In the thick of the holiday season, you're bound to be making some trips to visit your grandparents. Before you even make your way over the river and through the woods, check out this list of surefire things you will find in just about every grandparent's house.
From odd little figurines to plastic covered couches and hard candies, this list will have you feeling all the nostalgia...
Embarrassing Family Photos
Just when you finally got over that Middle School awkward stage, you're aggressively reminded about it when you enter grandmom's house and come face to face with an 8" x 10" of your acne-covered brace face. Yeah, she loved you no matter what, but those were some rough times you wish you didn't have to relive again and again.
Tomato Pincushion
This must be the thing women are given on the day they pass their Grandmother's acceptance exam because literally every single one had this strange little pincushion. There's actually an interesting story behind it, though. According to folklore, placing a tomato on the mantel of a new house guaranteed prosperity and repelled evil spirits. If tomatoes were out of season, families improvised by using a round ball of red fabric filled with sand or sawdust. The good-luck symbol also served a practical purpose—a place to store pins.
Fuzzy Toilet Seat Covers
This is one trend we're still trying to figure out. What was the obsession with turning a toilet into a soft seating option? This odd trend still makes appearances in many grandparents houses to this day, but has anyone thought to ask them why they purchased this yet?
Ceramic Christmas Tree
If you celebrated Christmas, your grandparents had one of these. They also probably gifted one of these to your parents, and it's most likely in a box gathering dust now. There's just something so traditional about these ceramic trees, that it brings a bit of nostalgia and warm fuzzies to the surface when you see one.
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Just one look at these wafer cookies and you're transported back to your youth. You could always snack on these delicious wafers, even though you probably couldn't remember the name of them if you tried, but Grandmom always had a stash of these somewhere.
Cookie Tins
The wafer cookies were one thing, but this cookie tin was deceivingly ALWAYS filled with sewing supplies. Legend has it these one held cookies, but no one in the history of the world has evet actually seen one of these said "Danish Butter Cookies."
Precious Moments Figurines
Speaking of strange collections, these Precious Moments figurines were always a standard find at Grandmom's house. These little ceramic kids were featured in all different life scenarios, each one equally as pointless as the next.
Chairs with Skirts
Slipcovers are a pretty common sight in many homes, but what sets a regular slipcover apart from the ones you'd find at your grandparent's house is the addition of the little skirt attached at the bottom. It's an interesting choice, perhaps one dating back to the Victorian era, but regardless of its origin, it's a look that is a standard find in the homes of many a grandparent.
Thimble Collection
For some reason grandparents always have some sort of odd collection. Whether it's old coins, spoons, stamps, figurines, or thimbles, your grandparents probably collect it. Despite the fact that nobody actually needs more than one thimble, if that, leave it to grandmom to have one of these quirky display cases in her dining room.
Handmade Patchwork Quilts
There's nothing that screams "GRANDPARENT" quite like homemade furnishings. Before getting a new blanket was as easy as one tap on the Amazon app, women actually spent weeks, even months, meticulously cutting and sewing handmade quilts, and now they're treasured family heirlooms.
Wicker Furniture
If your grandparents have a deck or sunroom and it isn't furnished with wicker chairs and loungers, then are they really even your grandparents? Currently having flashbacks of picking off the white cracking paint from the chairs as a child. Sorry, grandmom!
Lace Curtains
We all know why grandmom and grandpop had lace curtains... so they could spy on their neighbors, obviously. At first, they were a bit of a status symbol due to the price of fine lace, but once machine-made synthetics were introduced, lace curtains donned just about every window. Creep around your grandparents house, 99% sure you'll find at least one still lurking.
Fine China Collection
If you grew up playing at your grandparent's house, you knew to be careful when running past the China cabinet. Everything always matched perfectly, and you never actually used a single thing from this collection for meals... ever. Regardless, your grandmom was obsessed with protecting its virtue.
Antique Clock
There's nothing quite like getting trolled by your grandparents when you couldn't decipher what time it was because their old clock featured roman numerals. And if you aren't sure if your Grandpop had one of these antique clocks, then he probably didn't, because there was avoiding that loud chiming every. single. hour.
