Personally, I feel you must spend your vacation season studying all of WIRED’s standout options. Start here, work backward. Have enjoyable!

But positive, if you happen to insist on spending a few of that point with household or associates, we’ve additionally provide you with 11 picks for extra centered perusal. Not essentially one of the best or hottest tales—as editors, we will’t select favorites amongst all our treasured kids—however a group that captures the wild vary of life and weirdness on this planet in 2023. There’s AI, in fact, and TikTok. Hardware and software program. Stories that take you inside the largest hacks of latest historical past, and private quests to substantiate household lore. Stories are necessary. We need to consider that, or we wouldn’t be right here. And we’ll be right here once more subsequent 12 months, with much more tales to share.