in 1995 to include aluminum skin, rhinestones, and strobes.

But perhaps the most important upgrade was the addition of computer controls that lowered the ball at midnight.

The aluminum ball dropped for the last time in 1998.

To celebrate the turn of the millennium, the ball was redesigned by Waterford Crystal.

Each year, some of the 2,688 crystal panels are replaced; these new panels are designed and hand crafted to reflect a theme, Reuters reported in 2022.

In 2017, the 2007 ball — known as the Centennial Ball — was displayed at Ripley's Believe It or Not in Times Square.

At the time, Stacy Shuster, then-director of marketing and sales at Ripley's New York, told Untapped New York that the 2007 ball featured 672 Waterford crystal triangles and 9,576 Philips Luxeon LEDs.

The ball can be seen on display year-round, just like it was here in July 2020.

In 2020, Times Square was closed to the public on New Year's Eve due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the ball was still the star of the show.

The ball weighed 11,875 pounds and was 12 feet in diameter. As well as the usual 2,688 Waterford Crystals, it had 32,256 LED lights and displayed 16 million vibrant colors.

2021's ball drop was also scaled back, only allowing 15,000 spectators in comparison to its usual 58,000 people, and in-person viewers were required to wear masks and show proof of vaccination.

The ball was updated as a part of Waterford's "Gift of Wisdom" design for 2022.

Nearly 200 new Waterford crystals were installed on the ball ahead of 2023's arrival with the theme, the "Gift of Love," Reuters reported. The crystals feature circles of intertwining love hearts.

And ahead of 2024, the ball was given a "new bow tie lighting pattern" in honor of Times Square's former nickname as "the bow tie," CBS reported.

This year's ball includes crystal triangles with two new designs, according to Times Square 2025 organizers: the "One Times Square" crystal design and the "Ever" crystal design.

The One Times Square design "features long linear cuts with a circle near the top" to represent the pole and building where the ball drop takes place.

Meanwhile, the Ever design "consists of three pairs of interlocking rings surrounded by diamond facets that provide the setting for the letter E" in honor of One Times Square becoming a new destination for vow ceremonies in 2025, according to organizers.

Michael Phillips, president of Jamestown (which owns One Times Square), told CBS that the current ball "will go onto the lower floors of the building as part of an immersive arts and culture exhibit" and that the new iteration will be "much more digitally interactive."

British rider Simon Yates, 31, won the overall race with a time of 18 hours, 37 minutes, and five seconds.

Heiman told BI that the World Aquatics Championships in Doha was the first major event where Getty used its new underwater robotic camera.

"This is a camera we spent the last two years developing," he said, adding that the first version was built in 2015.

To capture the action, the camera was put underwater "a few days" before competition, then photographers were "able to fully control it like a video game" from the pool deck or in the media center.

"What the photographers are really looking for is to tell the story of artistic swimming. It's beautiful from above, but so much happens underwater and you see just all the coordination that it takes to lift this athlete up," Heiman said.

He added, "But really using the reflection that you get from the water above to kind of make this mirror image, it really speaks to what all it takes, everything that goes into performing some of these sequences."

Of course, it's hard to talk about sports in 2024 without mentioning Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, and one of their biggest moments was the kiss they shared after the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime to win Super Bowl LVIII.

As one of two Getty Images photographers allowed on the field after the game, "Ezra [Shaw] was tasked with finding Travis and staying as close to Travis as possible, which is really, really hard in this environment," Heiman said.

"There's tons of people, everyone's pushing. You have security, you have other members of media, you have TV, and [Shaw] was just able to get in the right place and get this kind of, the guy wins the game, he gets the girl kind of photo, which was iconic and seen by everyone," he added.

Bornebusch appeared to defy gravity as she completed one of her dives.

Team Australia's Rhiannan Iffland ultimately won the competition with 342 points.

Dougherty was one of four competitors to advance to the bull-riding finals, which was won by Creek Young.

In addition to competing at The American Rodeo, some of Dougherty's 2024 career highlights include winning the Western Stampede, the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo, and the Sisters Rodeo. He's also a one-time qualifier for the National Finals Rodeo.

Thanks to Getty Images' partnership with the New Zealand Olympic Committee, Heiman said photographer Phil Walter was able to "mount a waterproof small action camera on the front of this canoe" in order to "really give you insight into what these athletes are kind of experiencing as they come down the course."

He added that the end result is a credit to collaborating with the athlete and organizers to ensure that everything was safe and not impeding performance.

Butcher went on to compete in his first Olympic Games in Paris, where he won gold in the inaugural men's kayak cross event.

The acrobatic score was later disallowed, and the Roosters' opponent, the Penrith Panthers, went on to win the match 22-16.

Orlov hit Brodzinski in the third period of the game. The Hurricanes won the game 4-3 to keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive, bringing the series to 3-1.

The Rangers went on to win the series four games to two.

Unlike other surfing events where photographers can shoot from the beach, Heiman said the Shiseido Tahiti Pro requires photographers to capture the action from small boats since the waves break about a kilometer off shore.

He added that while there were plenty of "amazing photos during Paris," he wanted to highlight this one because it's "about the preparation."

"You know, [Haffey's] out on the water for 12 hours. There's tons of spray," Heiman said, adding, "What kind of protection do you need for your cameras? What lenses do you need? How does the sunlight work? So, we sent [Haffey] to cover the Tahiti Pro before Paris as a preparation for Paris. So when we got there, we knew exactly what we wanted to do and what we needed to do."

Djokovic fought through a right knee injury to defeat Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo during a fourth round match at Roland-Garros.

However, he withdrew from the competition the following day.

Billam-Smith went on to win the fight by a unanimous decision after 12 rounds.

The Panthers won their first Stanley Cup with a 2-1 game seven victory.

Tkachuk told reporters after the game, "It's not a dream anymore. It's not a dream, it's reality. I can't believe it. I can't believe it."

Spain defeated England 2-1 to win the Euros, with the game-winning goal coming from Mikel Oyarzabal in the 86th minute.

The 21-year-old from Spain defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets to win his second consecutive Wimbledon title and his fourth overall Grand Slam.

While the internet remained focused on Kim's eyewear, a hidden detail in her competition look was her daughter's stuffed elephant toy.

Biles, alongside Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera, brought home the gold in the women's team final.

In Paris, Biles added four medals to her Olympic count, bringing her total to 11, with seven golds, two silvers, and two bronzes to make her the most decorated gymnast in American history.

Though Heiman said this photo doesn't necessarily look unique, it is because the technology used to capture it was actually five years in the making.

The process started in 2019 at the World Athletics Championships in Doha when the company first communicated with the event's broadcaster about mounting a camera on their rig.

After a small action camera didn't yield the desired quality, they decided to move forward with a bigger camera that was used in Paris and was wirelessly triggered by photographer Richard Heathcote, who was in the media center.

"[Heathcote] was actually our robotics photographer, so while he was shooting this picture, he was also manning two robots that are in the roof, following the action with a little joystick," Heiman said, adding that Heathcote also had a foot pedal controlling a camera. "So all in, there's about 15 remotes on this moment, and [Heathcote's] controlling kind of all of them, as I kind of joke, ends up like a drummer, right?"

"It's just a really good composition. You have the Olympic rings, you have Paris in there, you know where it is, you see the purple lights in the background, all the nation's flags in the background. It's just a really amazing athletics photo and a really unique one," Heiman said.

"One of the ideas that Hector [Vivas] came up with was he wanted to shoot the Games with this technique he's been working on called layering, and that's really, you set a camera up at one spot, it stays fixed, so it's and then you shoot as the event unfolds," Heiman said, noting that Vivas decided when to fire the shutter each time.

"Every time I look at it, I find a new part of it that I didn't see before," Heiman added, comparing the photo to pages of "Where's Waldo?"

Throughout the Olympics, Khelif was ridiculed after misinformation about her sex was spread.

However, despite the scrutiny, she went on to win the gold medal in the welterweight boxing event. Khelif wrote on Instagram, "From dreams to reality, the journey is gold. Proud to stand at the top for my country and the ones who believed. The fight never stops, only gets stronger."

Rachael Gunn, also known by her B-girl name Raygun, also received a lot of attention online for her performance at the 2024 Olympics.

Though she was eliminated during the round-robin stage of the competition, her moves were instantly documented as memes and she became the subject of misinformation.

Gunn retired from competitive breaking in November.

Standing at 6-foot-2, Curry launched his shot over 7-foot-3 Wembanyama.

The US won the game 98-87, and Curry finished with 24 points and five assists.

According to the International Wheelchair & Amputee Sport Federation (IWAS) Wheelchair Fencing, category A fencers "have good trunk control."

Dróżdż defeated Eva Andrea Hajmasi of Hungary 15-12 in the women's sabre category A semifinal to advance to the final.

There, she won the silver medal after losing to Haiyan Gu.

Olesen tied for second place with Yannik Paul, Sam Bairstow, and Jeff Winther, all of whom scored 15 under.

English golfer Dan Bradbury came in first place with a score of 16 under par.

Freeman's home run in the bottom of the 10th inning gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a win against the New York Yankees in game one of the World Series.

The Dodgers went on to win the series four games to one.

Heiman said that photographer Ezra Shaw used a drone to take this image of Ironman competitors, which takes a lot of preparation.

"He has to go photograph the actual venue. He's not just there operating a drone, so he needs to get there, set it up, fly it, take his pictures, come down, and then go on to probably the athletes coming out of the water to get on the bikes," Heiman said.

City: New York City and Tel Aviv

Year founded: 2019

Total funding: $64.31 million

What it does: Agora is a financial software firm that helps real-estate investors process payments, keep track of tax records, raise money, and generally organize data.

Why it's hot: The firm, which raised a $34 million Series B round in May, said it helps landlords and developers with much-needed modernization.

"Real estate is the largest asset class in the world. However, the market still relies on legacy software providers, inefficient workflows, outdated, fragmented systems, and manual, tedious work," Asaf Raz, Agora's head of marketing, told Business Insider.

"Investors expect a digital-first experience — they're tech-savvy and need access to information quickly. Firms can't work without it, and clients need a platform like Agora more than ever," Raz said.

A challenge it faces: Real-estate investors are still grappling with relatively high interest rates, which makes it harder to borrow money and scale up, and the relatively high price of materials, which makes it tougher to renovate or upgrade properties. Those market forces could make customers more reluctant to spend money on new software.

Agora CEO Bar Mor told business news site Pulse 2.0 earlier this month, however, that Agora might still appeal to customers because its suite of products could help them "enhance efficiency and save costs."

City: New York

Year founded: 2021

Total funding: $5.1 million

What it does: Arcol is a web browser-based design tool predominantly used by architects to create and collaborate on 3D models of buildings and explore their feasibility.

Why it's hot: Architects — Arcol's target audience — have traditionally relied on software design tools like AutoCAD and Revit, which require paid licenses and aren't as collaborative. Arcol has set out to solve that issue with a browser-based format easily shared and edited by anyone involved in a building project.

"These people are core to our society; they're literally building the built world, yet they hate using their tools," said Paul O'Carroll, the son of an architect and founder of Arcol. "The design tool we use to design buildings, we want to rethink for the browser to be collaborative and to be performant."

So far, demand is high. Arcol, run by a team of six, has a waitlist of over 18,000 users, O'Carroll said.

A challenge it faces: There are several other startups in the BIM, or Business Information Modeling, space. Competing with established players like Revit could take a lot of time and money, according to AEC Magazine. (AEC stands for architecture, engineering, and construction.)

Also, Arcol is currently only useful to architects during the conceptual modeling phase, and the company hopes to expand the tool to help with other stages of construction.

City: New York City

Year founded: 2018

Total funding: $11.76 million

What it does: Branch Furniture sells office products, like chairs and desks, to businesses and directly to consumers.

Why it's hot: The company's first iteration sold office furniture the old way: B2B, catering to employers outfitting a huge space who would often purchase items in bulk. After the pandemic changed how (and how often) workers occupied offices, Branch pivoted to sell to regular people — wherever they work.

"We launched our D2C business to cater to the future of work, which was definitively hybrid, both during COVID and after — and that's where we sit today," Sib Mahapatra, cofounder of Branch Furniture, told Business Insider.

Branch's ergonomic chair is a bestseller with a 4.6 rating out of five with over 6,000 reviews — it's rated among the best in its category by Business Insider, Architectural Digest, and Wired for its adjustability and sleek design.

In addition to desk chairs — in colors that range from a standard black to salmon-y orange hue called "poppy," the company also sells desks and lamps to outfit a home office. Its inventory includes meeting tables and even phone booths ($6,395) for more commercial office spaces.

A challenge it faces: Branch's products are physical, so it's been plagued by supply-chain delays. Branch is also up against competitors in the good-looking-furniture-that-is-also-comfortable arena, including Herman Miller and Steelcase — though Branch's offerings are often cheaper.

The company is also gaining ground regarding velocity, or the speed at which new products are developed and released.

"We're learning a lot about the pace of iteration in our product category," Mahapatra said. "It's definitely not software, but the benefit is that you get more time to really get things right and to iterate with purpose, and you end up being a little bit more deliberate about how you iterate the product — it just takes longer."

City: Oakland, California

Year founded: 2022

Total funding: $6.67 million

What it does: BuildCasa helps California homeowners subdivide their lots — thanks to new state laws — and then connects them with local builders who pay the homeowners for a portion of their land and then build new housing on it.

Why it's hot: The national housing crisis is particularly acute in California, which recently passed a series of laws to encourage more building. While others look to transform construction to make cheaper housing, BuildCasa uses technology instead to find more buildable lots in desirable locations like San Francisco and San Jose.

Most massive home-building companies focus on large, master-planned communities, often far from city centers. BuildCasa's vision, said its founders Ben Bear, CEO, and Paul Stiedl, CPO, is to become a large homebuilder focused instead on finding land in already desirable cities and suburbs.

The company works with homeowners to subdivide their land, creating a new, buildable lot. Those lots can then be sold to a local real-estate developer to build on, or BuildCasa can work in partnership with a local builder to erect and then sell a completed home.

A challenge it faces: New laws have simplified the process of subdividing lots, but building in infill areas still requires technical expertise and good relationships with local officials. Building on these smaller lots may be becoming easier, but it still isn't easy.

City: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Year founded: 2018

Total funding: $14.68 million

What it does: Conservation Labs developed a smart water sensor that can identify leaks and wasteful water use. The H2know sensor uses machine learning to decode sounds in water pipes and translate them into insights for commercial property owners, including restaurants and hotels.

Why it's hot: The startup is at the intersection of two buzzy topics: AI and sustainability. H2know trains on thousands of hours of water pipe acoustics so that, over time, it becomes more accurate in detecting leaks and inefficient water use in buildings. Customers use that information to fix problems and conserve water, saving them money on utility bills while lowering their overall carbon footprint. Some 20% of home energy use goes to heating water.

"There's a very strong relationship between net-zero carbon emissions and water consumption," said Mark Kovscek, founder and CEO of Conservation Labs.

He added that H2know has detected leaky toilets in nearly every building in which it's installed. Some large properties are wasting 1 million gallons of water a year, he said.

A challenge it faces: H2know starts at $129, and it could be hard to convince cash-strapped commercial real estate owners to spend money to install sensors when the office market is struggling in many parts of the US.

Kovscek said the goal is to scale up to 100,000 sensors installed as soon as possible, or five times what Conservation Labs is currently on track to sell this year. To support that growth, the company needs to hire some of the "best and brightest" data scientists and engineers to further develop the machine-learning platform that underpins H2know, Kovscek said.

City: New York

Year founded: 2019

Total funding: Almost $380 million

What it does: Large general contractors use Constrafor's software to onboard and pay their subcontractors on time — sometimes before the contractors themselves get paid by the clients. Contractors can also use the software to help purchase the supplies and services needed to complete a construction project on time and within budget.

Why it's hot: There's the money raised. In November, Constrafor announced that it raised $14 million in Series A funding as well as a $250 million credit facility.

The issues the firm is trying to address are also key. Construction is booming across the US, thanks in part to President Joe Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. The rise of AI is also leading to a corresponding increase in the construction of data centers.