Garden Gnomes
Originally, these funny little outdoor figurines were a staple of wealth, but by the late 20th century, every grandmother had them placed about their garden. Whether it was "keeping watch" of the prize pumpkins or relaxing by the pond, you're sure to have spotted a handful of these figurines in your grandma's garden.
Framed Cross-Stitch Designs
Cross-stitching is one old-school trend that has recently been revived. Now, though, the designs are more modern. In your grandparents house, however, quotes about religion or families, floral designs, and food designs were most popular and you bet your grandmom framed those beauties and put them front and center on display.
Vintage Table Games
Whether it was a vintage game table or just a really great collection of old board games, a visit to grandmom and granddad's house was always filled with fun times around the monopoly board. Whether you actually finished the game didn't matter, there was just something about a game night that was always fun. With delights such as ludo, backgammon and monopoly on offer, there was no greater pleasure than an afternoon spent vainly trying to beat granny at scrabble.
Doily Decor
Traditionally, a crocheted doily was a symbol of wealth, but once paper doilies hit the market, even impoverished families were able to participate. Originally doilies were designed to protect wooden furniture from scratches and spills, but the doily proved extremely versatile and was then used for an array of functions. Likely to be found beneath a tray of cakes or a vase of flowers, these lacy mats were a staple feature of any grandparents' home.
Potpourri
For some reason, grandmothers were obsessed with their homes smelling like dried and scented fruits and flowers. Mistaking this for a snack was an unfortunate mistake some children made, but at the end of the day, this trend has fallen by the wayside for the most part.
Colorful Cups
Why these colorful cups were so popular back in the day still remains a mystery. The cupboard had at least three or four of these plastic cups, and the edges had already gotten all worn and jagged, frequently from grandchildren biting on them and being... well... children.
Fishing Game
If this doesn't bring back some childhood memories, we're not sure what will. Did anyone ever actually buy this fishing game, or did it just materialize in your grandma's house? The fish always broke, but when it worked, it was a pretty fun time.
China Hutch
Known as a hutch or China cabinet, just about every grandparent had one of these in their formal dining rooms. No one has ever seen them actually opened up, or the dishes inside used. I once asked my grandma about it and she said, "I don't know...it looks nice." I can still hear the sound of the handles and glass inside rattling as you walked by it.
Recycled Cool Whip Containers
Not sure how the "keeping Cool Whip containers to be re-used as storage" trend began, but we're not mad about it. Grandma always had a few of these in the fridge with pasta salad or some lasagna leftovers. Let's bring back this Cool Whip trend, though, because that stuff is delicious.
Random VHS Collection
You gotta give it to Grandma and Grandpa, they knew you'd want to watch a movie when you visited so they did their best to drum up some kind of a haphazard collection of VHS tapes. Not only were there random movies, but also random TV shows recorded on blank tapes that you would have to fast forward through to figure out what the heck was on it. It was slim pickings, but they tried.
TV Trays
If your grandparents didn't own TV trays, then you really missed out. There was something so special about eating at the TV tray watching some Judge Judy with Grandma. Mom and dad never allowed anything besides eating at the table, which in retrospect was probably the most healthy choice.
Strawberry Candies
Why did grandparents always like such terrible candy? There was always a glass dish filled with these, mostly untouched, in their house. Hard candy was just their thing, which makes sense, especially if they wore dentures and had to avoid chewy candies.
Plastic Couch Covers
Look, protecting the furniture from spills and snags makes sense on paper, but at what point does comfort and enjoying the couch you spent money on take precedence over protecting it for life? These sticky and loud couch covers were the absolute worst.
Loud Wallpaper
Grandparents wallpapered EVERYTHING. We're not sure who told them that this was a thing they should do, but now as old houses go up for sale, getting rid of the wild outdated wallpaper is always a huge task. While some wallpaper can really fancy up a space, when an enitre house is covered in it... it belongs to a grandparent.
Butterscotch Candies
Add these to the strawberry hardcandy collection, because undoubtedly, Grandma had these butterscotch on hand, too. To this day these candies give me flashbacks of kisses or pinches on the cheek and some really strong outlandish floral perfume.
