77-year-old slice of Queen’s wedding cake sells for $2,800

A 77-year-old slice of cake from Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding to Prince Philip, was auctioned for $2,800.

The slice of cake was packaged in a box bearing then-Princess Elizabeth’s silver insignia and included a printed letter from the bride and a decorative doily.

The piece of cake had been given to Marion Polson, a housekeeper at Holyrood House in Edinburgh, Scotland, as a gift from the royal couple.

Auction house Reeman Dansie announced the piece of cake, part of a 500-pound baked dessert served at the November 20, 1947, wedding, was auctioned for $2,831.

World’s largest iced latte

Social media star Nick DiGiovanni teamed up with Dunkin’ to break the Guinness World Record for the largest iced latte.

DiGiovanni, a chef and social media influencer with multiple Guinness World Records titles, filled an 11-foot-tall Dunkin’ cup with ice, milk and espresso to take on the record.

Guinness World Records confirmed the resulting 276-gallon beverage was the world’s largest iced latte.

The massive latte was then portioned out into smaller cups and served to more than 300 employees at Dunkin’s corporate office in Massachusetts.

North America’s oldest macaroni penguin turns 40

SeaWorld San Diego is celebrating the 40th birthday of Best Friend, the oldest known macaroni penguin in North America. Best Friend has far surpassed the typical lifespan of 15-20 years for macaroni penguins in the wild.

Despite suffering from failing eyesight, he still enjoys great hearing and can recognise his keepers by their voices. Best Friend’s favourite activities include blowing bubbles in his water tray, playing with trickling hoses, and making ecstatic calls when spoken to. He also enjoys curling up in laps for cosy naps.

TikTok’s top trends of 2024

TikTok revealed its top trends of the year.

The video-sharing social media site said influencer Jools Lebron’s “#demure trend not only coined a new phrase, but also empowered self-expression and was named 2024’s Word of the Year by Dictionary.com.”

Other top trends included the Charli XCX-inspired “Brat Summer” and Megan Boni’s “Man in Finance” meme. TikTok’s 2024 was also dominated by “cute creatures from the animal kingdom,” the website said.

“Moo Deng, the adorable pygmy hippo from Thailand, and Pesto, an oversized King Penguin from Australia, along with the other Knights of the Rotund Table, have captured the hearts of the Internet the world over. This year, their popularity transcended borders, not only connecting people with a shared love of animals but also sparking conversations around their welfare and preservation.”

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 21st, 2024