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Original poster

To ask what one extinct thing you would bring back from your childhood?

314 replies

PansyPotter84 · 05/06/2025 18:00

By “thing” - I don’t mean people. I’m sure there are people from our childhoods that we would all want to bring back more than any “thing” in the world.

The thing that I would bring back would be tinned Spaghetti Hoops with Hotdogs in Smokey-Bacon Sauce by Heinz.

Best thing ever in the 90s IMHO!

OP posts:
IfYouPutASausageInItItsNotAViennetta · 06/06/2025 11:37

National Milk Bars - there's only one left now.

Terry's All-Gold - the absolute daddy mack of boxes of chocolates, especially the barrel and the sack.

Commodore 64s and very basic but compelling games like Pac Man, Paperboy, Pong and others. Modern day video games are so over-complex and overwrought, you wonder if you actually need to be there yourself at all, or if you should just leave it to play itself.

HRTQueen · 06/06/2025 11:15

Banjo chocolate bars

Findus crispy cheese pancakes (not cheese and ham)

Puffs crisps the tomato flavour ones

FirstDayonthePlanet · 06/06/2025 11:12

Birds Eye hot banana crunch (they did lemon and chocolate too) made this myself a child so easy to make.

agree with everyone saying original recipe chocolate and full sugar fizzy drinks - vimto.

fixingmylife · 06/06/2025 11:11

The fact that there were no online "influencers".

FeedMeSantiago · 06/06/2025 11:04

Um Bongo
Panda Pops
Smarties with the properly tangy orange ones full of e numbers
Woolworths
Body Shop of the 90s
Boots Dewberry body spray

Pinkflowersinavase · 06/06/2025 11:03

twoleggedpirate · 06/06/2025 07:27

Hope!

My hope is in God. Thankful for that as otherwise I agree.

I miss spiras too

Flashahah · 06/06/2025 10:43

MadameCholetsDirtySecret · 06/06/2025 08:57

Chelsea Girl
I shopped there from the mid 80’s.

Bentalls in Kingston. The department store, not the mall 😞I always loved the Christmas department as a child.

We grew up close together!!

What about Woolworths in Sutton? Or Shinners in Sutton.

MungoAndMidgeNotMary · 06/06/2025 10:38

ladydiggins · 05/06/2025 19:53

I think Roses chocs have had the biggest downfall in recent years. Just disgusting, plus no more of those glam wrappings.

At least Quality Street are OKish - though the dull wrappings take the special gleam off a Christmas tub etc.That was all part of it

Yes, I agree about the roses. I am not averse to much UPF generally, but roses taste of pure synthetic gloop.

MungoAndMidgeNotMary · 06/06/2025 10:36

Delayed gratification . I feel sorry for my kids that they have never had to wait for some stuff. Like waiting for the Wizard of Oz on Christmas Day, the delicious buildup and the joyful sense of disbelief when it started.

MungoAndMidgeNotMary · 06/06/2025 10:32

AliTheMinx · 05/06/2025 18:04

Spira - the best!

I was going to write Spira too. I have even signed campaigns to bring it back, but no joy.

thebrollachan · 06/06/2025 10:31

The Southport Cyclone. Classic figure-of-eight wooden rollercoaster by the beach. 2/6 for one ride, 1/- to stay on. I just wanted to stay on until my money ran out, but the grownups wouldn't let me, because 'I might want to buy something else'. I didn't.

BogRollBOGOF · 06/06/2025 09:11

Sugar, not stealth-diet artificially sweetened everything (especially drinks)

Chocolate- pre-palm oil goop. Preferably wrapped in foil for the full unwrapping experience like a mini-gift.

Angel Delight, but that's back to point 1 about sugar/ sweetners.

Glossy magazines. Rough paper (presumably due to cost and environment) just isn't so pleasurable to read on. Plus the cost has gone up. They don't feel like a little indulgence anymore.

Myblueclematis · 06/06/2025 09:00

Jam doughnuts from a proper bakery.

Not the stodgy, tasteless, miserly filled doughnuts you get from every supermarket nowadays.

MadameCholetsDirtySecret · 06/06/2025 08:57

Chelsea Girl
I shopped there from the mid 80’s.

Bentalls in Kingston. The department store, not the mall 😞I always loved the Christmas department as a child.

CrackingOn50 · 06/06/2025 08:37

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 06/06/2025 08:08

Bags of crisps with a little blue ‘screw’ of paper with salt in. OK, back in the Dark Ages, and crisps were a rare treat anyway.

You can still get them!

JollyHostess101 · 06/06/2025 08:21

AliTheMinx · 05/06/2025 18:04

Spira - the best!

Yes I loved a spira bar!!

FlightCommanderPRJohnson · 06/06/2025 08:16

Consulate menthol.

The Body Shop as it used to be, with green labels on the products and about 100 different perfume oils, cheap as chips.

Phileas Fogg snacks.

Dangermoo · 06/06/2025 08:15

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 06/06/2025 08:08

Bags of crisps with a little blue ‘screw’ of paper with salt in. OK, back in the Dark Ages, and crisps were a rare treat anyway.

Oh I loved those crisps. You'd put the salt I and shake the bag about!

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 06/06/2025 08:08

Bags of crisps with a little blue ‘screw’ of paper with salt in. OK, back in the Dark Ages, and crisps were a rare treat anyway.

steepdreams · 06/06/2025 08:05

Time outs with 2 bars in them and properly coated in chocolate, not the wafer rubbish they are now

Irish Cadburys wrapped in purple paper & gold foil. You can still get the same chocolate, but it’s not the same opening a plastic wrapper

RunningJo · 06/06/2025 07:31

Definitely Spangles sweets

twoleggedpirate · 06/06/2025 07:27

Hope!

JennyForeigner · 06/06/2025 06:48

Optimism

NestEmptying · 06/06/2025 05:28

My town centre - it died a few years ago when the last of 5 big department stores closed and went to the nearest out of town shopping centre.
Full of vape shops, charity shops and empty units now 😔.