What was a HUGE deal in your house growing up that is normal for you now?

[Bakingmamma]

Various things in my house.

A big one was baking. Although we
usually had the things in the house, wanting to bake was such a big deal and we could only do it on special occasions. Possibly did it once or twice a year.

I’m not talking about big extravagant bakes either! I’m talking about 12 bog standard cupcakes with some basic icing on!

It was only when I reached adulthood that I realized I could cook some basic cupcakes in 20 minutes and it wasn’t a big deal at all.

It takes longer to do a load of washing!

What was a huge deal in your house that you’ve now normalized for your own children? I can’t be the only one 🙈

Two weeks was fairly common, the fight in early 1870s was for everyone to have at least 3 weeks annual leave. So yes annual leave entitlement has changed a lot since then.

Takeaways or going to restaurants
Getting a gift of any sort (never received a single gift on birthday or Xmas)
New clothes
Makeup
Having an opinion
Spending money

80s/ 90s childhood.

No double glazing so frost on windows in the morning.

bath once a week sharing bath water with my sister so the hot water didn’t run out.

Had grapefruit at a friends house age 9, but my mum wouldn’t buy it at home because of the price. Ditto orange juice.

Fizzy drinks were just at Christmas.

Meals out were birthday treats.
Birthday parties were always at home, never a venue.

Food was all stodgy British food, (unseasoned) except Vesta paella from around age 13, which seemed very exotic, and oven pizza (cheese and tomato) from about 16.

Conker picking was something to look forward to.

Trick or treating wasn’t a thing.

Takeaway was fish and chips once a month on payday (though my mum used to send my dad to get sweet and sour from the Chinese at night when we were in bed, just for her)

A (normal sized, not sharing) pack of opal fruits or maltesers would be shared between 4 of us every couple of weeks on a Saturday night as a treat.

The feminist movement happened because stay at home mums were often depressed. Betty Friedan a housewife wrote about how she felt and was inundated with letters from women who felt the same.
The set up worked well for fathers and children, but not for most mothers.

I’m not entirely sure it has improved. I don’t feel like people are happier.

I agree, it feels like a bit of a treadmill and we have to go faster just to stand still. When I was a child an outing to a Little Chef was a proper treat and to be anticipated and savoured, whereas now we need increasingly extravagant things to get the same feeling.

PPs have mentioned Christmas food not being touched until at least Christmas eve but this is why our generation never needed Christmas eve boxes, being allowed the mince pies, chocolates, nuts etc was a hugely exciting moment! Whereas because we now eat like that throughout December (or all year round, often) we have to go further to find something to bring that same feeling on Christmas eve.

underwear anything other than white ribbed cotton. and underwear mustn't ever show through clothing.

Nearly 35yrs of washing my long, fine hair everyday hasn’t had a negative effect for me!

Going shopping with my mum and stopping for lunch in the posh department store in our town. Two Danish open sandwiches and a pot of china tea.

She has been gone 15 years and I still miss her so much. Would give anything to have two Danish opens and a pot of tea with her.

All the biscuits ARE for eating now.

U.K. 70’s 80’s we had pretty much the same as you. We had washing machine, tumble drier and dishwasher from when I was born, mid 70’s. We also had what my mum called a Daily woman who came every day to clean and babysit and a gardener. We always had 2 cars too

my mum went to the hairdressers every week, we always went to the fruit shop on Thursdays before her hair appointment and to the butcher.

baths were every night without exception, we always had central heating

my mum and dad went to eat or to the theatre or to dinner parties every Saturday night. I recall going to McDonald’s and wimpy as a child and also to garfunkels and Pizza Hut and to a local Chinese. It was defintely not weekly but probably 5 or 6 times a year. I think we were also allowed a drink and cake in the John Lewis cafe.

we went for lots of drives to the countryside, trips to pretty villages walks in the woods and for afternoon tea at family friends.

however there was no TV allowed before the evening news, we didn’t have a video until I was about 15. Phone calls were strictly limited and juice, yogurt and crisps were strictly rationed, not for financial reasons but because they weren’t necessary apparently, most things weren’t necessary including more than 1 glass of water with a meal.

