So we thought we would raid our photo archives to remind you just how much South Tyneside loves having a laugh – and we hope it won’t be too long before we will all do so again.
9. Arms raised
South Shields football fans celebrate while watching the club's 2017 FA Vase victory at Wembley on television. | JPIMedia Photo: Kevin Brady
10. Roll-ing back the years
Happy Reyrolle Juniors players after winning South Tyneside's International Youth Soccer Tournament in 1979. | JPIMedia Photo: Shields Gazette
11. If you are Happy and you know it
Children at the Happy Shack breakfast and after school club, in East Boldon, celebrate a good report from education inspectors in 2011. | JPIMedia Photo: iain brown
12. Right results
Smiles all round for Gary Tate, Nathan Thompson, Alex Burrell, Michael Johnson and Jay Peterson after getting their GCSE results at St Wilfrid's College, in South Shields, in 2015. | JPIMedia Photo: Jane Coltman