It's not news, it's a state of mind

Sometimes, it's not the events that matter in the news, but the smiles.

In recent months, Spanish media have collected many stories that require no commentary—just a light laugh and a little self-recognition.

In one city, the city hall website accidentally published a menu for the Christmas dinner for employees instead of a roadworks plan. The document was posted for several hours, giving residents time to discuss why officials had an octopus while they had traffic jams.

In a Madrid shopping center, an actor dressed as Santa Claus got stuck in an elevator. Children were told that Santa was checking the building's security.

Autocorrect in an official greeting wished residents "lots of spiritual ham" instead of "spiritual strength." Spaniards appreciated the depth of thought.

In Andalusia, snow fell unexpectedly, and newspapers wrote: "It's not the climate crisis—Spain decided to try something new."

Police were looking for a suspect but found a tourist in shorts with a camera. He was simply taking pictures of a particularly beautiful balcony.

In one office, a cat regularly turned on the heater with its paw. The staff officially declared it responsible for the climate.

The line at a government agency stretched for hours, but ended with new acquaintances. Newspapers noted: sometimes a line is a social network.

The Christmas tree in one city didn't light. The official explanation: "Eco-friendly version."

Newspapers reported that this year, children's gifts are being delivered by drones because storks are temporarily working remotely.

Students put a sign on the classroom door that read "Entry for serious people only." Half the class didn't dare enter.

A dog lay down every day at the entrance to a bank. Employees explained that he was simply testing the mood of customers.

A transport company posted on social media: "The bus is delayed. Everyone has days."

The message "Who ate my cake again?" was accidentally sent to a neighbors' chat instead of a family chat. An investigation has been launched in the building.

In one city, a nativity scene was equipped with Wi-Fi and humorously captioned: "Even the Magi ask for the password."

Elderly residents recorded a video titled "How to properly curse the weather." The video went viral.

Fireworks were canceled due to wind. Newspapers summed it up: at least no one was scared.

On the "We work for you" banner, someone added: "...but not today."

One of the most quoted headlines of the month: "Rain in one part of the country, snow in the other. Spain decided not to choose."

When asked, "When will the renovations be finished?" an official answered honestly: "When they are finished." The newspaper called this the statement of the year.

A cafe hung a sign: "We don't have Wi-Fi. Talk to each other." Customers were initially outraged, but then stayed longer.

Sometimes such stories reveal more about life than any news report.

This isn't news—it's a mood.