40 Things Only Baby Boomers Will Remember
Boomers have seen massive changes over the course of a lifetime.
There's no doubt about it: Baby boomers have seen some incredible changes over the course of a lifetime. Made up of those born between 1946 and 1964, this generation was named after the "boom" in birth rates after World War II, when soldiers coming home from the war settled down and raised families. For a long time, the baby boomers also held the title of America's largest generation, with a peak of nearly 79 million boomers in the U.S. in 1999 — that is, until their own children (a.k.a the millennial generation!) surpassed them in numbers in the summer of 2019.
Still, the baby boomers — while no longer the biggest generation in the U.S. — have had a remarkable influence over culture today. From important events in the '60s and '70s to unbelievable innovations in communication, technology and media, this generation has truly seen it all — and has influenced so many aspects of American culture as we know it. Because even while some boomer touchstones have gone the way of the buggy whip (remember phone booths, anyone?), others, like drive-in movies and vinyl records, are currently making a huge comeback. Here are 40 bits of history, media milestones and other artifacts of cultural ephemera that you'll only remember if you're a boomer.
Tuning into 'I Love Lucy.'
On air from 1951 to 1957, Lucille Ball won hearts as Lucy Ricardo, a middle-class housewife prone to hilarious antics and charmingly sticky situations. The sitcom carried on from 1957 to 1960 with 13 one-hour specials, dubbed The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show (and later The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, in reruns).
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Licking S&H Green Stamps.
Deciding what to do with a book of S&H Green Stamps was a major decision. A new set of dishes? A toy guitar? The S&H catalog was a treasure trove of options.
Driving into the movies.
Drive-in movies are a nostalgic symbol across all generations these days, but only boomers truly remember the experience in its golden age. (Anyone remember watching The Pink Panther or the original Parent Trap from their car?)
Taking part in Beatlemania.
If you remember the 1960s frenzy known as "Beatlemania" as a first-hand participant, you're definitely a boomer. The Beatles catapulted into global superstardom around 1963, and their then-unprecedented fan base is still an icon of the era.
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Following the Loving v. Virginia court case.
Kids growing up today might never realize that there were laws banning interracial marriage, but that was the case until Mildred and Richard Loving took their case all the way to the Supreme Court in 1967. Today, Loving Day is celebrated on June 12 as a way to commemorate the end of anti-miscegenation laws.
Watching 'Wide World of Sports.'
ABC's Wide World of Sports was some of the most sensational TV of its time. In this episode, aired on February 5, 1976, Evel Knievel pulled off one of his famous jumps.
Witnessing the 'Miracle on Ice.'
Sure, the 2004 Disney movie Miracle gave younger generations a recap, but there was nothing like seeing the "Miracle on Ice" happen in real time as an adult. On February 22, 1980, the U.S. hockey team did the unthinkable by beating the then-untouchable Soviet Union team in the semifinals at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid.
Watching the wild west world of 'Bonanza.'
As you may recall, Bonanza was a sensation because it was one of the first television programs you could watch in color. You just needed to befriend someone with a color TV first.
Getting your mail twice a day.
Very early boomers may recall seeing the postman more often than they do today. According to USPS, mail carriers delivered twice a day to residential homes up until 1950.
Marveling at electronic calculators.
Oh, how far technology has come. Back in the day, electronic calculators were the hot tool that promised to make "long division" a thing of the past — though the original tool was a bit clunkier than today's sleek handheld calculators.
Playing with a Howdy Doody doll — and watching his show.
Debuting on NBC's Puppet Playhouse TV show in 1947, the Howdy Doody puppet soon after earned his own show, becoming a household name throughout the '50s and beyond. The character's popularity resulted in plenty of merchandise, including a namesake doll that you probably played with at some point or another.
Dialing a rotary phone.
It used to take a lot longer to dial someone's phone number, especially if it had a lot of nines or zeroes in it. We'd bet that most people born after the baby boomer generation have only vague ideas about how to dial a rotary phone.
Smoking on airplanes.
Air travel has changed in so many ways, but baby boomers remember when it was common to see people smoking on airplanes. It wasn't until the 1990s that smoking on airplanes was banned completely.
Looking something up in an encyclopedia.
Before the internet and smartphones put the answer to almost every question right at our fingertips, people had to find the information they wanted in an encyclopedia. The set was probably sold to the family by a door-to-door salesman — another relic of the past!
Clipping baseball cards to your bike spokes.
It made the most satisfying noise when you rode down the street really fast.
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Eating Swanson TV dinners.
Technically, these types of meals are still around today, but only certain people will remember when these were invented. The first Swanson-brand TV dinners consisted of a Thanksgiving meal of turkey, cornbread dressing, frozen peas and sweet potatoes.
Waiting for the milkman to deliver to your house.
About 30% of milk was still delivered to homes in the 1960s. Prior to that, it was by far the most popular way for consumers to get their milk. Even today, a very small number of households still have it delivered to the home.
Seeing the TV channels sign off at the end of the night.
It's almost unimaginable in the era of 24-hour TV, but TV channels used to sign off at the end of this night with graphics like this. Many also played the National Anthem to close out the evening.
Shopping at the five-and-dime store.
Before we had Target, Amazon and Walmart, we had five-and-dime stores where you could buy almost everything you needed. The first one was created by Woolworths in 1879. Today, the prices have changed, but there are still a few you can shop at.
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Watching 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show.'
Mary Tyler Moore made television history by being one of the first women on TV to wear pants. It was reportedly so scandalous that the producers limited her to one pants-wearing scene per episode. It's safe to say things have definitely changed since then!
Jamie Ballard (she/her) is a freelance writer and editor who covers news, lifestyle, and entertainment topics, including sex and relationships, TV, movies, books, health, pets, food and drinks, pop culture, shopping, and personal finance. She regularly contributes to Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, and YouGov, among other publications. When she’s not working, you can find her running, traveling, or scrolling TikTok. Follow her on Twitter.
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