The actual process of construction, however, can often be long and complicated. That's why Constrafor's role as a one-stop shop appeals to large general contractors.

"So far, everyone has been focused on just building a very, very small point solution," said Anwar Ghauche, Constrafor's founder. "We're combining multiple different workflows, multiple different departments, all on the same platform."

The main challenges it faces: Next up: Constrafor must try to convince subcontractors to subscribe and pay for its software, too.

Gauch added that Constrafor's contractor clients can face cash-flow crunches. Those can lead to delays on important projects.

After Hurricanes Helene and Milton severely damaged parts of Florida, North Carolina, and other parts of the Southeast, Constrafor launched a disaster relief effort that would allow local contractors who are part of rebuilding efforts "to overcome delays, purchase materials, and ensure timely payment for their teams."

City: New York

Year founded: 2022

Total funding: $13.95 million

What it does: Ease Capital helps private equity firms and large investors lend to smaller apartment landlords. It uses data and technology that allow the biggest players to lend $5 million to $50 million in deals that would typically be too small for them.

Why it's hot: Sophisticated private lenders usually focus on the largest apartment complexes, meaning that most apartment-building owners have to turn to banks and agencies to borrow money to purchase or refinance properties. However, current high rates have dramatically slowed bank and agency lending and the large private lenders usually won't lend for small—and medium-sized projects.

Ease uses data and technology to make it easier and more efficient for these large lenders to lend on smaller deals when the need is the highest. In 2023, the company announced a $450 million partnership with major real estate owner and asset manager Taconic Capital Partners, and has already announced multiple successfully originated loans.

CEO Charlie Oshamn told Business Insider earlier this year that the company is often seeing up to $1 billion in loan requests a month. Unlike other firms, which provide an estimated rate upfront that could potentially change over months of negotiation, Ease Capital sticks to its initial offering, eliminating the guessing game for potential clients.

A challenge it faces: Though the founding team has successfully launched other major proptech businesses, like flexible office and event space provider Convene and real-estate data firm Reonomy, it still needs to prove itself as a lender.

City: Colombia and Mexico

Year founded: 2019

Total funding: $564 million

What it does: Habi has built Latin America's largest proprietary database and utilizes AI-based pricing algorithms to facilitate transactions and financing for homebuyers and sellers. Habi also buys and sells homes, offers mortgages, and posts and publicizes listings of properties for sale.

Why it's hot: The company operates in Colombia and Mexico without centralized MLS. MLS, or multiple listing services, are databases designed to help real estate brokers identify available homes for sale. These systems are abundant in the US, whereas they are scarce in Latin America. Without an MLS, it means homebuyers and sellers in Colombia and Mexico have difficulty knowing which properties are available for sale, their prices, and their listing and pricing history.

By gathering and sharing information on more than 20 million homes, Habi has addressed a critical need in these countries' real estate sector, establishing itself as an authority on housing in the region.

"We've become a household name for low and middle-income sellers and consumers and brokers in Mexico and Colombia," Brynne McNulty Rojas, CEO and cofounder of Habi, told Business Insider.

A challenge it faces: A combination of factors, including shifting economic and political conditions, has stalled the growth of Latin America's real-estate market. To achieve the same level of ubiquity as Zillow in the US, Habi must get real-estate brokers and sellers to list their properties on its platform and entice buyers to use it.

City: Lafayette, California

Year founded: 2021

Total funding: $21.35 million

What it does: Founder Vishwas Prabhakara envisions Honey Homes as a "primary care physician for your home." For a monthly fee, a dedicated handyman will come once or twice a month to knock off "lightweight" home improvement projects like fixing a leaky faucet, installing a new ceiling fan, or repainting a room.

Why it's hot: With a cooling housing market, Prabhakara believes many homeowners are staying in their homes longer and interested in investing resources in — and enjoying — the property they currently have.

The main challenge it faces: Homeowners who already hire their preferred handymen may not be willing to pay for a service that sends new people, and bigger projects might require more specialized repair professionals. Then there's the cost and current smaller scale of the company: Subscriptions start from $295 a month, or $3,940 a year, according to the company website. The service is only available in parts of San Francisco and the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Orange County, and Dallas, according to the site.

City: San Francisco

Year founded: 2021

Total funding: $25 million

What it does: Impulse Labs made a battery-powered induction cooktop that, unlike most of its competitors, which may require an electrical upgrade, can plug into a standard 120-volt outlet. The cooktop can boil water at lightning speeds, and sensors hold heat levels steady even at high temperatures.

Why it's hot: Impulse Labs founder Sam D'Amico said the cooktop offers a better cooking experience than gas burners while promoting more climate-friendly homes. Cooking with gas emits pollutants like methane, benzene, and carbon monoxide, which harm our health and the planet. But it can cost thousands of dollars to rewire a home for an electric induction stove. Impulse Labs' induction cooktop avoids those pollutants and the cost of home retrofits.

The battery in Impulse Labs' stove also stores enough power to make three meals if the power goes out, D'Amico said.

"One of the cheapest ways to deploy battery storage is in the appliances we have to buy anyways," he added.

The main challenge it faces: The cooktop costs $5,999. The price is high, D'Amico said, but similar to other premium appliances. The price is lower if buyers qualify for tax breaks and rebates from federal and state governments, as well as some utilities. It's also only a cooktop — not a full stove — but D'Amico said the company eventually wants to sell a suite of appliances that can be a whole-home battery solution. Impulse Labs is accepting pre-orders, with plans to ship in the first quarter of 2025, according to its website.

City: New York City

Year founded: 2020

Total funding: $43 million

What it does: Keyway uses machine learning and AI to aid institutional investors in sourcing, underwriting, and managing portfolios of properties.

Why it's hot: Companies that use AI have become commonplace today, but Keyway believes it is ahead of the pack in adopting and applying AI technology to real-estate investing.

"We were very early on in the AI game in 2020, and I think we've built a really strong backend of data with lots of APIs that allows us to integrate very segregated data very fast," CEO and cofounder Matias Recchia told Business Insider. "The fact that we built our system in a modular way also allows us to customize our product to a lot of our customers — so it's really not one solution fits all."

The main challenge it faces: New technology like Keyway can be hard to push on seasoned real-estate investors as they're used to using old-school methods like manually sourcing, underwriting, and managing portfolios.

"We're merging two cultures that are very different," Recchia said. "The real-estate industry requires a lot of proof to show them that data can really help them make better decisions. So there's a little bit of a culture shift that we're bringing to real estate as we sell them these tools and we partner with them."

City: Brooklyn, New York

Year founded: 2023

Total funding: $8.82 million

What it does: Latii is a sourcing platform that uses AI-powered tools to help North American-based architects and contractors save up to 60% by connecting with Latin American, southern European, and northern African window and door fabricators.

Why it's hot: Architects often include custom windows and doors in their designs, but hiring contractors and craftspeople overseas can cost their property-owning clients thousands of dollars. The architects who work with Latii, however, can source materials faster and at lower costs, cofounder and CEO Santiago Bueno told Business Insider.

"We're able to produce either equal or higher quality products at a less expensive rate," Bueno said.

In October, Latti announced that it had raised $5 million in seed-round funding, which it will use to expand in the Pacific Northwest, Mountain states, and the New York tri-state area.

The main challenge it faces: When working with fabricators in Latin America, challenges can arise in managing certifications, enforcing warranties, and overcoming language barriers. The region's use of the metric system can also be difficult for North America-based architects to navigate.

City: Scottsdale, Arizona

Year founded: 2020

Total funding: $713.8 million

What it does: Lessen's software allows commercial and residential landlords to track maintenance needs, connect with service providers, and buy products.

Why it's hot: In August, Inc. magazine named Lessen the fastest-growing private software company in the US, citing its $1.1 billion valuation.

The valuation preceded a major acquisition in 2023: Lessen spent $950 million to buy property maintenance management firm SMS Assist in what the Commercial Observer called the largest proptech acquisition in history.

Lessen's software is widely used, handling 3 million work orders a year across 250,000 properties, according to Fifth Wall, an investor in the firm. Lessen also launched Lessen Advantage Marketplace, which allows its landlord customers to buy materials like glass, floors, and doors and find better insurance and loan rates.

The main challenge it faces: Like many real-estate firms, Lessen faces an overall slowdown in both the commercial and residential sectors, with mortgage rates remaining elevated. One big potential client base for Lessen is office building owners and property managers, but the office market right now is struggling, with vacancies around the US at record highs.

"We typically grow hand-in-hand with our clients, serving them in additional properties and markets as they expand. So, for example, interest rates can influence growth in some areas of our business," said Michael Tanner, senior vice president of marketing at Lessen.

A dearth of tradespeople is also a challenge for the company's platform that connects them to landlords, Tanner said.

Finally, the firm competes in a crowded market of competitors offering software for landlords, including Stessa, AppFolio, TenantCloud, and more.

City: Santa Monica

Year founded: 2017

Total funding raised by the company: $1.93 billion

What it does: Metropolis uses a computer vision platform powered by artificial intelligence to enable checkout-free payment at parking facilities. After registering their vehicles on the Metropolis app, customers can simply drive in and drive out without the hassle of paying with credit cards or ticket machines.

Why it's hot: Metropolis announced its acquisition of SP Plus, the largest parking network in North America, for $1.5 billion in October 2023 and closed the deal in May 2024. The move allowed Metropolis to rapidly scale its technology and reach 50 million customers across 4,000 locations.

"We've seen success and are continuing to scale and grow because Metropolis' checkout-free experiences give people the gift of time back, so they can spend it on the things that matter the most," cofounder and CEO Alex Israel told Business Insider.

The main challenge it faces: Israel said that most of the parking payments and transactions in the world are still analog.

"We envision a future where checkout-free payments travel with you, but scaling this technology across industries is complicated — it requires remarkable proprietary technology and boots on the ground," he said.

City: Boston

Year founded: 2020

Total funding: $13.17 million

What it does: PredictAP makes real estate invoice processing simple and easy. It uses AI to code invoices quickly.

"So the accounting rules can become very complicated in commercial real estate at big companies," said CEO and founder David Stifter, describing the journey of how an invoice is processed.

He said an invoice would come in first, and someone would need to determine which accounting rules to apply. Predict AP will be useful at this stage because the AI will understand and use the accounting rules correctly. Then, it will go through the rest of the accounts payable process, a department responsible for paying vendors for services or goods at the company. Then, someone will approve it and then pay for it.

Why it's hot: Predict AP serves every corner of the real estate sector. The company said its customers are publicly traded companies that own real estate, private companies that own and operate real estate, or customers who provide services for those big companies.

The company has been able to help AP specialists and property managers face difficulties entering invoices because it takes a lot of time and effort.

"We're able to help folks with that difficult task of coding invoices and it's particularly painful in real estate where there's a lot of complexity," said CEO and founder David Stifter. He added: "Nobody wants to be typing 15-digit invoice numbers; that's not fun."

Russell Franks, the president and cofounder of Predict AP, added to his comments and noted that Predict AP could process an invoice in 30 to 40 seconds faster than the normal processing time of five to 10 minutes.

The main challenge it faces: The company shared that it is hard to find funding in this tough economy, and it is not easy to grow and expand.

City: Boston

Year Founded: 2022

Total funding: $7.97 million

What it does: Propexo's unified API, or application programming interface, helps other real-estate tech companies quickly and easily integrate with property-management systems.

Why it's hot: Real-estate tech companies use APIs to integrate with data from external sources, like lead generation systems or rent roll systems.

However, existing APIs and the technology around them are outdated.

That means companies lose time and money that could be used to develop their product while trying to integrate with these APIs, said COO Ben Keller.

Propexo's unified API improves the developer experience by making the integration process simpler, faster, and cheaper. "We're really the first engineering infrastructure product in the proptech ecosystem," said Keller.

The main challenge it faces: It's not easy to convince property managers and owner-operators to change how they've been running their businesses for many years.

In August, the Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against RealPage, alleging that the property-management software company allows landlords to coordinate and unfairly keep rents high. This is causing some landlords to rethink how they handle and process information, according to trade publication Multifamily Dive.

City: Chicago

Year founded: 2020

Total funding: $4 million

What it does: Rent Butter has created an alternative tenant screening process that gives landlords a more comprehensive view of applicants' financial history.

Why it's hot: Landlords have historically relied on static credit reports and background checks when evaluating potential tenants. Doing so creates a barrier for applicants with financial difficulties early in their adult lives, as credit scores are a difficult metric to improve.

Rent Butter is trying to eliminate that barrier and change the narrative around who is a "good" candidate by providing landlords with additional information that can more accurately assess a person's financial reliability.

Their application connects to an applicant's bank account, credit history, and employment, criminal, and rent payment history to provide a detailed one-page report highlighting their financial behaviors and potential risks.

"Our whole approach is: How do we show who the person is today — not who they were seven or 10 years ago," cofounder and CTO Christopher Rankin told Business Insider.

The main challenge it faces: Rent Butter partners with landlords, rather than selling directly to consumers, which makes scaling a challenge. Most landlords already have a tenant-vetting process, so it could be hard to convince them to change to Rent Butter.

City: San Francisco

Year founded: 2021

Total funding: $22.27 million

What it does: Shepherd is a Managing General Underwriter (MGU) leveraging tech to make underwriting commercial construction insurance more efficient. It also wields data to create more informed risk selection and price recommendations, often leading to upfront and long-term savings for policyholders.

Why it's hot: Insurers partner with MGUs to provide clients with insurance, with the MGU underwriting policies for clients and selling to potential policyholders. Shepherd adapts the typical MGU model by cutting the underwriting process from weeks to hours and incorporating risk assessment tech into its platform, making it a one-stop shop for insurers and clients. By working faster and putting these services in one place, Shepherd can better serve construction companies and insurers while fostering more involved relationships.

The main challenges it faces: Both insurance brokers and potential clients have some healthy skepticism about a new model for commercial construction insurance, so it falls on Shepherd to earn their trust to gain their business.

City: Austin

Year founded: 2020

Total funding: $60.1 million

What it does: Steadily is a digital insurance company for real-estate investors that promises a "faster, better, and cheaper" underwriting experience.

Why it's hot: Steadily founder Darren Nix first encountered the outdated nature of insurance underwriting, trying to find quotes for his own rental property in Chicago.

Terrible customer service and shockingly high quotes stopped him in his tracks.

"It was like rolling back the clock to the mid-1990s," he told Business Insider. Focusing on selling insurance to real-estate investors has helped Steadily grow to about 140 employees across Austin and Kansas City, Missouri.

In November, Steadily announced it had started to actively write new business on its own insurance carrier. "Nothing says 'we believe in the product we've built' more strongly than underwriting risk as the carrier," Nix said in a statement.

The main challenge it faces: Steadily has started selling insurance to short-term-rental investors, which presents different challenges than underwriting more traditional, longer-term rentals.

The market represents significant growth — accounting for nearly 20% of Steadily's current business — but the pricing is tricker.

"The people coming in and out of those properties don't take care of them at the same level of responsibility," Nix explained. "One of the things that a host can do to demonstrate that they are a good insurance risk is to point to their Airbnb or VRBO history and show that they're a super host, they take great care of their property, they don't host ragers."

City: Medfield, Massachusetts

Year founded: 2020

Total funding: $20.35 million

What it does: Tour24 is an app that lets prospective tenants take self-guided apartment tours without a leasing agent present.

Why it's hot: In many cities, renting an apartment can be cutthroat, with open-house lines and bidding wars to nab a good unit at a reasonable price.

More than ever, people are deciding on places to live quickly — sometimes even committing before they've even seen the unit because they aren't able to schedule a walkthrough that jives with their working hours.

Tour24 allows users — who are ID- and credit card-verified — to tour apartments when leasing agents aren't available, such as on evenings and weekends.

"We are seeing that certainly millennials really prefer self-guided experience," Georgianna W. Oliver, the founder of Tour24, told Business Insider.

Oliver said many of their leasing-agency clients offer Tour24's self-guided tours as well as leasing agent-led tours and virtual tours — and have given feedback that the more options they give potential renters, the better.

"People have the options," she said. "And they really like having the options."

