“White Lotus”? Check. Taylor Swift’s “Midnights”? Check. “Top Gun: Maverick”? Yes, of course, check.

Those are the clear-cut cultural touchstones of the past year. But as we approach the holiday break, you may want to expand past the usual horizons and click on a podcast, take in a movie or crack open a book you likely missed from the past year. We asked The Information staffers for their favorite cultural phenomena of 2022, ranging from performance art to business podcasts to “breathtaking” videogames. As you prepare to unwind over the holidays, you can of course watch Emily embarrassing herself in Paris again. Or you can divert yourself with some of this overlooked culture (or, better yet, do both).