Hackgate, riots, the Eurozone crisis...it's hardly been the most uplifting of years, which is why I'm delighted to announce the launch today of two new Huffington Post UK sites - Celebrity and Culture - both of which are guaranteed to lighten and brighten your day.
Whether you're after a quick-fix of Hollywood gossip, or some more high-brow cultural musings (or perhaps a bit of both?) these new additions to the HuffPost UK family will be providing news, views, blogs and features to entertain, make you laugh, and ensure you have plenty to talk about at your next dinner party.
To kick us off in style, Culture Editor Sam Parker has spent the past few weeks collecting Christmas messages from the UK's best Slam Poets, while Celebrity Assistant Editor Ashley Percival was schmoozing with X Factor winners Little Mix yesterday afternoon - how's that for two diverse features!
On the blog, meanwhile, we have posts from Martine McCutcheon, Sarah Cawood, Jeremy Hunt, Stephen Kelman, the Arts Council and Tate Liverpool.
Looking forwards, over the next weeks and months, our Celebrity Editor, Matt Bagwell, will be regularly commenting on the latest showbiz rumours with his Baggers Bites column, while you can find all the new celeb interviews in our How Showbiz Are You? section.
If you haven't quite had your fill of X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing our Entertainment team is still on hand to ensure all your TV needs are fulfilled (although I'm duly informed it's all about Downton Abbey this Christmas Day).
And, finally, because we absolutely couldn't launch two new sites this close to Christmas without a little gift inspiration, on Culture you can flick through all the biggest prize-winning books of the year. Dad, don't look now, but at least two of those will be finding their way under the family tree on 25 December.
Enjoy!
PS To ensure you get the latest updates as they happen, follow our two new sites on Twitter at @HPUKCulture and @HPUKCelebrity.