Newspapers
Nowadays, everyone gets their news from their phones and the Internet, but when you stop by Grandpop's house there's something nostalgic about seeing a physical newspaper sitting on the kitchen table. Leave it to Grandpop to not want to change his ways.
TV Guide
Along with newspapers, you could always count on your grandparents to have a copy of TV Guide on the side table. Yeah, we all know that theres a built in guide on the actual TV, but once again, a Tiger can't change its stripes, and Granddad just liked to look up his favorite programs in a physical magazine.
Pastel Furniture
Strange pastel mod furniture was a staple not only at your grandparent's house but also just about every doctor and dentist office. Not sure of the obsession with light pinks and blues outside of a gender reveal party--this was not a good look.
Address Books & The Yellow Pages
If you needed to know someone's address, Grandmom was the first person on the list of people to ask. She always kept a handwritten address book and also had the Yellow Pages on hand. The Yellow Pages, however, weren't used to find local phone numbers, instead you were plopped up on it as a makeshift booster seat when you went over for dinner as a kid.
Landline Phone
Leave it to Grandma and Grandpa to hold strong on the ol' landline phone. Just about no one else in the world owns one still, but Gram refuses to let go. Even if she doesn't use the phone anymore, her number is still active, and you probably know it by heart.
Lawn Ornaments
Oddly enough, these little lawn ornaments were sort of a comforting sight when you pulled up to Grandmom's house. Sure, they were pretty creepy, and sometimes quite gaudy, but nothing says Grandma like a plastic flamingo or "cute smiling frog" sitting amongst her tulips.
Painted Plates
Because they definitely didn't have enough extra China and dishes as it was, Grandmas also took to hanging plated on their walls as decor, too. From "World's Best Grandma" to those corny positive quotes with the cutesy little children, you're Grandma definitely had a decorated plate somewhere in her home.
Ring Dish by the Kitchen Sink
Grandma is always in the kitchen, and with that comes the dirty task of washing dishes. Before going elbow deep in the suds, she would always take off her rings. Enter: the ring dish. This handy little dish kept her valuables safe when she was busy entertaining and cleaning up.
Monochromatic Bathrooms
This is a surefire staple found in every grandparent's home. Everything in the bathroom matched. Everything. From the fixtures to the tiles, to the weird furry toilet seat cover and the towels and curtains, they went with one color and stuck to it. This outdated decorating style was dead giveaway for Gram and Grandad's house.
Playing Cards & Shuffler
If you're Grandparents were card players, you can bet that they had an automatic multideck shuffler, too. From gin rummy to pinnacle, for some reason, your grandparents were always ace's at whatever game you played.
Coupon Clipping
If there was a sale anywhere, Grandmom knew about it. She would clip those coupons and read every store catalogue to get the best deals. Some Grandmothers would even shop at multiple grocery markets just to hit all the deals. If you needed to know which store had the best price for ground beef, your Grandmom knew and was happy to share...anything to save a buck.
Green Carpeting
Green carpeting was a big deal back in the 1970s. This decade in general took a turn towards earthy vibes with tones like "avocado green," "harvest gold," "deep brown," and "rust." Pair this with wood paneling and you've got yourself a Grandparent's home.
Wood Paneling
Wood wall paneling rapidly became popular in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. It was inexpensive and simple to install, and therefore, caught on like wildfire. In recent years this style is somewhat reappearing in the form of shiplap, a more modern and updated take on the paneling. If your grandmother still has wood paneling make sure you let her know she's a trendsetter.
Recliner with Wood Lever
While tomato pincushions and garden decor were surefire signs of being a Grandmother, this old school recliner was a Grandfather staple. Nice and worn in, you'd find Grandpop sitting here watching the nightly news or checking in on his favorite teams.
70s Light Fixture
This light fixture was a staple in your grandparents house. While you probably use to think they were hideous (and maybe you still do) there's just a something about the nostalgia it brings that makes you suddenly see it in a new light...