The main challenge it faces: Since the worst part of the COVID-19 pandemic, many individual leasing agencies have been offering some version of a self-guided tour on their own with their own video Tour24 also competes with other self-guided rental-tour apps like Rently and CareTaker.

Tour24 seems to be holding its own: The startup announced in October that it raised $5 million in a Series B round, noting that it had doubled in size in 2024 to reach 525,000 units across over 2,060 multifamily properties.

Although camera phones are common today, the first phone for sale with a camera was released in 2000. The phone was called J-SH04, and it had just a 0.1-megapixel resolution.

A 2002 version of the J-Phone is pictured above.

The popular computer game, "The Sims," made its debut on February 4, 2000, and since then, the franchise has sold 200 million game copies, The Washington Post reported in 2020.

One of the most recent editions of the game, "The Sims 4: Life and Death," was released on October 31, 2024.

In 2000, Abercrombie & Fitch launched a new brand called Hollister, geared toward teenagers. The clothing store markets itself as laid-back attire, inspired by California's relaxed lifestyle.

Today, there are more than 500 Hollister stores worldwide.

Before there was Tinder or Bumble, clinical psychologist Dr. Neil Clark Warren created eHarmony, a website designed to help you meet your perfect match.

The site initially had users answer more than 450 questions to help them better enter long-term relationships. Since then, the site has cut down its questions, but remained one of the top online dating services. In 2017, for example, eHarmony had 750,000 paid subscribers and 10 million active users.

In January 2000, boy band NSYNC released "Bye Bye Bye" as the lead single for their album "No Strings Attached."

The song reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 list, and the music video became a cultural phenomenon, staying in first place on "Total Request Live" for 25 days. It was even nominated for video of the year at MTV Video Music Awards.

Twenty-five years ago, Ricky Martin released "She Bangs," and the single climbed the charts. It reached 12th place on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for 18 weeks.

When Lee Ann Womack released her country single "I Hope You Dance" in 2000, it became a hit. It reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and she earned a Country Music Association Award for single of the year.

When Baha Men first released "Who Let the Dogs Out," it flopped, barely reaching the top 40. But slowly, the single gained popularity in the early 2000s, as the catchy lyrics and tune caught on.

In the '80s and '90s, Bon Jovi released massive hits like "Livin' on a Prayer" and "You Give Love a Bad Name," but the band released another hit single in 2000: "It's My Life." The song eventually climbed to the top of the charts, carrying the band into another decade of success.

Bandmates Chris Martin, Will Champion, Jonny Buckland, and Guy Berryman released their debut studio album, "Parachutes," in July 2000 under the name Coldplay.

The album featured the song "Yellow," which remains a fan-favorite.

Following the success of her three other books in the "Harry Potter" series, JK Rowling published her fourth book, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," in the summer of 2000.

In 2020, Screen Rant reported that the book has sold about 65 million copies, making it the second-most popular book in the series.

Twenty-five years since the book's release, the franchise is still extremely successful, with a film series, amusement rides at Universal Studios, a show on Broadway, and an upcoming TV series.

However, Rowling herself has been the subject of controversy in recent years.

In the nearly 25 years since their release, Quinn's books have become the source material behind one of Netflix's most popular series to date: "Bridgerton."

The show, and its spinoff series, "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story," attracted 189 million views in the first half of 2024, with season three of "Bridgerton" accounting for 92 million in less than two months following its releases in May and June.

Season four is currently in the works.

"Erin Brockovich" is a biographical film about the real-life woman — played by Julia Roberts — who battled a California power company after it was accused of polluting a city's water. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including best picture. Roberts took home the Oscar for best actress.

"Almost Famous" became a cultural juggernaut when it came out in 2000. The movie follows a high schooler who's writing an article for Rolling Stone about a new rock band.

It features an all-star cast, including Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Anna Paquin, and Zooey Deschanel. The film went on to be nominated for four Academy Awards, but it only took home one for best original screenplay.

Twenty-five years ago, a then 26-year-old Christian Bale starred as Patrick Bateman, a banking exec who moonlights as a psychopathic killer, in "American Psycho." The movie quickly became a cult classic — in 2013, the film was even turned into a Broadway musical.

In the summer of 2000, "Scary Movie" was released to parody the most popular horror films of the time, including "Scream," "Sixth Sense," and "The Blair Witch Project." It went on to be a success, launching Anna Faris' acting career and sparking multiple sequels.

In October 2024, Marlon, Shawn, and Keenan Wayans announced they're returning to the franchise for "Scary Movie 6."

In 2000, Russell Crowe starred as Maximus, a vengeful Roman general, in "Gladiator." The following year, the film was nominated 12 times at the Academy Awards, winning best picture. Crowe also took home the trophy for best actor.

Its sequel, "Gladiator II," was released in 2024 and starred Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Denzel Washington.

In 2000, Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union starred as rival cheerleading captains Torrance and Isis in the hit teen movie "Bring It On."

The success of the film prompted several sequels in the following years.

"Survivor" premiered on CBS on May 31, 2000. In the reality TV competition, strangers are placed in a remote and isolated location, then they have to find food and shelter, while also competing in challenges.

Each contestant is voted off the island one by one until there's only one standing survivor. That person wins $1 million. Over the last 25 years, "Survivor" has had 47 seasons, all of which have been hosted by Jeff Probst.

After "Survivor," CBS premiered another hit reality competition show in July 2000: "Big Brother."

The series follows a group of strangers who are forced to live together in a house while under constant surveillance. They compete in challenges and, in the end, one person wins $500,000.

Through the years, the show became increasingly popular, prompting spin-offs like "Celebrity Big Brother." So far, there have been 26 seasons, all hosted by Julie Chen Moonves.

In a February 2024 "Life in Looks" interview with Vogue, Lopez said that her stylist at the time, Andrea Lieberman, asked her not to wear the dress.

"My stylist was like, 'Please don't wear it. Somebody else has worn it,''" Lopez said, adding, "I was like, 'Well, you bought it, and it looks the best, so I'm going to wear it.' And so I did. And it caused quite a stir."

Lopez isn't wrong — the world has her and that dress to thank for Google Image Search, according to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

In the end, the Yankees became champions, winning its third consecutive World Series four games to one.

At just 20 years old, Venus Williams lifted the Wimbledon trophy for the first time in her career after defeating Lindsay Davenport.

Williams went on to win the Wimbledon singles' trophy four more times. She also has won six Wimbledon doubles titles.

Twenty-five years later, it's easy to forget how close the 2000 presidential election was.

Democratic nominee Al Gore and Republican nominee George W. Bush went head to head, but on election night, it was unclear who won.

With the votes so close in Florida, the state ordered a recount. After a slew of legal fights around the recount in Florida, the Supreme Court decided that the initial results would be counted, giving Bush the election. He won by a .009% margin, or 537 votes.

Although President Ronald Reagan ordered NASA to build the International Space Station in 1984, it wasn't until 2000 that people actually lived on it.

Bill Shepherd, Yuri Gidzenko, and Sergei Krikalev became the first three to reside on the ISS and live there for several months. Since then, more than 270 people from over 20 countries have visited the ISS, according to NASA.

It's been widely reported that Alabama became the first state to make Christmas a legal holiday in 1836.

These days, the state celebrates with a tree outside the state capitol in Montgomery, Alabama.

In 1952, Con and Nellie Miller set up a trading post outside Fairbanks, Alaska, and called the town North Pole. The Miller family built Santa Claus House, a general goods store there.

In the Arizona desert, some people decorate cacti for the Christmas season.

In 2018, the Associated Press reported that a family in Phoenix built their Christmas tree from a cactus skeleton. They called it a "Phoenix Christmas tree."

Every year, Fayetteville, Arkansas, hosts the "Lights of the Ozarks" Christmas light display.

This year, the display will be up from November 22 to January 1, and according to ExperienceFayetteville.com, it's free to visit every night until 1 a.m.

California is home to the original Disneyland, which hosts several Christmas-themed events during the holiday season.

This year, through January 6, the park will be transformed into a winter wonderland. Even Sleeping Beauty's Castle gets the holiday treatment with wreaths and lights of its own.

Every year, Denver turns into a holiday wonderland for an event known as "Mile High Holidays."

Throughout November and December, the city is decorated with a 110-foot-tall LED light tree, while the botanical garden and zoo are transformed with lights.

In 2021, software company Porch conducted a study that found that people in Connecticut spend the most time decorating the exteriors of their homes, using an average of seven hours and 36 minutes to do so.

One of the most popular houses to visit was that of the Setti family in Norwalk, who decorated their home into a Christmas village for 26 years before retiring in 2014.

Nemours Estate is typically decked with elaborate Christmas decorations in Wilmington, Delaware.

According to the estate's website, visitors can tour the 77-room 20th-century mansion, the Chauffeur's garage, and the gardens, complete with their holiday displays through December 29.

Universal Studios in Orlando transforms for the holidays every year with holiday lights, Christmas trees, and other festive decor.

In the Wizarding World of Harry Potter section, guests can sip hot butterbeer while the Grinch hangs around Seuss Landing.

Every year, Atlanta hosts "Skate the Station," where a large, temporary ice skating rink is installed at Atlantic Station.

This year's rink is in operation through January 15.

Shaka Santa and his wife, Tutu Mele, are fixtures of the holiday season in Honolulu.

Every year, the pair of 21-foot statues are placed in front of city hall or Honolulu Hale. The city is also known for the "Honolulu City Lights" celebration.

Every year, Idaho's state Christmas tree is lit in front of the statehouse in Boise.

According to a local news station, this year's tree is a 36-foot-tall blue spruce that weighs about 3,750 pounds.

Chicago and Aurora, Illinois, will host the Christkindlmarket this year.

It's the 28th year the market has been held in Chicago, and over those years, it's become a popular attraction for residents looking to buy gifts, ornaments, and food from around the world.

Indianapolis decorates the Soldiers and Sailors Monument with 4,784 Christmas lights to make it look like a giant Christmas tree in an event known as the "Circle of Lights."

Keokuk, Iowa, hosts the "City of Christmas Display of Lights", a light display in Rand Park that visitors can drive through.

About 20,000 cars drive through the park annually to see more than 150 light displays, including the nativity scene, Santa's workshop, reindeer, and elves.

Botanica, The Wichita Gardens, is a public garden that hosts the holiday light show "Illuminations."

"Illuminations" features up to two million lights and has music, carousel rides, treats, and an opportunity to see Santa Claus. This year's display will be available through January 4.

Visitors of Lexington, Kentucky's Triangle Park, can enjoy an ice skating rink through January 20, 2025.

"Celebration in the Oaks" is an annual tradition where the city of New Orleans covers 25 acres of New Orleans City Park in Christmas lights.

The display spans the Park, Botanical Garden, Storyland, and the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park.

Since Maine is known for its lobster, it's fitting that residents build special Christmas trees focused on the sea creature.

In 2018, Rockland, Maine, residents built the world's largest tree out of lobster traps, reaching 40.5 feet. The tree included 155 lobster traps, 180 lobster buoys, and 2,500 lights, News Center Maine reported.

The Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore attracts visitors every year thanks to its elaborate Christmas decorations, which are displayed in a display called "Miracle on 34th Street."

Almost all the homes on the block are covered in Christmas lights, candy canes, Santa dolls, and other holiday displays.

Boston transforms during the holiday season, with hundreds of Christmas lights covering the trees in the Public Garden, Copley Square, the Prudential Center, and the Common.

Millions of lights become the focal point at the Detroit Zoo's "Wild Lights" event. According to its website, the zoo features more than 500 immersive displays. Some of the massive light displays include a lion, whale, fox, and snake.

Decorated in various Christmas lights, the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train stops in more than 20 towns throughout Minnesota to raise money, awareness, and food donations for local food banks and pantries.

Though visitors can't actually ride the train, they're treated to a concert of holiday songs and popular originals. Some of this year's performers include Alana Springsteen, American Authors, Clerel, and Tiera Kennedy.

While most of the country decorates houses for Christmas, some residents in Mississippi decorate their boats with Christmas lights and other holiday decor.

The boaters show off their festive vessels at the Biloxi Beach Water Boat Parade, culminating in a fireworks show over the water.

Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, is decorated with Christmas lights, falling snowflakes, a Christmas tree, and toy trains for the holiday season.

People also come to the station to take in the holiday-themed shows, which include piano recitals, pageants, and caroling.

Volunteers in Bigfork, Montana, called the Bigfork Elves, are known for decorating the town yearly.

According to Bigfork.com, the volunteers "deck the town with over 10,000 feet of garland and lights" and have been active in the area for over 40 years.

Residents also gather for a tree-lighting ceremony and host other festive events.

"Christmas at the Cody's" is an annual celebration at the mansion of "Buffalo Bill" and Louisa Cody in North Platte, Nebraska.

The property is part of the Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, and guests can enjoy Christmas lights, carols, and horse-drawn carriage rides.

In 2019, Business Insider named Las Vegas one of the most festive places to spend the holidays, and the annual Las Vegas Great Santa Run might be part of the reason.

The event draws thousands of people dressed in Old Saint Nick costumes to the city's downtown area to run or walk the course.

Though residents in Connecticut win for most time spent on exterior decorations, New Hampshire residents spend the most time decorating overall, with an average of 17 hours dedicated to the activity, according to Porch.

Loudon, New Hampshire, is also home to the Gift of Lights, a 2.5-mile drive with hundreds of light displays.

Christmas Day looks a bit different for some in New Jersey because they re-enact George Washington's famous crossing of the Delaware River.

The event starts at the Washington Crossing Historic Park in Pennsylvania and ends in Trenton, New Jersey, just as the former president did in 1776.

Every Christmas Eve, the streets leading to the Mesilla town square are lined with paper lanterns.

The square is also decorated in lights, as local choirs sing Christmas tunes, visitors enjoy holiday treats, and a vigil is held for fallen service members of the local fire department.

Rockefeller Center was completed in 1939 and has since become one of New York City's most popular tourist destinations. Millions of people visit the Christmas tree every year.

According to NBC, the tree is completed with a 900-pound Swarovski star with 70 spikes, 3 million crystals, and plenty of lights.

According to a 2022 report by the USDA, North Carolina produces the second-most Christmas trees of any state in the US, with more than 3 million trees.

This year, Williston, North Dakota, celebrated its 10th annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony with a 41-foot-tall Colorado Blue Spruce.

In addition to the tree lighting, guests enjoyed a bonfire, music, and fireworks.

"A Christmas Story" was released in 1983 and quickly became a cult classic during the holidays.

The house seen in the movie is still standing in Cleveland, and across the street, there's a museum that houses props, costumes, and other artifacts from the film.

Every year, the Heart of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce hosts the Purcell Christmas Parade in Purcell, Oklahoma.

One key detail for parade participants: No one can dress up as Santa Claus — that responsibility belongs to the Heart of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce.

Beating out North Carolina for Christmas tree production is Oregon.

According to the USDA, the "Beaver State" produced more than 4.5 million Christmas trees in 2022 to earn the top spot in the country.

In Philadelphia's Love Park, you'll find the Christmas Village, an open-air market with small business owners' booths, a Ferris wheel, treats, and the second-annual Festival of Trees fundraiser for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Newport is known for its famous mansions like The Breakers, The Elms, and Marble House.

The Preservation Society of Newport County welcomes visitors every year inside these homes to tour the Christmas decorations. You will find wreaths, poinsettias, white candles, and elaborate Christmas trees inside.

The Poinsettia Christmas Parade has been a Greenville, South Carolina, tradition for over 75 years.

This year, the best walking group award was given to the Bike Walk Greenville "Poinsettia Pedalers and Pedestrians."

According to Travel South Dakota, the state's "Christmas at the Capitol" tradition started in 1981 with 12 Christmas trees and now features almost 100 trees decorated by different organizations, cities, and businesses.

Business Insider's Priyanka Rajput reported that the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville has hosted "A Country Christmas" for 41 years.

To celebrate the holidays, the hotel prepares for six weeks to decorate the space with everything from life-size ice sculptures and hand-tied ribbons to elaborate Christmas trees.

The AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas hosted the "Reliant Lights Your Holiday" festival earlier this month. The free event included live music, local vendors, a drone show, fireworks, cookie decorating, and more.

Founded in 1847, the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square (previously known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) tours the world for most of the year but returns to Salt Lake City for its annual Christmas concert.

This year's guest artist is Tony Award winner Ruthie Ann Miles.

House Beautiful named Woodstock, Vermont, one of 2024's "most charming Christmas towns" in the US.

One of its attractions is Wassail Weekend, a festival with a parade, Christmas tree lighting, caroling, ice skating, and more.

Williamsburg, Virginia, is known for having a variety of festive activities, including markets, fireworks shows, performances, and Busch Gardens Christmas Town.

Like other major cities, Seattle hosts an annual Christmas market with artisans, food, drinks, and more. The city also participates in SantaCon, a bar crawl where people dress up as Santa.

The "Oglebay Winter Festival of Lights" dates back to 1985 and takes place in Wheeling, West Virginia. Today, it includes more than 100 light displays across 300 acres, WBOY-TV reported, and this year's display also features lights choreographed to music.

At the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom, Wisconsin, visitors can ride two holiday-themed trains: the Santa Express and the Holiday Flyer.

According to the museum's website, passengers aboard the Santa Express will take a 55-minute ride and receive a visit from Santa and a small gift, while passengers on the Holiday Flyer will receive hot chocolate and treats.

The Jackson Hole Town Square is famous for its arch made of antlers.

After Thanksgiving, the city holds an event — with Santa, cookies, candies, and carols — to watch the antlers light up with Christmas lights for the first time in the season.

As soon as I stepped inside, I was shocked at the massive space. According to the retailer's website, stores have "an average size of approximately >24,000 square feet (18,000 selling square feet)."

Though this location spanned just one floor, all I could see were aisles and aisles of items lining its perimeter and throughout its center.

The store was largely sectioned by the room you're looking to organize, such as the closet, bathroom, kitchen, garage, office, and more.

During my visit, a case of six was on sale for $59.99, but I still couldn't justify purchasing these, given that my boyfriend and I easily have about 30 pairs of shoes — it would cost us about $300 at a minimum.

But even if we were comfortable justifying the price, I wouldn't expect these boxes to be very apartment-friendly given their size; one case of six measures 11 1/16 inches by 14 7/16 inches by 7 1/4 inches.

As much as I would love to include these in a future dressing room, I had to pass.

This one was a good size at 11 inches by 15 inches by 8 1/2 inches and retailed for $29.99.

My favorite was the Non-Slip Velvet Suit Hangers, which retailed for $9.99 for a 10-pack.

Though I didn't need any more hangers, I would definitely consider purchasing from here in the future, thanks to the wide selection of colors and materials.

There were plenty of drawer options customers could "stack" to build their perfect custom jewelry box, which I loved.

However, I had difficulty locating the prices of each drawer type on the shelves.

This belt organizer, retailing for $24.99, could sit on a closet shelf or in a drawer next to similar organizers.

There were plenty of decorative storage options, from soap dispensers and toothbrush holders to apothecary jars and trays.

The Luxe Acrylic Large Tray pictured above satisfies an itch in my brain that loves the aesthetically pleasing bathrooms I see on Pinterest and TikTok.

But, having been fooled by acrylic pieces, I think these dishes seem more trouble than they're worth. Given the likelihood of dried water, toothpaste, and soap drips, this tray could easily become an eyesore, just like my old acrylic toothbrush holder did.

These pieces don't appear to serve much purpose, especially at a cost of $24.99.

As smart as this storage kit looked, I would never spend this amount when similar options on Amazon are sold at fractions of the price.

Maybe I'm missing out — and maybe it speaks to the space I have in my bathroom — but for $49.99, I'd rather just grab a new roll of toilet paper from the pack when I need it.

My hair dryer and diffuser attachment have a bad habit of getting tangled under my sink, so I could see this being a great addition to my bathroom that would be worth the $25.

One thing I didn't know about The Container Store before my visit was that it has staff designers available to help curate "Custom Spaces."

In collaboration with acquisitions Elfa and Closet Works, "Custom Spaces" was identified as a key part of the company's growth strategy.

Launched in November 2022 as a rebranded expansion of the company's "Custom Closets," The Container Store's Custom Spaces "is defined by three areas of the home: Closet Spaces, Living Spaces, and Garage Spaces," the company said at the time.

As part of this effort, The Container Store launched a new "Garage + Elfa" line in October 2023 and expanded its "Decor+ by Elfa" line in June 2024. Elfa was not included in the bankruptcy.

Look at all these storage options!

These jars appeared straight out of my Pinterest dreams and seem perfect for holding baking ingredients like flour and sugar.

The collection includes three jar sizes: 1.5 quarts, 2 quarts, and 3 quarts. They retail for $19.99, $21.99, and $26.99, respectively, making the full collection about $69.

Plastic and stainless-steel scoops were also available on another shelf nearby.

YouCopia's Upspace Bottle Organizer 2-Shelf holds eight to 10 bottles and costs $24.99.

Even if I'm not happy with its $65.99 price tag.

If you're looking for something specific, visit the store with measurements in mind so you don't have to guess what product would best fit your space.

Call me picky, but I wouldn't like picking through the bottles to find the spice I'm looking for, and I'm not a huge fan of labels.

Near the crafting section were packs of labels for kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, playrooms, and more.

Each pack from the "Everything Organizer Collection" retailed for $12.99.

This section included plenty of laundry baskets to choose from.

They're perfect for maximizing closet space when there isn't much room for dressers.

These animal-themed bins seemed perfect for a child's bedroom or an elementary school classroom, but I was a bit surprised by the cost.

For example, the peacock storage cube was listed for $19.99, but another unpictured sloth cube was listed for $26.99.

There were also sets of rainbow-colored storage bins and rolling chests.

Malhotra told Modern Retail in July that the brand is "starting to do more collaborations."

"I think the partnership we did with the Kelces was really encouraging for customers to see," he said. "Oftentimes, they think that expense is a reason why things are not done, and they look at someone like the Kelces and they go, 'Obviously money is not an issue for them.' Their issue was knowledge, time, and solutions, and that's why they wanted to work with The Container Store."

Ranging in size, color, and material, I loved the variety available.

There were so many trinkets, pens, and notepads to choose from.

I would've loved having these in my pencil pouch in elementary school.

If I didn't already own four different notebooks and calendars, this would've been a very easy $15.99 out of my wallet.

Like this beginner crochet kit.

I'm still unsure if this design makes much sense, but it is cute.

There were just so many choices.

The Weathertight Clear Totes looked like a great choice for reusable moving boxes and basement storage.

Prices ranged from $14.99 for a 6.5-quart tote to $34.99 for a 74-quart tote.

The store's clearance options were robust, with different plates, bowls, glassware, decor pieces, and more.

Though this definitely wasn't a need, I'm disappointed I didn't snag one while it was on sale for $29.40.

Malhotra told Modern Retail in July, "There will always be a cheaper alternative to a plastic bin. Our objective is not to compete there because we don't have the scale and buying power to do so."

Instead, he said it's about offering "a white glove experience" through Custom Spaces and the brand's merchandise. He added that The Container Store differentiates itself from the Walmarts and Targets of the world by spending time with customers to help them choose the right products for their space.

Therefore, it seems that The Container Store is looking to target shoppers who have an established home base and plan to invest in it for years to come.

As a 20-something-year-old who plans to bounce from rental to rental for the next few years, I'm nowhere near that phase of my life. So, buying more expensive organizers that may only fit my current apartment isn't worth it.

However, if you have the money, space, and time, I completely understand falling in love with The Container Store. But for now, my visits will simply remain sources of inspiration.

The Container Store did not reply to a request for comment from Business Insider.

In the US, many children leave out a glass of milk and a plate of cookies for Santa.

Some families also leave carrots and celery for Santa's reindeer.

Although Australians leave cookies for Santa to snack on, they replace the glass of milk with a cold glass of beer. December is actually summer for Australia, so the beer might be just what Santa needs in the hot weather.

Some families in Ireland leave a pint of Guinness for Santa on Christmas Eve.

According to Culture Trip, children usually place the cold beer near the tree to offer Saint Nick a quick pick-me-up for the long night ahead.

Like in Australia and Ireland, children in the UK also leave Santa alcohol.

Families believe Father Christmas needs some sherry to warm up on Christmas night. It's also tradition to pair the sherry with a mince pie.

In the Netherlands, children often leave carrots and hay to help energize Sinterklaas's horses — yes, horses — on their trip around the world.

In some parts of Europe, like Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands, children don't believe Santa's sleigh is pulled by reindeer. Instead, they think he is being pulled by horses, so children leave food for them on Christmas Eve, and sometimes this food is left in their shoes.

Rather than leave snacks for Santa, children in Argentina leave out hay and water for the Three Kings' horses. They also leave out their shoes, so their gifts can be placed in them, Ecela Spanish reported.

Children in Argentina usually receive their presents on January 6, Three Kings Day, which honors the day the Three Kings delivered their presents to baby Jesus.

Kids in Denmark don't leave anything for Julemanden — the Danish term for Santa — to eat, but they do leave out treats for their nisse, or house elf.

According to Atlas Obscura, the Danish tradition calls for families to leave a bowl of risengrød (rice pudding or sweet porridge) out on Christmas Eve for the house elf.

In 2017, then-press officer of the Swedish Embassy in Washington, DC, Kate Reuterswärd told NPR that her family would leave a bowl of risgrynsgröt (rice porridge) outside their door.

"The rice porridge is thickened with milk and flavored with cinnamon and a little salt. Some families add almonds, butter, jam, or molasses, but the traditional version doesn't have to be sweetend," she said.

Some families in Sweden may also leave Jultomte a cup of coffee.

Rather than Santa Claus, children in Iceland await the arrival of the 13 Yule Lads, who, beginning on December 12, each bring them a small present, Nordic Visitor reported. In return, families leave out laufabrauð, which translates to leaf bread and tastes like a crispy wafer.

In France, children leave Père Noël wine and leave Gui, his donkey, treats like carrots or hay, which is left in their shoes, History.com reported.

Germans have a Christmas angel, the "Christkind," instead of Santa Claus, and they don't leave any snacks.

Instead, they write the angel letters. Some families mail the letters ahead of the holiday, while others leave them out on Christmas Eve, History.com reported.

In Chile, children leave pan de pascua, a traditional fruitcake, for Viejito Pascuero, "Old Man Christmas." Some of the fruitcake's key ingredients are dulce de leche, rum, candided fruits, and nuts.

At my local Target, this section is located at the entrance near home decor and fashion items, rather than near the groceries and pharmacy.

I visited on a weekday night, so it wasn't crowded at all.

There were so many different items packed into the displays, so for the sake of time, I decided to focus on highlighting some of my favorite choices.

For anyone who likes to feel a little luxurious before bed, I found this matching satin pillow case and eye-mask set for $5.

In addition to gray, other colors available in-store and online include beige, pink, and sage.

If the person you're shopping for is into skincare, a headband and wristband set like this is a great option.

The headband keeps their hair out of their face, while the wristbands prevent the water from dripping down their arms.

These sets retailed for $3 and were available in cream, baby pink, and black.

The set appeared to fold into an easy-to-carry case and was available in this mint-green color and a cream color for $5.

I didn't love how matted the fluffy fabric appeared to be on this makeup bag, but for $5, it seemed fairly priced.

Though this obviously won't fit in a stocking, I was shocked to find a bath tray for just $5.

Its label said it fits most standard tubs and measured at 29.8 inches by 4.7 inches.

As someone who's always in need of a hair tie, I was pleased to find a large bin of scrunchies each priced at $1.

I saw two Christmas tree-shaped candles at my local Target. The first of which was this 3 oz "Cypress & Champagne" scented option for $3, while the other was called "Festive Fir."

Since the candles were located in Bullseye's Playground and not the nearby candle section, I thought they may have a weaker scent, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Though it's hard to say how such a small candle would impact an entire room, the direct scent was strong and true to their names.

Whether you're into home decor or a fan of hosting, these iridescent cocktail glasses seemed like the perfect trend-forward kitchen gift.

The set retailed for just $5, and I'm already regretting not grabbing them as an early gift for myself.

The bar tool set retailed for $3 and included a bottle opener and a jigger with a handle.

I liked that Target seemed to take some of the guess-work out of holiday shopping by placing similar items near each other to make for an easy collection of coordinated gifts.

All that was missing was the alcohol of your choice.

These peppermint and winter-foliage inspired rolling pins retailed for $5 and seemed like cute options to spice up any holiday-themed kitchen without breaking the bank.

While I wasn't a huge fan of the colors and design choices available at my local store, I do think they're cute options for $5.

I originally found these ceramic gingerbread and snowman mugs during a Target shopping trip in early November near my hometown in Maryland.

Both hold up to 13 oz and retailed for $3, and while I didn't see them during my most recent Target trip, both items are still present on Target's website, suggesting they may still be available at other locations around the country.

A small display of these hot drink bombs were on one of the shelves above the mugs; however, the price of them was hard to locate.

After doing more research when I got home, I realized these treats don't appear to be Bullseye's Playground exclusives, as they retail for $4, but I still think they're an affordable stocking stuffer option to consider.

In addition to the mugs, I also found these ceramic snowman measuring cups and measuring spoons during my November Target trip in Maryland.

Both retailed for $5, and though my local Target didn't have them during my most recent December trip, both items are still present on Target's website, suggesting they may still be available at other locations around the country.

On another shopping trip in November — this time back in Jersey City — I found a $5 ceramic tray for Santa's Christmas Eve snacks (yes, I shop here a lot).

Though I didn't see it again on my most recent trip, the tray is still listed on Target's website under Bullseye's Playground.

Sure, Stanley cups have been popular this year, but I wasn't expecting to see so many drink-related accessories.

This tumbler accessory set, for example, came in both a pale-blue and a mint-green color and included a straw cover, handle, and zipper pouch.

It retailed for $5.

There was a large selection of straw toppers and covers available at my local Target, including this daisy set, a cloud and rainbow option, a doughnut and ice cream cone, and a stereo and music note, among others.

Each set sold for $3.

The pillow was small, soft, and retailed for $5.

One thing I noticed, though, was that it requires two AAA batteries, which would have to be purchased separately in order to enjoy its light-up capabilities at home.

According to Target's website, other pillows that may still be available in Bullseye's Playground include a reindeer, a gingerbread man, a gingerbread woman, a gingerbread house, a peppermint, and a star.

The game includes the playing field, two goals, one ball, and two pairs of elf shoes to play. It retailed for $5.

This toy resembled a miniature foosball table and retailed for $5.

I ended my shopping trip pleased with Target's selection, and thanks to all the self-care products, I was finally able to decide what to gift my best friend: her own curated bag of self-care items.

In addition to other goodies from around the store, I chose to add the pillow case and eye-mask set, the headband and wristband set, and the Christmas tree candle from Bullseye's Playground.

Now all I'm left to do is wonder: Is it too soon to go back?

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 60%

Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Elwood Dalton, a former UFC fighter who's been recruited to be bouncer at a bar in the Florida Keys, in this remake of Patrick Swayze's 1989 action adventure.

Critics' reactions to the film were mixed. The Washington Post's Ann Hornaday wrote, "Remaking 'Road House' is a supremely dumb idea, so it's fitting that it has morphed into a self-consciously dumb movie," while Time Out's Phil de Semlyen gave the film a three out of five star rating, writing, "The combination of Gyllenhaal's easy charm, some Florida sunshine and at least one fight scene for the ages make this 'Road House' worth stopping by. Just try to grab a seat in a quiet corner."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 52%

Written by Diablo Cody ("Jennifer's Body," "Juno," "Tully") and directed by Zelda Williams (daughter of the late Robin Williams), this new interpretation of "Frankenstein" brings audiences back to the 1980s as teenager Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) develops a relationship with a revived corpse (Cole Sprouse) and causes mayhem in her town.

"'Lisa Frankenstein' tries to thread a delicate needle, stitching together a mix of horror, comedy, romance, and teen angst, all while adopting a decidedly off-kilter tone," Brian Lowry wrote for CNN. "The result is an interesting misfire, yielding a few amusing moments while adding up to considerably less than the sum of its parts."

