5 Things Grandma Did Every Day That Deserve A Comeback

I’ve done the math, and I think it’s safe to say my grandmothers, with their packed schedules and houses bursting at the seams, weren’t benefitting from longer days or shorter to-do lists. One had a family of 8, the other a family of 10 and, while they had different lifestyles with one primarily at home and the other holding down various jobs in order to help support her family, the one thing they both had in common was prioritizing the important stuff. From family togetherness to keeping up with friends and neighbors, they knew what was worth putting first and what could wait until tomorrow.

While their homes were tidy, they were lived in. Though they supported their children’s activities and endeavors, they didn’t take them on as their own. They were permanent fixtures in the community, but didn’t chair and host every fundraiser and supper club in town. It was all about balance, and they made it look easy.

In the spirit of reprioritizing and maybe finally learning that elusive talent of the polite decline, I’m embracing the things my grandmothers did every day that definitely deserve a comeback.  

She Made Dressing An Art Form

Let’s get this out in the open from the start: There’s nothing wrong with donning your cozy clothes. Not to mention, a matching athleisure set can be downright chic, if you ask me. But our foremothers took dressing to the next level. A pair of crisp cropped pants, perfectly pressed blouse, and sensible flats might be the outfit du jour for a morning of errands, while Sunday warranted all her best finery. It was the hair, the hose, the shoes—nothing but the best for showing off the family she was so proud of. For every occasion, there was a well-picked wardrobe to suit. And, if you asked her, she might just say it was less about appearances and more a sign of respect for the occasion and everyone she would meet along the way.

She Actually Sat Down For Breakfast (And Made Sure Everyone Else Did, Too)

These days, particularly during the week, breakfast has become somewhat of a sport. It takes balance (both literally and figuratively) and schedule mastery if you really want to make it happen in a way that goes beyond a smoothie on your way out the door. It’s hard to crack the code on how Grandma made breakfast such a calm and idyllic meal. Perhaps it’s been romanticized in my mind over the years with a table set with buttered toast, fresh-squeezed orange juice, eggs, and piping hot coffee in small cups that clock in about a quarter of the size of the giant mugs lining my cupboards. Regardless, giving this most important of meals its own due and starting the day off with family gathered around is an ideal that might just be worth working toward—with a level of realism thrown in for good measure.

She Had Her Beauty Appointments Set

Now there was one thing that our grandmothers took seriously, and that was their weekly appointments. Weekly or bi-weekly trips to the hair and nail salon were part of her routine and, by the look of her, worth every penny of the investment. While walking out the door of the “beauty parlor” with a freshly coiffed head of hair that somehow remarkably lasted until the next week’s appointment was something to be gazed upon with admiration, it also was the secret to her always-put-together look—call it a weekly habit with daily benefits. Almond-shaped, cherry red nails and hair styled with extra volume on the top was a signature that became as synonymous to my grandmother as her famous chocolate chip cookies. Just don’t tell anyone the secret recipe came straight from the back of the package.

She Found Time for a Visit

The culture of dropping in for a cup of coffee is something that seems to be fading away. My grandmother once told me she and my grandfather had weekly card games with neighbors after they put the children down to bed. Their parish priest was a fixture at the dinner table and was as close to family as one could get. Even watering the lawn became a social activity where one might catch up on all the news in the neighborhood (both the kind that’s fit to print and otherwise). These social calls that were anything but pre-scheduled carry such nostalgia, perhaps because they’re so hard to find these days. Thankfully, our life on a cul-de-sac carries just a bit of this neighborly magic so, for now, I’ll cling to that.

She Prioritized the Family Meal

While the day started with family gathered together, it ended the very same way. The family meal wasn’t a once-a-week special, but something that was just part of daily life. Maybe the trick wasn’t to overthink it. The meal didn’t have to be particularly elegant or display such culinary mastery, and the table didn’t have to be set for royalty. It was simple fare that usually fit the time-tested dinnertime equation of meat, veggie, and starch. That being said, it was (almost) always delicious and never failed to fill the house with the homiest of aromas. I think in our time, we’ve rediscovered the importance of gathering together each day. Even with work, school, and extracurricular demands, finding a way to share stories of the day with our families has once again become an integral part of our day-to-day, sometimes with an instantly transformative effect. Now, if only we could put these other matriarch-inspired activities back into rotation as well.