Photo Albums
While nowadays we hardly ever develop or print our photos, Grandmom and Grandpop had countless albums of old photos in their storage closets. The photos were mostly black and white prints or faded polaroids, and they were falling out haphazardly from the tattered books, but they were filled with the best memories.
The Evening News
No matter when you visited your grandparents, the local news was always on the old television. Your granddad also probably referred to the anchors by their first names and responded to everything on the nightly report as if he was having a conversation with the news reporters.
Recipe Clippings From the Newspaper
When newspapers were delivered every day, they had a little something for everyone. Inside you could find daily recipes which Grandmom always clipped out and saved. Whether she actually tried to make them or not was another story, but she certainly had them all stored in a folder just in case.
The Password Paper
This one should come as no surprise to the list. Grandparents were less concerned with online security and moreso focused on actually remembering their passwords themselves. Instead of storing them somewhere more secure, they just wrote them out on a sticky note or legal pad that they kept right next to their computer.
Crying Corner Dolls
Not sure who started this creepy trend, but it's got to go. These strange little "kids-in-the-corner-crying" dolls were an odd fixture in Grandma's house. We associate Grandparents with the warm and fuzzies, not crying in the corner. Strange choice, Grandma.
Ceramic Mini Christmas Tree
If you celebrated Christmas, your grandparents had one of these. They also probably gifted one of these to your parents, and it's most likely in a box gathering dust right about now. There's just something so traditional about these ceramic trees, that it brings a bit of nostalgia and warm fuzzies to the surface when you see one. So dust it off and show it off proudly, the holidays are all about tradition.
Themed Kitchens
Themed kitchens were apparently all the rage when you became a grandmom. Whether it was apples, chickens, cows, pigs, or some other random farm object, there was an entire product line of kitchen appliances and decor to go along with it and Grandmom spared no expense letting people know that she was a super apple fanatic.
Faux or Dried Flower Arrangements
Grandmom had a floral arrangement for literally every season and every surface. They weren't terrible looking, but they were often dusty and didn't even smell good, so she paired them with a bowl of potpourri which was also quite strange.
Vinyl Tablecloths
Along with her floral arrangements, Grandmom also always had a seasonal vinyl tablecloth for every occasion. These things were loud and crunchy and always a bit tacky, but they were easy to wipe spills off of, and therefore, Grandmom loved them.
Werther's Original
Forget the strawberry candies, Wether's Originals were the bees knees. Those delicious caramel hard candies were a Grandparent staple and we're here for it. The crinkly little gold wrappers bring joy to people of every age.
Old School Fitness Bike
Even our grandparents couldn't avoid trendy fitness equipment, except instead of the Peloton, they had the Ergocycle fitness bike. While it probably hasn't been touched in decades, they refuse to get rid of it because at the time, it was a pretty significant purchase, and like us, they like to think that one day they'll get back to working out...
Brown Casserole Dish
This one is pretty specific, but for some unknown reason, every Grandmom had one of these brown casserole dishes. Perhaps it was just super trendy or maybe it was just the first of its kind, regardless, it was a Grandmom's house staple and she always had something delicious baking in it.
Vintage Barstools
If your grandparents had a bar in their house, they definitely had some variation of these barstools. A simple leather top without a backrest was the move of their generation, and now those things sell for some pretty insane prices at vintage or resale stores.
Banker's Desk Lamp
The origin of the Bankers lamp dates back to 1909 and was originally called the Emeralite, a combination of emerald and light. The name only evolved into bankers' lamps because of its prevalence in the banking industry. For some reason, though, it was also a very popular desk lamp in every grandparent's home, but it even sits on the President's desk in the oval office.
Reader's Digest Subscription
A Reader's Digest subscription was commonplace for a grandparent. They typically had tons of old issues lying around, in the bathroom, on their living room side tables, and on their nightstands. Not sure why this was such a trendy mag back in the day, but it sure did make our grandparents happy.
Grammy Squares
One of Grandmom's favorite pastimes was knitting or crocheting and boy did she LOVE it. She would knit you everything from blankets to sweaters, socks to hats. They were itchy and usually didn't fit quite right, but they were made with love and you could NEVER get rid of them.