Meanwhile, The Wrap's Lex Briscuso found that the genrebending film "makes for a ridiculously brilliant spin on a timeless story over 200 years old."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 37%

In the newest "Garfield" movie — it's a reboot of the Garfield franchise, which began in 2004 with "Garfield: The Movie" — the lovably lazy tabby cat (voiced by Chris Pratt) meets his long-lost father and goes on a high-stakes adventure to steal … milk.

Mark Kennedy wrote for the Associated Press that the film is "a curious new animated attempt to monetize the comic icon again by giving him an origin story and then asking him to do things a galaxy away from what he does in the funny pages. It's like if Snoopy ran an underground bare-knuckle fight club."

Yet, it was a box-office success, grossing $234.5 million at the global box office.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 22%

Critics' worst-rated remake of the year was Rupert Sanders' "The Crow," a remake of the 1994 film with the same title. Starring Bill Skarsgård and FKA Twigs as murdered lovers Eric Draven and Shelly Webster, the film follows Draven's resurrection from the afterlife to avenge their deaths and save Webster.

"'The Crow' is not a waste of talent or resources; worse, it just hangs there on the screen, as undead as Eric himself," Ryan Lattanzio wrote for IndieWire.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 69%

Looks like Tina Fey is still trying to make fetch happen, and with some success, too. Rather than a direct remake of the 2004 classic, 2024's "Mean Girls" is actually a film version of the adapted Broadway musical, complete with songs like "Meet The Plastics," led by Renée Rapp as Regina George, and "Stupid With Love," led by Angourie Rice as Cady Heron.

"It turns out that 'Mean Girls: The Musical: The Movie' is pretty good, and likely to succeed at its primary purpose, which is to remind you that the original 'Mean Girls' is fun. The movie gets by via a relentlessly self-deprecating awareness of the absurdity of its own existence," Jackson McHenry wrote for Vulture.

He added, "Mean girls are everywhere, even among the mathletes. And so long as they flourish, we'll keep returning to 'Mean Girls.'"

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%

Loosely based on the 1980s TV show "The Fall Guy," 2024's film stars Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt as stuntman Colt Seavers and director Jody Moreno. When the star of Moreno's directorial debut goes missing, it's up to Seavers — her former flame — to save the show.

Maureen Lee Lenker wrote for Entertainment Weekly that the movie is "a joy-ride of a summer blockbuster that packs all the right punches from its action sequences to its chemistry-laden central romance to its meta love for the movies and the unsung heroes who make them feel real."

"Every frame is a testament to [director David Leitch's] love for movies — and a reminder of why we should love them (and the people who make them), too," she added.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

As a remake of the same-titled Danish film from 2022, director James Watkins follows an American family (Scoot McNairy, Mackenzie Davis, Alix West Lefler) traveling to the English countryside to stay with a family they met while on vacation in Italy (James McAvoy, Aisling Franciosi, Dan Hough). But their weekend getaway quickly turns into something far more sinister.

"Watkins has rewired the film's dynamics, switching our focus from the beset husband to Davis's uptight wife. He's made his remake more Hollywood, but, for my money, he's also made it more fun to talk about afterward — and during — arranging his plot beats to encourage the audience to howl advice at the screen," Amy Nicholson wrote for The Washington Post.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

Director Robert Eggers' "Nosferatu" is the highest-rated remake of the year. Starring Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, Emma Corrin, Willem Dafoe, and more, this remake of 1922's iconic silent film, "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror" — and its 1979 and 1992 successors "Nosferatu the Vampyre" and "Bram Stoker's Dracula" — follows Depp as Ellen Hutter, a young woman haunted by disturbing visions and the subject of a vampire's obsession. Though the film is set for international release on December 25, it's already garnered more than 90 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

"Exciting, repulsive, and beautiful in equal measure, this feels like something the writer-director has been working toward since his unsettling 2016 debut feature, 'The Witch,'" David Rooney wrote for The Hollywood Reporter.

"It's thrilling to experience a movie so assured in the way it builds and sustains fear, so hypnotically scary as it grabs you by the throat and never lets go," he added.

After graduating from Morehouse College in 2011 and 2012, respectively, Cooper and Ajanaku went their separate ways, with Cooper becoming a PGA professional and Ajanaku pursuing a professional career.

He did so for two years, and even won some mini tour events, "but it got to a point I just couldn't afford it anymore," Ajanaku told BI.

"I was taking up jobs and literally working at a golf course," he said, adding that he was "literally making pitch decks" to brands about potential sponsorship packages.

In an October interview with Barrons, he estimated that he only raised about $10,000 in those two years.

So, he went corporate, pivoting to a career in commercial vehicle finance, but never losing interest in golf.

When Ajanaku decided he wanted to turn pro again, he knew it would be hard to find sponsors and decided to make his own logo to represent himself: a Black man wearing jeans, a sweatshirt, and a hat, head down as he's swinging the club back while a Cuban link chain flies in the opposite direction. He called it The Swingman.

Ajanaku told BI he initially planned to put the logo on his bag and polo, and described the design as "the way that I feel when I'm out on the golf course."

Per Cooper's suggestion, Ajanaku printed the design on a T-shirt, too.

"I was in downtown Detroit. I maybe got stopped like 100 times in two hours, just like, 'Who are you, what is that logo, where can I get it, and do you play golf?' I was just like, 'Damn, I got something, but still don't know what it is,'" Ajanaku said.

Cooper's advice: Run with it.

Ajanaku made about nine SKUs to start, putting the Swingman on T-shirts, socks, lapel pins, sweatshirts, and even umbrellas.

He mailed the first 3,000 orders from his Detroit apartment.

"And from there, I knew that I had something," he said.

"I think growing up, there were certainly challenges as far as being able to afford golf," Cooper told BI. "Golf tournaments were very expensive, so I had to ask for money from family and all different types of things."

The NGF reported that in 2023, "the average playing fee for an 18-hole round of golf at a US public golf course was $43," an 18% increase from prices in 2019. And that's not including other necessities like attire, equipment, travel, and tournament fees.

In response to the issue, Eastside came up with Community Days. On these days, the brand buys out a golf course in the US and brings in food, music, products, instructional opportunities, and more for community members of all ages to enjoy.

"We knew we couldn't make golf cheap, but we wanted to eliminate the financial burden completely," Cooper said.

Community Days have become one of the company's premier events, and everyone in the organization is required to attend at least one or two annually.

"It just lifts everyone's spirits so much … it's like putting the battery in your back because you really get a chance to see the impact firsthand," Cooper added.

Both Cooper and Ajanaku were awarded scholarships to play at Morehouse College, an HBCU. There, they won the national title in 2010 and have continued to give back to the college ever since, donating nearly $300,000.

Morehouse golf head coach Edgar Evans Jr. told BI that the collaboration between the program and Eastside "has been a blessing."

"The program has always had a ton of potential, but just like any other college program, if you don't have any support, including monetary support, it's not going to get where you need it to go," he said. "So their contributions have been so important to us growing."

In addition to monetary donations, Eastside has also donated equipment and worked with Mercedes-Benz, their namesake invitational's presenting sponsor, to gift the Morehouse golf team sprinter vans.

The brand also has a roster of professional and NIL athletes, including Michael Herrera, Wyatt Worthington II, Kihei Akina, Morgan Riley, Bailey Davis, Matthew Vitale, and Kota Kaneko, Eastside Golf Japan ambassador.

One of Eastside Golf's most recent brand collaborations was announced in September: a collection with Nike called "Everyone's Game," which featured two shoes, each customizable with six first-of-their-kind removable Nike swooshes.

From maroon and white for Morehouse and blue and white for Spelman College, to gold for the Swingman's gold chain and a mirror to — according to the product description — "reflect how you see yourself in the game," each design had a specific callback to Eastside's roots.

Ajanaku said it was "super dope" to work with Nike and have the opportunity to use their technologies, ask questions, and go back in their vintage collections.

"I had a great time, all in all, from the Eastside Golf creative team to the Nike design team, I mean, I feel like we meshed well together," he said.

The brand has had to be protective of itself and its community, too, especially when it came to partnering with the PGA of America in January 2024.

Cooper said he was proud of Eastside's commitment to holding out until the partnership was right between the two brands, and that they wanted it to be about more than just checking a box, but getting real support.

"That hasn't been an easy road because I think we have a very strong point of view of golf, and I think when you talk about a conglomerate like that, that's been around forever, over 100 years, they have a point of view, too. And I think they don't always align," Cooper said, adding that he thinks the reason PGA of America invested was because "they recognized Eastside Golf as the future of the game."

He continued, "So, that's just a huge vote of confidence, and it's something that we don't take for granted. But it definitely took saying, 'No,' sticking to our guns, and making sure that it was done right and that we felt comfortable and we didn't feel like we were selling ourselves short or selling the community short."

The brand has grown significantly since Ajanaku's first nine SKUs to sell a wide range of men's and women's apparel and golf gear.

Eastside Golf merchandise is available on their website, in stores throughout the US and UK, and, starting in June 2025, the brand will open its flagship store at Detroit Metro Airport.

"They mean everything for the sport, to the culture," Chris Paul told Boardroom. "All of us equate everything to Tiger Woods, but now you can show up and see the Eastside Golf logoman? It's iconic."

Ajanaku told BI he thinks golf is already becoming a sport for all kinds of athletes, albeit with Eastside Golf's help, and that as the brand continues to integrate with purist golfers at PGA events and tournaments, the brand's "non-traditional view on golf" will become more popular, "and more companies will try to start doing that if they haven't already."

"And then lastly, I just feel like this logo at the end of the day will be, I'd say the next big logo," he said, adding that Eastside is trying to be just as big as a Ralph Lauren.

"If you truly look at the logo, [it's about] truly standing in what you feel your purpose is and just looking how you want to look and playing the sports that you want to play," Ajanaku said.

And as for the future? Ajanaku is returning to his professional aspirations — "that's a full-circle moment for the brand, something that we're excited about," Cooper said — and Eastside is looking forward to positioning themselves as a leader in the industry.

"I think we'll just continue to show how to grow the game in a unique way," Cooper said, highlighting the brand's Community Days, women's line, and new products. "I think we're very excited about just the impact that we're making … so as we continue to double and triple and scale, but also maintain that ethos of what this brand is all about."

Andre Ware made history in 1989 as the first Black quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy.

In his third season with the University of Houston, Ware threw for 4,699 yards and 46 touchdowns and set 26 NCAA records.

Ware declared for the 1990 NFL Draft and was selected seventh overall by the Detroit Lions. However, he saw little playing time behind starting quarterback Rodney Peete and backup Erik Kramer.

In Ware's four seasons with the Lions, he played in 14 games, throwing for 1,112 yards, five touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He later bounced around to other teams, including the Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Raiders (now the Las Vegas Raiders), and Jacksonville Jaguars, but never took the field with any of them. He also played in the Canadian Football League and in the NFL Europe League (which existed from 1991-2007) before retiring.

Ware was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Business Insider was unable to reach Ware for comment.

Detmer won the Heisman Trophy during his junior year at Brigham Young University in 1990. That season, he led the Cougars to a 10-3 record, passing for 5,309 yards and 42 touchdowns.

The win that perhaps solidified Detmer's chances at the Trophy was BYU's 28-21 win over the University of Miami in just the second game of the season. Detmer threw for 406 yards and three touchdowns.

Two years later, he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the ninth round of the NFL Draft. As the backup for starter Brett Favre, Detmer only had an opportunity to play in seven games for the team. In those games, played in the 1993 and 1995 seasons, he threw for 107 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

In 1996, he was signed to the Philadelphia Eagles, and became the starter after Rodney Peete endured a season-ending knee injury. In 13 games, Detmer threw for 2,911 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

However, the following season, he was relegated to being a backup quarterback again, and only played in eight games. Detmer went on to play for the San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, and Atlanta Falcons, but remained a backup for the majority of his career, which he finished with 34 touchdowns and 35 interceptions.

Detmer did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

University of Miami quarterback Gino Torretta is a 'Canes football legend. In his Heisman-winning season, he threw for 3,070 yards and 19 touchdowns to lead the Hurricanes to an undefeated regular season. He also won the Davey O'Brien Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Maxwell Award, the Johnny Unitas Trophy, and the Chic Harley Award.

But despite his collegiate success, Torretta was selected in the seventh round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. After not playing at all his rookie season, he was picked up by the Detroit Lions but again as a backup.

Torretta only ever played in one NFL game as quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks. He completed five of his 16 passes for 41 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He retired from the NFL in 1999.

Torretta did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Wuerffel's Heisman-winning season with the University of Florida Gators saw him pass for 3,625 passing yards and 36 touchdowns, leading the team to an 11-1 record.

The following year, he was selected by the New Orleans Saints with the 99th pick in the 1997 NFL Draft. Across his three seasons with the Saints, Wuerffel played in 16 games, throwing for 1,404 yards and nine touchdowns.

He also spent single seasons in Green Bay, Chicago, and Washington before retiring after the 2002 season.

In an email sent to Business Insider, Wuerffel said, "While I didn't have the NFL career I dreamt of as a kid, I still consider my time in the NFL a success. I met many amazing people and, more importantly, my pro journey led me to New Orleans where my life's mission of serving others began with Desire Street Ministries."

Desire Street Ministries is a religious organization that was founded in 1990. Wuerffel is the executive director.

Ron Dayne was one of the most prolific rushers in college football history, with a University of Wisconsin career total of 6,397 yards, not including statistics from bowl game appearances.

He earned the Heisman Trophy after his senior season, as one of just five players to finish each year of his collegiate career with more then 1,000 rushing yards. He's also the only Big Ten player to win back-to-back Rose Bowl MVP awards.

Dayne now holds the record for second-most all-time rushing yards, though if his bowl game statistics were included (like the current all-time leader Donnel Pumphrey), he would lead with 7,125 total yards.

In the 2000 NFL Draft, Dayne was selected by the New York Giants. He finished his rookie season with 770 rushing yards for five touchdowns, averaging 3.4 yards per carry. His stats remained similar during his following three seasons with the Giants, recording 1,297 yards for 11 touchdowns and averaging between 3.4 and 3.8 yards per carry.

For context, in 2002, the top-10 running backs each rushed more than 1,297 yards that season.

Dayne later spent one season with the Denver Broncos and two seasons with the Houston Texans. He finished his NFL career with 3,722 yards and 28 touchdowns across seven seasons.

He did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Prior to pursuing a career in football, Weinke was actually selected in the second round of the 1990 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. He played in the minor leagues until 1997 before attending Florida State University at 25 years old.

In his Heisman-winning senior season — at age 28 — Weinke led the NCAA in passing yards with 4,167. He is the oldest athlete to ever win the Heisman Trophy, and he still leads the Seminoles in all-time passing yards with 9,839.

He was selected in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. As a rookie, Weinke threw for 2,931 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions; and the Panthers finished the season 1-15. He remained with the Panthers for the following three seasons as a backup, playing in just 12 games and recording three touchdowns.

Weinke spent his last season in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers as a backup quarterback. He played in two games, threw for 104 yards, and one touchdown.

He's now an assistant head coach, co-offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach at Georgia Tech University. He did not reply to Business Insider's request for comment.

In 2012, Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy after a stellar season at Texas A&M.

Nicknamed "Johnny Football," Manziel threw for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns and rushed 1,410 yards for an additional 21 touchdowns. He returned to the Aggies the following year and finished the season with 4,114 passing yards for 37 touchdowns, and 759 rushing yards for nine touchdowns.

After just two collegiate seasons, Manziel declared for the NFL Draft and was selected 22nd overall by the Cleveland Browns in 2014.

But before he could take his first NFL snap, Cleveland.com reported that the Browns were "alarmed" by Manziel's off-field partying. His troubles continued into the season, from flashing an obscene gesture at the Washington bench during a preseason game in August to seeking treatment in January 2015.

In the post-game press conference, Manziel said he gets "words exchanged" with him throughout every game, adding, "I should've been smarter ... I need to be smarter than that. There's always words exchanged on the football field." He also described the moment as a "lapse in judgement."

