Take a look at a few noteworthy moments in 2018 and the T-shirts they spawned:

1. The Royal Wedding

The May wedding of British royal Prince Harry to American and former actress Meghan Markle captured the hearts of romantics ’round the world, with an estimated 1.9 billion tuning in to witness the spectacle. There were also plenty hoping to make a quick buck with commemorative swag – an estimated $38 million was spent on memorabilia, according to The Centre for Retail Research.

2. Laurel vs. Yanny

May also saw the emergence of the Laurel/Yanny controversy, the auditory version of 2015’s ambiguously hued dress photo. Those who listened to the poor-quality clip, first posted on Reddit, were split on whether the speaker was saying “Laurel” or “Yanny.” Of course, the online debate inspired plenty of memes and tees.

3. The Skyscraper-Climbing Raccoon

A raccoon scaled a St. Paul, MN, skyscraper in June, and the world watched the death-defying drama online. Minnesota Public Radio, the first media outlet to report on the #MPRraccoon, later created a fundraising clothing line to commemorate the plucky critter.

4. Gritty

In September, hockey’s Philadelphia Flyers got a new mascot. Gritty – a grinning orange monster with unnerving, googly eyes – quickly became an internet sensation, evoking first horror, then enchantment from hockey fans in Philly and beyond. Parody T-shirts, like this one from Shibe Vintage Sports, would soon follow.

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