For pretty much everyone, 2020 forced a review of normal life, who to trust and who to keep in touch with, as more than 2.6 million people died in the coronavirus pandemic.
But for finding pleasure against the odds, Nordic and western European nations dominate a list of the world's happiest countries.
Finland, Iceland and Denmark are the three happiest countries in the world. For Finland it is the fourth successive year of cheer.
Two other Nordic countries are in the top 10 – Sweden and Norway – while New Zealand is the only non-European. The top 10 includes Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany and Austria.
This year, success was partly down to reactions to the danger of Covid-19 as much as the traditional happiness factors, such as trust and a lack of corruption.
"We need urgently to learn from Covid-19," said report co-editor Jeffrey Sachs, professor and director of the centre for sustainable development at Columbia University in New York.
"The pandemic reminds us of our global environmental threats, the urgent need to co-operate, and the difficulties of achieving co-operation in each country and globally."
The happiness study ranks countries using life evaluations based on interviews and the perceptions of the population in areas such as corruption, social life and general well-being.
The happiness index found trust and the ability to count on others to be major supports that improved life evaluations and helped a country rise in the table.
The US moved up from 18th to 14th place while the UK dropped from 13th to 18th.
"Surprisingly there was not, on average, a decline in well-being when measured by people's own evaluation of their lives," said the University of British Columbia's Prof John Helliwell, who contributed to the report.
"One possible explanation is that people see Covid-19 as a common, outside threat affecting everybody and that this has generated a greater sense of solidarity and fellow-feeling."
At the bottom end of the table, the effects of armed conflict and political upheaval were apparent.
Afghanistan was ranked the most unhappy place, followed by Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Botswana.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
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Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
Paltan
Producer: JP Films, Zee Studios
Director: JP Dutta
Cast: Jackie Shroff, Sonu Sood, Arjun Rampal, Siddhanth Kapoor, Luv Sinha and Harshvardhan Rane
Rating: 2/5
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.
In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
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