He finished his rookie year having played in just five games, passing for 175 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions for a passer rating of 42.0. Manziel returned to Cleveland the following season, where he played in nine games and passed for 1,500 yards and seven touchdowns.

However, it was off-field troubles that continued to plague Manziel's career, including a 2016 misdemeanor domestic violence charge. ESPN reported that the charges were dismissed in November 2017 after Manziel met the requirements of a dismissal agreement.

The Browns released Manziel in March 2016.

"When I got to Cleveland, I wasn't in this head space to be able to just go play football," Manziel told Business Insider's Meredith Cash in 2023. "I was struggling to get out of bed in the morning. I was struggling to fight thoughts and feelings that I had never really had before in my life."

"I know that I'm still gonna walk down the street or go to a restaurant or go to a football game and people are still gonna recognize me," Manziel added. "But at the end of the day, I wanna live a more normal, simplistic lifestyle now. I'm finding things that truly do make me happy without having to be in a spotlight every day."

Manziel did not reply to Business Insider's request for additional comment for this story.

Brady wore the vintage timepiece to the New England Patriots' 2023 home opener, where team owner Robert Kraft famously announced that he'd be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame the following June.

According to Sotheby's, the watch was "named after the legendary 1970s Formula 1 livery, because of its black and gold 'Paul Newman' dial" and is "exceedingly rare" due to very small production quantities.

"Beyond its scarcity, the watch radiates an undeniable allure, enhanced by its striking black-and-gold combination and its connection to a golden era of Formula 1," said Richard Lopez, Sotheby's senior specialist for watches.

This Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon by Audemars Piguet features several nods to Brady, including his name set with calibré-cut and baguette diamonds, the number seven in Roman numerals as a nod to his record Super Bowl wins, and his signature on the rotor, according to Sotheby's.

The watch is made of white gold and also includes "a baguette diamond-set bezel," according to Sotheby's.

Brady wore the watch during his May 2024 Netflix special, "The Greatest Roast of All Time: The Roast of Tom Brady."

Sotheby's previously estimated the watch was worth between $400,000 and $800,000, but Altieri said he'd expected it to exceed $1 million.

"It's not often that brands make a piece unique for someone," he said.

The IWC Top Gun Edition "SFTI" was estimated by Sotheby's to go for a maximum of $10,000. Instead, it sold for $42,000, more than four times its market value.

"That was a really strong indicator just off the bat that more affordable pieces would go for higher numbers," Altieri said.

"Affordable," in this case, refers to their market value; IWC watches, for example, usually retail for less than $20,000, but significantly exceeded that number at the auction.

Brady famously wore this watch while celebrating at the 2021 Super Bowl boat parade in Tampa Bay after his seventh and final championship win.

Similar to the IWCs on auction, the Rolex 'Batman' performed well above its market value.

Altieri said the model's market value is $17,000, "but right away the bid went 50, 55, and then it sold for 60."

This collaboration between Richard Mille and 22-time Grand Slam singles champion Rafael Nadal is best known for its innovative "butterfly rotor."

For those not well-versed in watches, a rotor is a small weight within the watch that swings as the wearer moves, generating energy that winds and powers the watch.

What's different about the "butterfly rotor," according to Richard Mille, is that it "offers the wearer the possibility of varying the rotor geometry by themselves," allowing them to engage in various activities like sports without causing any damage or excessive winding.

Other figures who've worn pieces from Richard Mille and Nadal's collaborations include Jay-Z and Real Madrid's Antonio Rüdiger.

Altieri said the watches that "have a lot of hype in today's market" and "attract a lot of media," like a Richard Mille or an Audemars Piguet, didn't perform as well at the auction as he would've expected.

"You would think because it's Tom Brady's name — just like the IWCs and the Batman — it would at least go for double, but it didn't," he said.

Sotheby's previously estimated the piece would sell for between $300,000 and $500,000.

Sotheby's estimated that this Patek Philippe pocket watch, retailed by Tiffany & Co., would sell for between $200,000 and $400,000.

It ultimately sold for closer to the lower end of its estimate at $264,000, which surprised Altieri.

"I thought there was some potential of something like this coming back into fashion, but it's really a bigger pocket watch. It didn't hit the expectation that I thought," he said.

Per Sotheby's, the "yellow gold open-faced watch from 1917 is a rare example" of the brand's minute repeater, which was first introduced in 1845.

In addition to luxury watches, Tom Brady and Sotheby's also auctioned memorable pieces from his playing career.

The best-selling item from his career was the jersey he wore in his final game with the University of Michigan (pictured above), which was estimated to sell for between $300,000 and $500,000, and ultimately sold for $792,000.

Other items included were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers jersey he wore when he broke the NFL's passing yards record, his NFL Combine shirt, and a helmet worn during his last season in the NFL.

"The collection is truly unparalleled; the stories they tell, the authenticity they embody, and their historical significance elevate them beyond mere collectibles," Brahm Wachter, Sotheby's head of modern collectibles, said in October. "These items are genuine pieces of sports history."

Method dressing has been one of the decade's hottest red-carpet trends, and one actor who's really risen to the challenge is Cynthia Erivo, whose Elphaba-inspired looks were stellar throughout the "Wicked" press tour.

Woolf told BI, "I think the way she embodied her character from the movie in a red carpet fashion perspective was really interesting and really elevated."

It "still gave a character, but it didn't verge on costume, but it still gave fashion," he added.

Of all her press looks, Woolf said he was a fan of the Thom Browne dress she wore in Mexico City (above left), the Schiaparelli gown she wore for the London premiere (above middle), and her work with Louis Vuitton (above right).

Erivo spoke with Vogue in November about the electric-green vinyl Louis Vuitton gown she wore to the film's LA premiere, telling the publication that the look let her character "own the green color in such a big, bold way!"

"I thought the fabric choice was strong and divine, which is how I see my character," she added.

But what elevates Erivo's press tour looks from her counterparts?

To Woolf, it's a combination of the designers' interpretations, who's wearing the clothes — the same garment on two people can translate completely differently — and an understanding that "less is more."

"When you're giving a nod to a theme, it can simply be the color, like Cynthia Erivo wore green. So, I think it's less is more, and just taking one element and not making it a whole thing," he said.

Fashion nerds keeping an eye on the 2024 Cannes Film Festival would've been quick to spot Yseult in a new iteration of Christian Dior's "New Look," popularized in his first collection from 1947.

"I thought, I'm going to do Cannes — and I want to feel strong, I want to feel fierce," Yseult told the Washington Post in May.

She added, "I think why people love how I fit this dress is because of my body. My body is unique. I'm a plus-size girl, you know, and I really embrace all the curves. I really embrace myself. For the first time we see a body — a plus-size body — in [this look]."

Yseult's candor is exactly what excites Mays.

"She's partnered with Dior frequently, which I am so excited by because I think, so often, our understandings of size inclusivity are kind of skewed in the fashion world. You get something that's a size 16 and it fits like a 10," Mays told BI. "But to see somebody that actually looks like me and to be celebrated in a luxury space and to do it in a cool way, and I think she's another one that kind of plays on this notion of gender fluidity," noting that she can go from wearing a vintage-inspired Dior gown to a suit and tie.

"I think when you can do that, it's such a marker of someone that has true style," Mays said.

Woolf told BI that the "Rustin" actor is "definitely one of the best-dressed males consecutively throughout the year."

"I think the main thing with Colman is he's not afraid to take risks," he added. "And he carries clothes well."

Such risks can be taken with colors, silhouettes, and fabrics, and one look that embodied them all was the mustard-yellow Valentino suit and gold glitter coat Domingo wore to the Critics Choice Awards in January (above right).

Domingo's stylists, Wayman + Micah, told Vogue in October that the actor "really loves to play and have fun in every facet of his being so his style and sense of fashion fully thrives."

"We love putting him in tailored fits that highlight his stature, and we love using accessories to innovate and elevate his looks," they added. "To top it all off, Colman's energy, confidence, and charisma always take every red carpet moment to the next level."

Domingo has credited his style to both his stylists and the people he saw growing up in Philadelphia.

"We know how to dress," Domingo told "Jimmy Kimmel Live" guest host RuPaul in August, citing men who wore pinky rings, kept their nails clean and long, and loved to wear high-waisted suits.

"I feel like I dress like Teddy Pendergrass, The Isley Brothers," he said, adding, "I dress like the sound of Philadelphia."

There was no escaping "Brat" in 2024 and that's all thanks to British singer Charli XCX.

Fe thought the artist's tour looks were "really cool" and said that her style feels "more refined to her right now," defining it as daring, unapologetic, and fun.

She added that she appreciates the wide range of brands Charli XCX and her stylist Chris Horan have worked with, citing looks from both big fashion houses like Balenciaga and from younger designers like Dilara Findikoglu, whom she wore during her hosting gig at "SNL" (above right).

"What I really like is when an artist has a specific branding or theme for an album, I can appreciate when the artist, creative director, or stylist, or whoever, really sticks to that. And it's a red thread throughout the whole entire album cycle. And I think that they did a really good job of doing that throughout the whole entire 'Brat' era," Fe added.

In July, Horan told Who What Wear that in this era of the "360" singer's career, "she's giving like very much fashion girl" and that "she doesn't play by anyone's rules."

He also said she looks for comfortability and "elements of movement" in her tour looks. He added that comfortable shoes are also important to her, but said they're "the worst part of making a performance look" because he wants her to wear "the highest shoe possible."

Canadian actor Taylor Russell has emerged as a rising star on both the silver screen and the red carpet, where she's known for striking the delicate balance between sexiness and elegance.

Fe said it's "really refreshing" to see a young person on the red carpet in such stunning pieces that aren't all about showing skin.

She added she's also seen Russell find ways to make vintage pieces feel very modern and that she likes how Russell chooses proportions: "It's really beautiful to see."

Jonathan Anderson, creative director of Loewe, spoke about his relationship with the actor — who's a global ambassador for the brand — with Vogue in May, telling the outlet, "When we work together, it's always an incredible creative dialogue — she is an amazing collaborator and a very special friend."

Another frequent Loewe collaborator is the multitalented Dan Levy, who was also recently named one of the most stylish nepo babies (his dad is actor and comedian Eugene Levy).

Mays told BI that Levy is one of her personal style inspirations who does "classic menswear with a little edge, and a little hint of something else there."

"And also, I love that he's made eyewear sort of his iconic thing," she said. "You don't think about Dan Levy without just a really great pair of frames."

And as for his best looks of 2024? Mays said his Met Gala (above left) and Academy Museum Gala (above right) looks were standout moments.

On his Met Gala suit, Levy told The New York Times in May that he and Loewe "wanted a swerve to simple" with his 2024 look compared to what he and the brand chose for his gala debut in 2021.

"For the longest time, men's fashion was so square. Women had all the fun. That all changed over the past 10 years, so now I'm leaning into everything playful, flamboyant and exciting," he said.

Mays said Stefon Diggs is "pushing the needle forward in terms of style in the sports space" and a "classic street style icon."

"I think he's so cool in the way that he dresses. It feels obviously trend forward, but there's something really powerful about the way he gets dressed," she said. "I think he also plays with gender fluidity in a way that's interesting, but also authentic to himself."

Diggs told VMan Magazine in March that his upbringing in the DMV (the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area) helped shape his style.

"My mom has a picture of me wearing cowboy boots in the summertime, just because I loved cowboy boots at the time," he said, adding that although his parents didn't let him wear whatever he wanted, "they were able to balance out being yourself with being presentable."

Diggs added that he's a "texture guy" who likes to wear pieces that align with his mood.

"If I can wake up and something feels good to put on and it puts me in a good space energy-wise, I'm gonna wear it. It could be raining or hot outside, and I'll still have on leather. It doesn't matter. It's all about how I feel that day," he said.

Mays added that while Diggs does have moments where he leans into exclusive pieces — he's a fan of Birkin bags — her favorite looks are ones that feel aspirational but approachable at the same time, like when he pairs a tank with a cardigan, cargo pants, and jewelry, like he did at the GQ Sports Super Bowl Party in February (above left).

With projects like "The Perfect Couple," "Special Ops: Lioness," and "Babygirl" on her calendar, 2024 was an exciting year for Nicole Kidman's red-carpet style.

Woolf said her style has become "more refined" since working with stylist Jason Bolden (whose other styling credits include Erivo, Cara Delevingne, and Storm Reid), highlighting the Schiaparelli gown she wore to the Venice Film Festival (right).

"I think the brands she's wearing and I think they're just more fitted to her body and her silhouette," Woolf added, noting that he's also a fan of her collaboration with Balenciaga, whom she's been a brand ambassador for since December 2023.

"It's a really good match for her, and her body, and her look," Woolf said.

Rapper and certified fashion icon A$AP Rocky "really plays well with accessories," Mays said, adding that she loved his December 2023 campaign with Bottega Veneta — it "feels authentic and elevated and family friendly, but still, like 'I'm cool and I'm smoking my joint but I have 17,000 barrettes in my head.'"

The Bottega campaign caught Fe's eye, too. She called it "a really cool standout moment."

And, of course, it's hard to mention A$AP Rocky without mentioning Rihanna (who, yes, could be on this list every year). Whether they're going out to dinner or walking a red carpet together, they don't match all the time, Fe said.

"They know themselves and they're not dressing for each other. They're dressing for themselves, and I love seeing that. I think that's really important to stay true to yourself and not lose that," she said.

The "Sundress" rapper told People at the Footwear News Achievement Awards on December 4 that his style is "way more focused" since becoming a dad to RZA, 2, and Riot, 1, whom he shares with Rihanna.

"Prior to that, it was more absurd outfits and just mixing and matching everything for the sake of it. Now, it's a bit more quiet luxury," he added.

2024 was a breakout year for rapper Doechii, who's earned three Grammy nominations for 2025, including best new artist, best rap performance for "Nissan Altima," and best rap album for her August mixtape "Alligator Bites Never Heal." Kaytranada's remix of her song "Alter Ego" is also nominated for best remixed recording.

Woolf, who's been Doechii's stylist for nearly two years, said "she's a super creative person" who has a lot of ideas, so the pair will collaborate on looks based on things they both like.

One example of such collaboration was her look for Willy Chavarria's New York Fashion Week show (above left).

Woolf said that Doechii had already expressed an interest in not wearing shoes, and creating a look with toe socks. So, when he suggested that she wear a pair of the brand's underwear and go for a "muddy and dirty" look, they knew that was the perfect moment for their ideas to work together.

"Doechii understands fashion," he said. "She knows what looks good, she can see colors that mix well, textures that mix well; she understands and she always wants to break boundaries and make a statement."

One theme that can be seen throughout her style is her willingness to show the "things that are meant to be hidden" like face tape or undergarments, Woolf said. "We incorporate all of those things and we show it all."

Saying "for the plot" is a fun way for Gen Z to encourage each other to do the wild, fun things that make storytelling fun when you're older.

Influencer Serena Kerrigan has been credited with popularizing the phrase, saying, "this is your reminder that if something works out, great, and if it doesn't, it's for the plot." In other words, your highs and lows are all shaping and contributing to your life story.

Whether you swipe right on Tinder or go out spontaneously on a Tuesday night, it's all about the plot.

It's true; Gen Z has an affinity for abbreviations.

A person with "rizz" is confident, charming, and generally successful in romantic endeavors. The phrase officially reached the boomer generation when the Golden Bachelor announced he had rizz.

Ah, the ick. "Love Island" contestant Olivia Attwood (now Olivia Attwood Dack) helped popularize the phrase during season three, but "the ick" remains a staple in Gen Z's vocabulary.

If someone gives you "the ick," it means they've turned you off, either through their actions or words.

"Icks" can arise from small offenses, such as using the "wrong" emoji in conversation, or from larger issues, such as being rude to a barista.

It's all about personal preference.

When someone or something constantly occupies your thoughts, they've taken up residence in your head without paying you a dime. In 1999, one reader attributed the phrase living "rent-free" to advice columnist Ann Landers.

Though often associated with specific people like a crush or celebrity, the phrase can also apply to positive and negative events, like an epic concert or a ridiculous AI image.

