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 🙈

@Arthurflecksfacepaint I am sorry that happened with the takeaway at your friend's. I think her parents were awful though, to embarrass a kid like that and make it a big deal. Pathetic people.

Coriander! There was one recipe that my dad made that used both fresh and dry coriander, and going to the Asian run grocery store to buy it was a big deal and it seemed so exotic. Now it’s less than £1 a pack in any supermarket.

Getting a shower installed instead of sharing the weekly bathwater or using the hand shower attachment.

Getting an automatic washing machine instead of twin tub.

Central heating when we moved into a new council house in late 70s instead of a daily coal fire to heat the hot water.

Continental quilt 🤣 instead of sheets and blankets.

We never went on holidays (visited relatives instead), never left Scotland, didn't have many days out (there were 5 of us and we didn't all fit in the car/trains were too expensive). Never had meals out, occasionally a chippie.

Spaghetti bolognaise was fancy foreign food 🤣 Mums version was mince was made with lots of carrots to bulk out and gravy as usual, then at the end a tube of tomato puree, some garlic, then paprika (?) was added.

Lots of pp are bringing back memories, especially the tiny amount of freshly squeezed orange juice mum would serve each of us.

Born in the 80s. Stepdad though all 'foreign' food was bad (he was a delight). So no pizza, curry, noodles etc. I tried to explain that pizza was practically cheese on toast and there was trouble because I was answering back and causing trouble.
My mum still loves curry because she can now eat it. We used to risk it occasionally if he was out for the evening but he'd be upset for days because he could smell it.
We were poor though so we had a very small TV, no videos. Only take away we ever had was fish and chips and then I'd share a portion with my mum.
New clothes that weren't from charity shops or hand me downs were usually school uniform. I got a job at 14.
I'm hoping my kids have a more open experience of the world but they will also have to deal with a more complicated world.

Thank you. And yes, awful people. I could never imagine relentlessly taking the piss out of a child over not knowing what Chinese takeaway food was.

You’ve got to be a real arsehole to laugh at a child.

This. The UK had financial issues for years after WW2.

I was born in 1980 but knew lots of people who had no central heating, it really wasn’t that rare

Going out to The Fountain in Clent for chicken and chips in a basket.
Absolutely beautiful but only once, possibly twice a year.

Central heating... only started to enjoy this in my late twenties.

Any baking.

A Chinese takeaway. That was a real treat and happened once a year.

Throws on the sofa ( not a thing in 80s and my DM still thinks they look messy.) Any vinegar beyond malt for fish and chips,. Skincare products. My DM even used soap and water to remove her mascara. I had a friend whose mum had been a model so became obsessed with make up and skincare in my teens.

Dinner conversation was mandatory - every meal took at least an hour - I now occasionally sit in front of the telly with a sandwich - sorry mum!

NeverDropYourMooncup
Heartbreaking
I hope you are in a good place now .

My mum had a tub Nivea that lasted years, that was her sole product

Lunch. I don’t think I ever had it at my mums house in my childhood.

always make sure we have milk, bread and butter. That’s another thing.

but generally, Sunday roasts we never had, time together we never had, I don’t think my mother ever watched tv with us.

as others have said, heating - and grim, we used to have to share bath water.

Central heating, helped dad put ours in in the late 70's, early 80's. Huge big deal. Would have been great if he had ever let us put it on.
Wagon Wheels or Penguins (ie any kind of junky snack) only started having them in after dad started working shifts and we had more sponds. Only one a day max though, or would (literally) get a belting.
Daytime telly: an absolute NO NO in our house growing up. Now I try and have it on in the background because it's a friendly noise and because its my house now, and my rules.
A colour telly: remember going to pay for it with the cash every Saturday morning to Radio Rentals on the high street.
Fizzy pop. Buy multipack of Coke now, but growing up, once a week, one, maybe two glass bottles of Corona from the newsagent. 5p deposit refundable on return of bottle.
Ice cream: again, once a week, if that, bought in a block from newsagent and wrapped in newspaper to insulate it for the walk home.
Ice cubes: just have a bag in the freezer now. Growing up a tray of 12 in the world's worst freezer shelf at the top of the fridge.

Itemized phone bills in the 80s was big thing for us! Dad constantly complained about the phone bill and we all had to contribute equally towards it even if we said we never used it!

We could eventually see who was making all the phone calls! 7 people at home and it was the youngest of all of us, around 70% of the calls - they were the only one still at school and didn't contribute! Dad bought a phone dial lock after that!

-cars with seatbelts in the back. when we got ours fitted for the first time in the early 90’s it seemed amazing and my neighbours came to have a look at them.
-kids not playing in the street - we were out there all day in the school holidays, would have water fights etc in the summer, set up ball games across the street that we’d have to dismantle when the occasional car came along.
-knowing where my kids are ALL THE TIME
-no house phone - I remember the second house phone going in that was in my mums bedroom and it was such a revelation sitting talking to grandparents on the phone from my parents room (after 6pm of course).
-not walking to the local village every Saturday to pay bills, most notably the monthly payment for our video tape machine that we rented.
-the males of my family not going to watch football every weekend. Even in the old first division, match tickets were affordable

I think US/Canadian standards of living were just much higher @Usrr, across the board. Britain was really in a post-war Austerity state until the mid-80s in many places. We still had a bombsite at the end of my road till about 1978.

Watching tv in the evenings on a weekday. We were meant to be closeted in our rooms doing homework.

Ah sorry x-post with @Pemba

Having a frozen cheesecake. It was a massive treat!

God yes from Iceland. For birthday

Having to go to educational or historic places whilst on holiday. Even at 7 or 8 years old visiting stately homes or posh gardens.
Going to Majorca and when we wanted to slob by the pool being dragged to a monastery as my parents got bored sat still.
On holiday my kids get taken to farms and parks and soft play! And abroad they can swim in the pool every day for a week without being dragged out if they want to!

Same here. I was, like a PP amazed that I could knock a cake up easily!

Fizzy drinks - having a can of coke was such a big deal!

This thread brings up so many memories. Sharing bathwater 3fold, no takeaways, sometimes having tea that came out on a trolley on a Sunday and eating it in front of the TV. Tinned peached and evaporations milk for desert. Never baked or knew about skincare. Think my Mum had Ponds cold cream or (as it was known then Oil of Ulay ) Orange juice was sometimes a small glass as a starter in a restaurant. I became quite obsessed with Rise and Shine ! remember getting a colour TV and a phone. I too wonder what our kids would say, if asked this in a few years time!