“Outdated” things that are now only cool to Baby Boomers

I think we can all agree that Baby Boomers have gone through some incredible changes in their lives. Today, they are also experiencing things that the Gen-Z is facing. However, they have their own trends, preferences, and differences from all of us. There is no surprise in the fact that every generation loves to complain to other generations, especially because today’s generation has no clue how life was “back in the days”.

From important events to wars, these baby boomers have experienced it all and have had quite an influence on the cultural views of the U.S. Do you all remember your grandparents talking about drive-in movies and vinyl records, and how they always ate fresh food? If yes, then you’ll find today’s list very interesting. Here’s a collection of some of the “back in the day” things that only baby boomers remember and find cool!

Their love for Reader’s Digest:

Have you ever gone to your grandparent’s house and seen those old Reader’s digest lying around everywhere? This iconic Reader’s digest made its debut back in 1922 and ever since then, this magazine has remained one of the biggest hits. Us millennials might find it weird and think “who even reads such Reader’s digest these days” and let me tell you that the older generation is still a huge fan of them. The company has filed for the case of bankruptcy many times over the years but they are still publishing, mainly because baby boomers can’t have enough of the new editions of Reader Digest.

They are a Big Fan of Malls:

Over the past few years, online shopping has made lives way easier for the younger generation. They can purchase everything they want with just one click, without even having to step out of bed. Millennials and the Gen z love the idea of shopping via the internet but the baby boomers are not a huge fan of that. They love going out to malls with their fellow elderlies and buying the things with their own hands. If you ask me, looking at the pace of growing popularity of online shopping, malls are going to become more and more uncool in the next few years.

You will find Potpourri in every decoration piece

I guarantee you that when you will go to a baby boomers’ house, you will definitely find one thing there and that is potpourri. In fact, there was a time when seeing potpourri in every decoration piece at a house was the most common sight. The younger generation does not put potpourri in their houses anymore, but you have to admit that these things do make the house smell really nice. Millennials nowadays just prefer using scented candles and refreshing sprays, but baby boomers love decorating their homes with dead flower petals.

You will find them wearing crocks everywhere

I think we can all agree that crocs are footwear people either love or hate. Despite the fact that some think that crocks are uncool and out-of-fashion, they are still one of the most popular footwear options in clothing today. The majority of people who still wear crocks are baby boomers and let me tell you that they absolutely love them! And, what’s not to love? They are colorful, super comfortable, and pretty affordable too. They may have gained the reputation of being ugly and outdated from Gen z but baby boomers don’t agree.

They absolutely love cruises

Look, I’m not saying that cruises are not cool because they definitely are. You can have tons of fun on a cruise, they are easy and comfortable, and you can meet a lot of new people there. However, these cruises are much more popular among the baby boomers than the younger generation, mainly because the latter loves to travel in airplanes. Cruises are fresh and give you a beautiful view of the sea but they are also super crowded and the activities seem scheduled. This does not sound very appealing to the fast generation of today.

Diamonds were the real magic

Do you ever watch old films and think “why is everyone here so obsessed with diamonds and expensive gems?”. Well, let me tell you that the idea of diamonds being one of the most “exclusive” jewelry gems was sold to the baby boomers in the smartest marketing stunts. Those brilliant marketing tactics filled their heads with the idea that having an over-to-top expensive piece of diamond was a must-have. They loved to show it off during events and gush about how they got them. Even though diamonds are still pretty expensive, the younger generation isn’t as obsessed with them as the baby boomers were.

They still use Yahoo!

You must be thinking, “Who even uses Yahoo! and Hotmail these days?” Well, you’d be surprised to know that many baby boomers still use them for many things, and that includes readings long articles and newsletters. It’s so cute how the elder generation still uses the internet and computer as if we are living in the 1990s, mainly because they refuse to learn and adapt to continuous changes with technology. But hey, Yahoo! should thank baby boomers because they keep their business going.

They are obsessed with processed foods

People nowadays have become quite conscious about eating fresh and healthy food because it’s vital for nourishing the body. However, for the baby boomers, processed foods from grocery stores are still their jam and I will tell you why. It’s because when they were growing up, food-producing companies were always looking for sustainable ways to make their products last longer in supermarkets. But it’s important to remember that the longer a product lasts in your cabinet, the more preservatives they are packed with.

They don’t use Emails for work only

The Millenials and gen z only use email these days for work and school purposes, but many of us have noticed that the baby boomers send emails just to say “Hi”. They use email to communicate with their friends to forward some “interesting” and completely “meaningless” text. As we know that the younger generation uses social media apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Snapchat for this purpose, but the baby boomers are not a huge fan of such platforms.

They still keep their paperwork

 Let’s be real, none of us loves to have a huge amount of paperwork lying around in our houses. Today, all medical bills, school fees, health insurances, etc. are done through online payments and online documents are preferred over original paperwork. Yet, we still have some baby boomers who don’t want to let go of their ways and tend to keep their paperwork in their houses, offices, cabinets or the attic somewhere.

Gender-Neutral things are new to them

Over the years, people have become extremely conscious of gender roles and the idea of people choosing their own identity has grown. Even though “Gender reveals” have gained much popularity in the past years, companies have introduced many Gender-neutral toys, clothes, and other items for these events. However, this concept is all very new to baby boomers and they find trouble getting rid of their ways. They don’t understand the concept of gender fluidity and gender-neutral items are definitely not their thing.

Which one of these only baby boomer things do you find the most interesting? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below!