"Mother" is a woman deserving of your respect who's had a profound influence on your life.

For some, that's Diana Ross. For others, it's Rihanna. Reneé Rapp, Mariah Carey, and Lana Del Rey have all been called mother, too.

Last year, The New York Times reported that people in the Black and Latino LGBTQ+ ballroom scene coined the term, which stemmed from the "queer subculture in which members are organized into so-called houses often led by a 'mother.'"

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, who played a house mother in the groundbreaking series "Pose," told The New York Times that "anyone should be able to use a term that is trending" but that it's important to know and acknowledge where it came from.

Often associated with fashion and beauty, saying someone "ate" is a way of expressing they look amazing and did a great job.

Look at almost any picture of Zendaya on the red carpet, and it'd be correct to say, "She ate."

If you hear "she ate," you may often hear "and left no crumbs" immediately after.

The additional phrase helps emphasize how perfect the person's execution was, though it can be used on its own, too.

For example, "Entrepreneur Mona Patel ate and left no crumbs at the 2024 Met Gala." That means she executed the theme perfectly — everything from her dress to her glam to the presentation on the red carpet was flawless.

Often used to describe food, "bussin'" originated in the Black community and means extremely good or delicious, per Merriam-Webster.

So if your kid says tonight's dinner was "bussin'," just know you did a great job.

Whether it's a dress on the red carpet, a new TV show, or a pasta recipe, something that's "mid" is mediocre.

BI reported that Kaley Cuoco's 2024 Critics Choice Awards gown missed the mark, so it could also be described as mid.

You can "lock in" on an assignment, cleaning your apartment, or even a video game.

While NC State ultimately lost to Purdue in the Final Four, DJ Burns, Jr. was a standout in the 2024 March Madness tournament.

His coaches clearly saw how well he was performing and decided to "let him cook," giving him more playing time in their five tournament games, per ESPN.

As we've already established, Gen Z loves abbreviations.

"Delulu" simply means delusional, but in a way that's wacky instead of worrisome, according to The New York Times.

If you're hoping to elope with the lead in your favorite romance novel, you might be a bit delulu.

It sounds a little sus, but this term dates back to the 1920s, per Merriam-Webster. The term originates from suss, as in, suss out whether someone is trustworthy or not.

Recently, the word reemerged thanks to the online game "Among Us," in which players try to determine who is an imposter working to sabotage their progress.

A kind of cosmic, karma-esque rating system of cool, aura points are won and lost through a variety of impressive and embarrassing deeds. Talked to your crush with spinach in your teeth? Your aura points just took a hit.

"It's tongue-in-cheek, and it also seems to be a sort of weird contemporary honor code," philosopher Julian Baggini told The Guardian.

The phrase "no cap" has been around for decades and has roots in Black communities.

People often use it for emphasis, similarly to "for real." For example, "My cat is smarter than Einstein, no cap."

"No cap" is basically the opposite of "cap," which is short for "capping."

"Cap or capping has referenced bragging, exaggerating, or lying since the early 1900s," Kelly Elizabeth Wright, a language professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told TODAY.com.

The 10th most fun city in the US is New York.

It received two top-10 rankings in entertainment and recreation, and nightlife and parties, placing fifth and eighth, respectively, out of the 182 cities.

According to WalletHub, the city is tied for the most park playgrounds per capita and has the fourth most dance clubs per capita. A previous WalletHub study also ranked New York as the fourth-best sports city in the country.

However, New York ranked last among the 182 cities for costs, as the cost of living database Numbeo reported that New York is the most expensive city in the country.

In addition to cost of living, WalletHub compared costs of items like wine, movie tickets, and average fitness-club fees. In New York, a mid-range bottle of wine and a movie ticket each cost about $20, while a one-month fitness-club fee costs nearly $150.

Houston's highest ranking was as the No. 15 city for nightlife and parties, with WalletHub reporting that the city was tied for the most dance clubs per capita.

The "Space City" also received two top-25 rankings for entertainment and recreation and costs, finishing 23rd and 25th.

Numbeo reported that people in Houston's monthly fitness-club fee costs about $39, while a mid-range bottle of wine costs about $13, and a movie ticket costs $15.

The "Windy City" ranked the eighth most fun city in the US, with 10th and 11th place finishes in entertainment and recreation and nightlife and parties, respectively.

According to WalletHub, Chicago was tied for the most park playgrounds and most restaurants per capita. It was also ranked the 15th best sports city in the country.

However, the city also struggled in the costs category, ranking 151st overall.

The seventh most fun city is San Francisco, with top-10 rankings in entertainment and recreation, and nightlife and parties.

WalletHub reported the city was tied for the most festivals, restaurants, and dance clubs per capita.

However, San Francisco was one of the worst-ranked cities for costs, with WalletHub ranking the city 178 out of 182.

Similar to New York, people in San Francisco can expect to pay $17 for a movie ticket, $18 for a mid-range bottle of wine, and about $96 for a one month fitness-club membership, Numbeo reported.

Austin's ranking as the sixth most fun city in the US could largely be credited to its position as the seventh-best city for nightlife and parties.

With the city's robust reputation for live music — it's known as the "Live Music Capital of the World" — residents and tourists can enjoy music venues, festivals like Austin City Limits and South by Southwest, and dance clubs (it's tied for the most per capita).

The city also ranked 18th in entertainment and recreation, and earned a mid-tier 50th place ranking for costs.

As the home of the most famous Mardi Gras celebration in the country, it comes as little surprise that New Orleans would receive a top-five ranking for nightlife and parties.

"Crescent City" tied with San Francisco, Honolulu, Tampa, and Miami for the most festivals per capita, annually hosting the Essence Music Festival and the Voodoo Music and Arts Experience, among other events.

The city also placed 20th in entertainment and recreation as well as 76th in costs. In New Orleans, people can expect to pay around $15 for a movie ticket, $64 for one month at a fitness club, and $17 for a mid-range bottle of wine, according to Numbeo.

The fourth most fun city in the US is Atlanta, which placed sixth in nightlife and parties and eighth in entertainment and recreation.

The city is home to a variety of music festivals, like SweetWater 420 Fest, Atlanta Jazz Festival, and Shaky Knees Music Festival, all of which contribute to the city's nightlife score.

Atlanta was also ranked as a top 15 city for sports fans.

Meanwhile, the city's lowest ranking was for costs, where it ranked 124th.

The city synonymous with spring break — Miami — ranked third overall for fun, with top-10 rankings in entertainment and recreation and nightlife and parties.

According to WalletHub, the "Magic City" is tied for the most festivals and restaurants per capita, and it has the fourth most fitness centers and fifth most dance clubs per capita. The outlet added that more than 88% of Miami residents live within half a mile of the park, and that it is the country's leader for water sports opportunities.

And you can't forget about sports; with the Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat, and Inter Miami FC, the city ranked sixth overall for best sports cities in the country.

However, similar to other major cities on the list, Miami was hurt by the cost category, where it ranked 157th.

The second most fun city in the US is Orlando, home of world renowned theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios.

But if rides aren't your thing, the city has plenty more to offer, as it tied for the most restaurants per capita and ranked second overall for nightlife and parties.

The city also has the second most fitness centers per capita and is the fifth best city for soccer fans, as both the MLS and NWSL have teams in Orlando (Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride).

And contrary to the rising prices of Disney tickets, the city itself isn't as expensive as some other major cities. It ranked 58th in the cost category, with Numbeo reporting the average movie ticket costs $15, a monthly fitness club membership costs about $40, and a mid-range bottle of wine costs $15.

Last but not least, is Las Vegas. The most fun city in the US is ranked No. 1 in nightlife and parties and No. 2 in entertainment and recreation. (Honolulu took the top spot for entertainment and recreation, but ultimately did not make the list of top 10 fun cities.)

From casinos and dance clubs to sports stadiums, spas, and arcades, "Sin City" has it all. WalletHub reported that Las Vegas is tied with other cities for the most dance clubs, restaurants, and park playgrounds per capita.

All that fun doesn't have to break the bank, either. The city ranked 36th in costs, with $13 movie tickets, $25 monthly fitness memberships, and $15 bottles of wine.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 65%

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reprise their roles as Detective Mike Lowrey and Detective Marcus Burnett, who are on a mission to clear the name of their late police captain Conrad Howard.

Matt Goldberg wrote for The Wrap, "The 'Bad Boys' series has never been about tight plotting or ingenious twists. It's about throwing Lowrey and Burnett into chaotic situations and forcing them to wisecrack and shoot their way out. That's it. Those are the movies. They're a bizarre blend of soap opera, broad comedy, and bombastic action, and they should not work, but they do."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 64%

The second film in "The Dry" series focuses on the disappearance of a woman, Alice Russell (Anna Torv), during a hiking retreat with four fellow employees. When they return without her, Detective Aaron Falk (Eric Bana) must figure out the truth of what happened to her.

We Live Entertainment's Aaron Neuwirth gave the film a 6/10 rating, writing the story "ends up feeling too convoluted for its own good, with a less engaging structure and more like a push towards some inevitable moments that ultimately take away from the film's urgency."

However, he added that it's still "decadent enough" to watch, and that he doesn't mind seeing another iteration of this story in a few years.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 57%

The "Descendants" series continued with its fifth iteration in July, as Ursula's daughter Uma (China Anne McClain) — now in charge of Auradon Prep — invites the Queen of Hearts (Rita Ora) and her teenage daughter Red (Kylie Cantrall) to the school. But when the Queen of Hearts launches a coup against her high-school nemesis Cinderella (Brandy), each of their daughters, Chloe (Malia Baker) and Red, must team up to go back in time and stop the event that turned the Queen evil.

While the score only draws from seven critics' reviews, Decider's John Serba wrote that fans of the series will be used to its over-the-topness, "which exists very much within the Disney Channel formula of heavily processed visuals and forced pep," and is "surely just good enough for all interested and engaged parties."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 56%

In the latest "Despicable Me" film, Gru (Steve Carell) must face his high-school rival, villain Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) and his girlfriend, Valentina (Sofía Vergara). But to keep the family safe — complete with their newest addition, Gru Jr. — everyone must relocate to a safe house.

Zaki Hasan, of the San Francisco Chronicle's Datebook, wrote, "At this point, the 'Despicable Me' series ('Minions' too) is mostly about keeping the content flowing so Universal can continue selling backpacks and plush toys, so don't be shocked if your child asks to return to theaters again in a few years. Talk about despicable."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 54%

The Monsterverse franchise continues with "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," to see the iconic monsters team up against an even bigger threat to the world.

"This movie's a mess," wrote The Film Frenzy's Matt Brunson.

"It's noisy, punishing, soulless (it calculatingly kills off more civilians than even 'Man of Steel'), needlessly convoluted, populated by nitwits and dullards, and choked with increasingly impersonal CGI," he added.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 42%

In the follow-up to the "Ghostbusters" revival, "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," descendants of the late Egon Spengler team up with members of the original Ghostbusting crew — including Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts — to save the world from a second Ice Age.

"Ultimately, there's nothing in 'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' that will win you over — no great action sequences, no laugh-out-loud jokes, and certainly nothing as inspired as 'Ghostbusters II's' perfect metaphor of a malevolent ooze fed by the negative energy of New York City seeping into the sewers. The jokes are witless, the emotions artless, and the film joyless," wrote Vulture's Bilge Ebiri.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 40%

Sure, Sony doesn't have a perfect track record with superhero movies (see: "Morbius" and "Madame Web"), but the "Venom" series has been a surprise hit … until now. In the final film of the trilogy, Tom Hardy returns as Eddie Brock and Venom as the pair goes on the run from forces from both their worlds.

While The Hollywood Reporter's Gayle Sequeira wrote that what works in this installments' favor is "its incredibly earnest exploration of the characters' personal stakes," Observer's Dylan Roth had a harsher take, writing, "True to form for this trilogy — which supposedly concludes here — the brainless and disjointed 'Last Dance' skates by on star Tom Hardy's charm and a few good gags."

"It's a relentless marathon of mediocrity," Roth added.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 40%

After the lackluster reception of "Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1," Kevin Costner debuted the second chapter of his Western passion project during the Venice International Film Festival in September. Though the sequel was pulled from theaters ahead of its planned August debut, it's already garnered enough reviews from critics to earn a 40% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Variety's Jessica Kiang wrote that it "is an exercise in contradictions: incident-packed yet oddly sedate; replete with characters new and returning, yet largely lacking in compelling characterization; and, running to over three hours, simply too long a film to be so jarringly abrupt."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 32%

The musical follow-up to 2019's critically acclaimed "Joker," did not live up to expectations despite the introduction of Lady Gaga's Lee Quinzel, aka Harley Quinn.

"By any reasonable measure this is a terrible movie, too long and too self-serious and way too dramatically inert, a regrettable waste of its lead actors' boundless commitment to even their most thinly written roles," Dana Stevens wrote for Slate.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 16%

"Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver" was released in April, offering a quick follow-up for audiences who'd seen "Rebel Moon: Part One — A Child of Fire" in December 2023. The sequel picks back up with Kora (Sofia Boutella) and her group of ally warriors returning to the planet Veldt; there, they must train and defend its people from an impending attack while Kora comes to terms with her past.

David Fear wrote for Rolling Stone that "life is painfully short," and advised readers to "turn away from your screens. Go for a walk. Start your own wheat-threshing collective. Anything but suffer through this."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

The seventh installment in the "Alien" series follows indentured space colony worker Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny) and a group of other young workers as they attempt to escape to another colony.

Jordan Hoffman wrote for Entertainment Weekly that the film "doesn't try to reinvent anything and instead focuses on refining what works. It's got the thrills, it's got the creepy-crawlies, and it's got just enough plot to make you care about the characters."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" returns to Earth decades after Caesar's reign to reveal that apes are now the dominant species, not humans. But as Caesar's legacy is distorted by a new ruler, Proximus Caesar, who's attacked and enslaved other clans in the pursuit of human technology, a young chimpanzee, Noa, and a woman must work together.

Ty Burr wrote for The Washington Post, "'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' is a sturdy new entry in the revived Planet of the Apes franchise, itself one of the more successful second go-rounds, commercially and artistically, of Hollywood's modern corporate era."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

As the prequel to 1976's "The Omen," "The First Omen" centers on a young American nun, Margaret, who uncovers a conspiracy to birth the Antichrist while serving at a Catholic orphanage in Rome.

Alison Foreman wrote for IndieWire that the film "ticks all the boxes of a justified IP revisitation that arguably should get more chapters [because] it improves what came before it."

Foreman added, "It's also the rare prequel (sequel, requel, what have you) that fits seamlessly inside the existing franchise and makes tracks toward a chilling new future. In short, it births something new and genuinely scary. Remember when that wasn't so rare?"

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%

Beginning six days after the end of "Smile," "Smile 2" focuses on pop star Skye Riley's (Naomi Scott) battle with the Smile entity.

Though the AP's Mark Kennedy concedes that director and screenwriter Parker Finn's script "sometimes lags as he searches for an ending," Finn found "a great satirical target, given life to a third film easily and showcased another rising star to watch. That's a reason to, well, smile about."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%

"A Quiet Place: Day One" serves as a prequel to the first two installments in John Krasinski's "A Quiet Place" series by highlighting the first day of the alien invasion in New York City through the journeys of Samira "Sam" (Lupita Nyong'o) and Eric (Joseph Quinn).

"The third chapter of 'A Quiet Place' shows that this smart, reliably frightening series, which began with a modestly budgeted feature that performed way beyond expectations, is by no means tapped out," David Rooney wrote for The Hollywood Reporter.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

"Transformers" might be one of the most heavily mined IPs in Hollywood, but Paramount's "Transformers One" manages to do something unique by telling the origin story of Orion Pax (Optimus Prime) and D-16's (Megatron) friendship and inevitable hatred.

Carlos Aguilar of the LA Times wrote that writers Andrew Barrer, Gabriel Ferrari, and Eric Pearson created "a consistently humorous script brimming with witty banter and quips that mostly land."

"Yet what grounds the story amid the pileup of sci-fi terms and lore is the convincingly intense bond that these male protagonists have nurtured," Aguilar added. "There's a gravitas to their relationship that makes the heartbreak of their eventual separation feel earned."

