It’s the depressing end of fall and the depressing beginning of winter in depressing Upstate NY. Mother Nature has depressingly blessed us with below zero temperatures and a year’s worth of depressing snow, already, 11 days before the first depressing day of winter. It builds character and kills bugs, so we can forget what it does to our joints and bodily systems, right? Screw character, and I’d give anything for weather nice enough for the foot-long palmetto bugs who have their own condos in Florida.

In looking for a positive, I suggest (hope) we’re getting all of winter in the two weeks before the start of winter and it will be sunshine and roses for the next three months. No Snow. No Cold. No character. No depression. Self-delusion is the best delusion of all.

In the meantime, it is the time of year for “The Best Of—” lists. Since movies, songs, TV shows, and other current entertainments happen after I go to sleep, not one, single name on any of those lists is recognizable. It was depressing until this list appeared in my internet feed: “The Best Jokes of 2025”. It was surprising to read them and learn they were the best “clean jokes” of 2025. I searched for the best “dirty” jokes of 2025. After that the best “dad” jokes of 2025. And best “one-liners” of 2025. I found so many “best fill in the blank jokes” lists I’ve decided to share a list of the best jokes from the lists of the best jokes in 2025, no matter their subject or tone*. For copyright reasons I should give credit to the source, but with eleven** jokes from many different lists and different people, maybe no one will be rich enough to sue me. And remember, not one of these is original.

Why don’t scientists trust atoms? They make up everything. (Science AND humor.)

What did the buffalo say when his male child went to college? (Bison. Say it out loud.)

When does a joke become a “Dad Joke? When it becomes apparent. (Again: out loud. Plus, a double meaning! Bonus humor.)

I’m on a 30-day diet. So far I’ve lost 15 days. (Can’t you just hear the “rim-shot”?

I’m writing a book on reverse psychology. Don’t buy it.

My boss told me to have a good day so I went home.

What did one hat say to the other hat? You stay here, I’ll go on ahead. (Apologies.)

Why don’t we see elephants hiding in trees? Because they are really, really good at it.

A husband asked his wife “Why don’t you tell me when you orgasm?” Wife: “You asked me not to call you at work.”

How does a woman scare a gynecologist? Become a ventriloquist.

Knock Knock. Who’s there? Candice. Candice who?” Candice joke get any worse?***

 Is it just me or do some of these jokes sound like they’ve been around awhile? 2025, my ass. I’m going to do some research on Bob Hope. Or Red Skelton.

*Whoa, there are some really, dirty jokes out there. But not here. Yet.

**Why eleven? Look for a past post, and if you don’t find one…?.

***Jokes, puns, and wordplay drove my Ai grammar police crazy. Good. Maybe they will get depressed, like the rest of us poor souls.