@Authorisatingarchibald You obviously came from a pretty well off family.

So an automatic washing machine in 1972 in real terms cost £2700.

My father hated poultry of any kind and my mother wasn't bothered about it, so we never had any when growing up, not even at school as it wasn't available there in any form.
When I first met my in laws, my mum in law made a roast chicken dinner. When she asked me if I wanted leg or breast, I had no idea so I just mumbled that I didn't mind, whereas in reality I didn't even know if I'd like it or not.
I did ..a lot.
Poultry features a lot in my home since I married, though to be honest, my DH had to show me how to cook it.

Having visitors.
Socialising.
Doing things because they are fun.
Expressing joy at the news someone is engaged or pregnant or has got their dream job.
My father was socially awkward so people, who weren't family, coming to the house filled him with horror.It was excruciating so none of us ever felt able to invite anyone.
My mother was emotionally dead from the neck up. She never expressed horror at anything we did but she was incapable of joy either. Totally flat emotionally.
Such a strange childhood .On my wedding day she used the word 'pleasant' to describe how I looked. Someone asked her if she would cry on the day. She looked astonished.

We had to turn the TV and the lights off. Parents were sure the lightning would travel down the wires and blow up the tv.We sat in the dark with candles in jam jars.

When I started at teacher training college in 1984 the bathrooms in my hall of residence had baths, no showers. Everyone had one of these to take in with you to wash your hair.

If you were ill you had to stay upstairs in bed away from everyone else and you were only allowed dry toast on the second day. Nothing at all on the first day. Still feels naughty to lie on the sofa with day time tv on if I'm ill.Doesnt seem to slow down the recovery time.

Oooh I distinctly remember my mum saying that we were going to get continental quilts! Must have been around 1982! Never looked back

Drinking, my parents had 1 small sherry with Sunday lunch and occasionally shared a can of John Smiths bitter on a Saturday lunchtime. Other than that it was a glass of liebfraumilch at Christmas. I could drink their annual units in a heavy week.... its not progress

Yes to Stork too, but also, 'Echo' its even nastier predecessor. Came in an orange, wax paper wrapper.
All the wrappers kept carefully and folded then used for greasing tins before baking.

Cooking! My parents never cooked. We never sat down for a meal. We would just grab some toast, crisps, some microwaved ready meal. I am such a foodie as an adult and can't imagine living like this now!

Central heating

Daily baths and not sharing bath water with the whole family on Sunday night!

Purchased Ice in drinks

Tumble drier

Children getting lifts everywhere, we never dared ask for a lift anywhere. If you couldn't walk to it you couldn't go.

Ordering in a take away and having a choice.
In the 1970's We had a single take away a year and it was horrible.

Purchasing sandwiches. We had warm sweaty tuna and tomato sandwiches wherever we went.

Not spending Sunday evening polishing shoes. Quick wipe with a wet wipe now.

Going to the car wash, we hand washed the car.

New clothes regularly rather than hand me downs even though I was the eldest.

Eating out more than once a year.

Shopping as an activity not just for necessities.

Yes to PP saying about tiny measured portions of orange juice, and being told off if you didn't sip and savour it. My mother would be horrified at my four children finishing off a whole litre in one go.

Not reusing tin foil.

Booking holidays...so much easier now. My dad booking a holiday from two lines of text in a newspaper by letter and never knowing what we were getting until we arrived. Some very interesting holidays were purchased that would never ever pass health and safely these days.

Duvets and yoghurt (mum told me they were 'continental' trends)

Channel 4 (3 channels only prior to this)

As a child we never had takeaway at home...only occasional fish and chips on the sea front

I'd never eaten pizza, Chinese or Indian food

Travelling abroad

A shower. We were excited when we had a rubber attachment to the taps

Cleaning roster. Each child had tasks to do every single day

@CJat10 Yoghurt used to be seen as a health food and a bit cranky. I can remember when duvets first came in they were expensive and only sold in posh shops. Then you started to get cheap ones at the market and everyone got them.

Having the heating on
Doing things as a family
Asking each other about our days
New clothes