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

Another origin story that was well-received this year was "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga." The prequel follows the story of Furiosa, portrayed by Anya Taylor-Joy, from her kidnapping from the Green Place to her life as a skilled mechanic, driver, and warrior ready to take on her enemies.

Though NPR's Justin Chang thought something in Furiosa's "arc feels a bit too psychologically tidy to grip or disturb you in the way it's supposed to," the movie's post-apocalyptic world is the true star.

"Even in the moments when the CGI looks a little obvious, the mayhem is staged and shot with the kind of blissful coherence that you rarely see in a Hollywood blockbuster anymore," Chang said.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

Audiences are thrust back into the mind of "Inside Out" protagonist Riley Andersen, who's now 13, as her lovable cast of emotions, led by Amy Poehler's Joy, deal with the introduction of new characters Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment.

"What I loved most about 'Inside Out 2,' a movie that's warmhearted and entertaining if not quite up to the revelatory standards of its predecessor, is its portrayal of Anxiety as not a villain but a character who believes herself to be a protector," Dan Kois wrote for Slate.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

In the highly anticipated follow-up to 2021's "Dune," Timothée Chalamet returns as Paul Atreides as he lives and trains amongst the Fremen of Arrakis and decides whether to embrace his position as the Lisan al Gaib, or messiah.

"It's a towering feat of sci-fi cinema that will put 'Dune: Part Two' in contention for the pantheon of greatest sequels ever," Hoai-Tran Bui wrote for Inverse.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

Though "Paddington in Peru," the third on-screen adventure for Paddington Bear, doesn't premiere in US theaters until January 17, it's already received positive reviews from those in the UK, where it was released on November 8.

The film follows Paddington and the Brown family as they go on an adventure through the jungles of Peru to search for his missing Aunt Lucy.

"This is confectionary cinema—sweet, light, and wanting little more than to make its audience smile," Ross McIndoe wrote for Slant.

The first parade featured live animals from the Central Park Zoo.

Happy Dragon (pictured above) and Felix the Cat were two balloons on display that year.

The balloon handlers were also dressed as Mickey Mouse.

An Uncle Sam balloon graced the streets of New York City in the 1940s.

The Rockettes were founded in 1925.

She was accompanied by her "Prince Charming," actor Troy Donahue.

The balloon was named "Flying Ace Snoopy."

According to Macy's, Snoopy is the "longest-running character balloon" in the parade's history.

The balloon handlers were also dressed as Kermit, with green outfits and yellow collars.

Sesame Street began airing in 1969.

The Woody Woodpecker show aired between 1940 and 1972.

Raggedy Ann was a character created by author and artist Johnny Gruelle in 1915.

The ballon also held over 15,000 cubic feet of helium.

Olive Oyl and Swee'Pea were characters from "Popeye."

The first Pink Panther film was created in 1963.

An estimated 1.8 million people attended the chilly parade.

The first "Clifford" story was published in 1963 by Norman Bridwell.

It was fitting for a Spider-Man balloon to fly over New York City, just as the character does in the comics and movies.

"The Simpsons" remains the longest-running scripted sitcom in television history.

The singers wore red sweaters with white scarves as they waved American flags.

A billboard for the Tony Award-winning musical "Kiss of the Spider Woman" can be seen in the background.

There are eight "Beethoven" movies in total.

She was sitting on a crescent moon again.

One of the balloons blew into a lamppost, knocking it into the crowd and injuring two people, The New York Times reported in 1997.

"Rugrats" characters Chuckie and Tommy rode their dog Spike in the 1998 parade.

The Ask Jeeves float was accompanied by Miss America winner Heather French.

The animated children's series "Arthur" aired from 1996 to 2022.

Members of the New York City fire department carried an American flag.

Guarini placed second to Kelly Clarkson on the show's first season.

The "100 Christmases" sign behind him was a nod to the age of Macy's iconic storefront in Herald Square, which opened in 1902.

The band released the singles "Addicted" and "Perfect" in 2003.

Performers followed the parade route on stilts and unicycles.

The "Peanuts" character chased after his football.

The Big Bird balloon sank to the ground due to inclement weather.

The third "Shrek" movie, "Shrek the Third," came out in 2007.

Cyrus appeared on a float for the 2008 animated Disney movie "Bolt," in which she was the voice of Penny. 

Palmer sang her song "Top of the World" on a Build-A-Bear float. At the time, she was the star of Nickelodeon's "True Jackson, VP."

Cosgrove voices Margo in the "Despicable Me" franchise.

Spider-Man followed closely in the background.

The Fierce Five led Team USA to gold in the team all-around for the first time in more than a decade.

The National Weather Service reported that the high in Central Park that day was 35 degrees. Despite cold temperatures, the New York Daily News reported that 3.5 million people attended the event.

In "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," which was released in 2014, the titular character was played by Andrew Garfield.

For the first time, the parade featured 200 officers from the NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau's Critical Response Command, The New York Times reported.

Marching band drums marked Macy's 90th parade.

The balloon handlers wore matching red outfits.

Perhaps SpongeBob was paying tribute to the original "Christmas Parade."

"Frozen 2" came out in 2019.

Despite there being no live crowds, the parade still featured performances from the Goo Goo Dolls, Sofia Carson, CNCO, Pentatonix, and more.

Broadway performances have been a parade staple for decades.

In 2022, NBC's Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker were part of the show.

According to Macy's, each blade on Pikachu and Eevee's Poké Ball sleigh is about the same length as a semi-trailer truck.

While there will be more than 10 combined new balloons and floats, Macy's still leaves room for the classics like Tom Turkey, which is "the longest running title float in the Parade," according to the brand.

Perhaps surprisingly, Alabama's unofficial nicknames have nothing to do with the popular rival university cheers, "Roll Tide!" or "War Eagle!"

Instead, both of the state's most common nicknames hark back to the Civil War, with "Yellowhammer" referencing Alabama soldiers' uniforms, which were trimmed with yellow, and "Heart of Dixie" referring to Montgomery, Alabama's position as the first capital of the Confederacy.

Alaska is the largest state in the US, yet it has one of the smallest populations, with fewer than 750,000 residents, according to the 2020 Census.

With so much space and so few people, Alaska was dubbed "the Last Frontier," as there is still so much area to be explored.

More than 4.5 million people visited Grand Canyon National Park in 2023, according to the National Park Service.

The Encyclopedia of Arkansas reported that the Arkansas Parks System started advocating for more tourism in the 1980s, using the nickname the "Natural State."

The nickname became official in 1995 thanks to Rep. Dennis Young, who introduced legislation citing the state's various rivers, streams, lakes, bayous, mountains, and wildlife.

Arkansas Tourism is now a $9.2 billion industry with upward of 48 million visiting the state in 2022, per a press release from the Arkansas Cabinet Secretary.

From the Gold Rush and golden poppies to sunshine and Hollywood, golden has always been the perfect way to describe California.

Colorado became a state on August 1, 1876.

Long before the US Constitution was ratified in 1788, settlers drafted the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut.

The Fundamental Orders were adopted in 1639 and served as a state constitution determining the scope of government.

Delaware ratified the Constitution on December 7, 1787.

With beautiful beaches, a warm climate, and plenty of sunshine, Florida adopted the nickname in 1970.

Peaches may now be widely known as a symbol for Georgia, but the state's attachment to the fruit was actually part of a post-Civil War effort to reinvent its image, NPR reported.

Like so many of the other Southern states, Georgia was primarily known for producing cotton, but after the war, peaches became a new focus as fruit production seemed more "refined and European" than corn and cotton farming.

Hawaii's nickname comes from the Hawaiian language — "aloha" is both a word for greetings and partings as well as a way of life emphasizing principles like kindness, unity, and patience.

In addition to its potatoes, Idaho is known for its many natural resources, including minerals and gems.

Copper, gold, opal, sapphire, and garnet are just a few of the stones that can be found in the state.

The state once had 22 million acres of prairie land, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Now, less than 2,300 acres remain.

The word "Hoosier" has been part of Indianans' dialect for more than 100 years, but the word's origins are hard to nail down.

The Indiana Historical Bureau said that one way the word may have gained popularity was from a poem written by John Finley called "The Hoosier's Nest" (originally written as Hoosher), which was published and used as the "Carrier's Address" of the Indianapolis Journal in January 1833.

The origin of the Hawkeyes' connection to Iowa is still unclear, but, according to the University of Iowa, some believe a local judge suggested the name after reading James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans, which features a character named Hawkeye.

The name gained popularity and is now used by the university's sports teams, with Caitlin Clark being one of the most famous Hawkeyes in recent history.

Forget about tornados, sunflowers hold a special place in Kansas' heart — they're the state flower and even on the state flag.

Bluegrass is common throughout the state, especially on horse pastures.

The brown pelican is native to Louisiana, making it the perfect choice for the state's official bird. It also appears on Louisiana's flag, state seal, and in professional sports teams — hello, New Orleans Pelicans.

As of 2021, Maine had over 17 million acres of forests, accounting for 83% of the state's area, the USDA Forest Service reported.

The state is home to a high number of Eastern white pine trees.

George Washington gave Maryland the name "Old Line State." As a general in the Revolutionary War, Washington praised Maryland's regular line troops, who served in many battles throughout the war.

Meanwhile, the "Free State" originally referred to Maryland's abolition of slavery in 1864. A congressman from Georgia later adopted the nickname in the 1920s for an editorial piece criticizing Maryland's refusal to pass an act enforcing Prohibition.

Massachusetts, Nahant, Dorchester, and Quincy are just some of the many bays located in Massachusetts.

Michigan is bordered by Lakes Superior, Huron, Erie, and Michigan.

Ontario is the only Great Lake to not border the state.

Minnesota's motto, "L'Étoile du Nord," was coined by the state's first governor, Henry Sibley, in 1858.

William "Bill" Convery, director of research at the Minnesota Historical Society, told CBS station WCCO in 2023, "You can think of the North Star as a guide, as a way into the future. And I don't know for sure, but I very much guess that's what Sibley had in mind when he suggested that motto for Minnesota."

The magnolia is both the state flower and tree of Mississippi. The flower also appears on the state flag.

While no one can say for certain how the "Show-Me State" originated, Rep. Willard Duncan Vandiver is often given credit.

Vandiver spoke at a naval banquet in 1899, and outlets reported that he said, "I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me."

Similar to Idaho and its gems, Montana is known for producing a wide variety of minerals like platinum, gold, and talc.

Montana Public Radio reported that the state is also known as "Big Sky Country" or the "Big Sky State" thanks to a 1930s advertising campaign by the Transportation Department. The name gained even more popularity in 1947 after the release of a book called "The Big Sky" by A.B. Guthrie Jr.

The Nebraska Corn Board reported that in 2022, the state yielded more than 1.4 billion bushels of corn to yield almost $10 billion.

The state accounts for 10% of the country's corn production overall.

According to Nevada Public Radio, miners Peter O'Riley and Patrick McLaughlin discovered silver in 1859 at what would be named the Comstock Lode.

The discovery led to a boom in migration to the region and became an important part of the state's economy.

Granite has been important to the state's economy since the 1800s, with the material being used for buildings around the country, including the Library of Congress, New Hampshire Folklife reported.

It added that the state's Concord quarry produces about 25,000 tons of granite each year.

While the nickname originally dates back to the 1870s, the New Jersey state legislature voted to make the name official in 1954, overruling the governor to add "The Garden State" to license plates.

While the state doesn't exactly lend itself to visions of farmlands and gardens, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture reported that the state is actually among the top 10 producers of fruits and vegetables like blueberries, peaches, tomatoes, spinach, and squash, with the state's farms generating nearly $1.5 million in 2022.

Similar to other states, New Mexico's nickname was once used to promote tourism. While "Land of Enchantment" was used on license plates as early as 1941, the phrase didn't become the official nickname until 1999.

The New York Historical Society credits Washington for the nickname, citing a 1785 letter he wrote in praise of the state's Revolutionary War efforts where he described New York as "the seat of the Empire."

North Carolina's nickname stems from the state's early beginnings as a leader in naval industry supplies.

As explained by Carolina Alumni, people working with pine trees to collect and produce materials like turpentine, tar, and pitch often had bare feet during summers, so they would get tar on their soles. As a result, "tar heel" soon became a name for someone working a trade job.

However, during the Civil War, soldiers reclaimed the phrase for themselves, turning it into a celebration of their state, and North Carolina became known as the "Tar Heel State."

The International Peace Garden, founded in 1932, is located along the border of North Dakota and the Canadian province of Manitoba.

North Dakota began using "Peace Garden State" on its license plates in 1956 and the phrase was officially adopted by the state legislature the following year.

A buckeye is a type of tree that was so common in Ohio when the territory was settled that it's also now called an Ohio buckeye. The trees also produce a type of chestnut called a buckeye, too.

The nickname was adopted by the state in 1950 and was adopted as the mascot of Ohio State University in the 1960s.

In 1889, Congress passed a bill allowing people to settle on land that is now Oklahoma. However, all settlers were supposed to make their claims to land in accordance with the federal government's designated land opening.

Those who entered the land early were nicknamed "Sooners." The nickname stuck and now applies to all Oklahoma residents and is used by the University of Oklahoma's mascot.

Beavers were a key aspect of Oregon's economy during the fur trade, becoming a symbol of prosperity.

However, the success of the trade diminished beaver populations so much that the state is still working on conservation and restoration efforts for beavers and their habitats.

Pennsylvania played a critical role in the establishment of the US, serving as the central location for planning the American Revolution, signing the Declaration of Independence, and signing the Constitution, thus earning the nickname the "Keystone State."

Despite being the smallest state in the US, Rhode Island has a 400-mile-long coastline.

The palmetto tree played a crucial role in South Carolina's defense against the British during the Revolutionary War, as trunks were used to build the fort that defended Sullivan's Island.

Since then, the tree has been featured on the state flag and seal and is referenced directly in the state pledge to the flag.

South Dakota is home to the famous landmark that features the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

Their faces were carved into the mountainside in South Dakota's Black Hills between 1927 and 1941, but the project was strongly opposed by the Lakota Sioux Native American tribe, who consider the Black Hills sacred.

According to the Tennessee Historical Society, volunteers played a significant role in the Tennessee militia during the War of 1812.

Then, 40 years later during the Mexican American War, a reported 30,000 Tennesseans responded to a call for 2,600 volunteers.

The University of Tennessee continues to use the nickname today for its sports teams, which are also known as the Vols.

Today, the state actually has one of the lower rates of volunteerism in the country. It's ranked 31st among the states based on its volunteer rate (31.3%), per AmeriCorps.

Texas' nickname was taken from the state flag, which was adopted after the state gained independence from Mexico and features a single, "lone" star.

Texas remained an independent entity for 10 years before becoming part of the US.

The Utah State Capitol said, "The beehive symbolizes the Utah community as each person in Utah works together to support and help one another and create a successful industry."

As a result, depictions of beehives can be found across the state.

Vermont's nickname is a literal translation of its modern name, which was derived from the French "les verts monts," meaning "green mountains."

The state is also home to a mountain range called the Green Mountains, which are part of the larger Appalachians.

Virginia's nickname, "Old Dominion," is thought to have originated from two sources: its status as the oldest overseas colony of England or from King Charles II because of its loyalty to the monarchy during the English Civil Wars.

In February, the Washington State Standard reported that the state may finally make its nickname official more than 100 years after it was first used.

Even if the nickname isn't codified, one look at the state's lush evergreen forests will confirm it's not changing anytime soon.

It is the only state located completely within the Appalachian Mountains which is why it was given such a nickname.

It should come as no surprise, then, that the University of West Virginia draws on this fact for its mascot, the Mountaineers.

The nickname was inspired by lead miners in the 1800s who sought shelter in the mine tunnels rather than building homes, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Just over 50 years before the 19th Amendment was ratified, Wyoming became the first state to give women the right to vote and hold office.

Unfortunately, the state has not lived up to its nickname. WalletHub reported that the state ranked 48th for women's equality in 2024 based on factors such as workplace environments, political empowerment, and education and health.