Having awesome grandparents can be pretty darn cool!
So we recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to share the wholesome habits they picked up from their grandparents. Here are some of their responses!
1. "My grandma kept notes on each family gathering. What food she made and how much, what other people brought, who came, and what was left over. She kept them on index cards and could look up and plan using the card that fit the upcoming event. She had it down to a science. I now do that. I do not have it refined, but someday I will."
2. "I learned to take time to sit down and eat my meals, especially breakfast. My grandmother's motto was: "You cannot fill a gas tank with the engine still running." Essentially, don't stand somewhere and shove whatever food in your mouth — sit down and enjoy it."
3. "Not sure if it counts, but my mom recently saw me putting lipstick on, and she freaked out because I applied it the way my grandmother (her mother) used to. I had no idea I did it that way; I must've picked it up subconsciously watching her when I was little. I mostly take after my dad's side (in looks and personality), so it means a lot knowing I have something passed on to me from my maternal side — even if it's a tiny thing!"
4. "My grandfather kept any receipt or service invoice dealing with his car. It was in the glove box. That has helped me out so many times. Turns out Autozone put the wrong-sized battery in my car, and I didn't know until I got my vehicle inspected for sale. However, the new owners were able to take that receipt and get the correct battery."
5. "I do a crossword every day."
6. "My daughter learned how to play contract bridge from my parents, and together we four would play — she is incredibly sharp and adept at counting cards! Between her and my mom, they ruled the table. Dad and I did our best to keep up."
7. "When eating, if another person doesn’t have anything to eat, give them half of yours."
8. "My grandparents canned fruits, vegetables, and tomato sauce from fruits and vegetables they grew. Although it would be much more convenient and cheaper for me to simply go to the stores to buy these things, I grow and can the fruits and vegetables from my own garden that I don’t pick and eat fresh. The process reminds me lovingly of them, and best of all, I KNOW there are no pesticides or contaminants on the foods I serve my family!"
—Anonymous, 75, California
9. "I always shake the milk carton. My grandparents had friends with cows and only drank raw milk (like they'd done as kids), and not shaking it up left a very real possibility of swigging down a chunk of naturally formed butter."
—Anonymous, Montana
10. "Some of our family members choose to follow Lorraine's lead and clean up as they cook. There is always a lot of downtime while cooking, and cleaning as you go makes for a much more relaxing after-dinner time."
11. "My grandma would always tell my brothers and me to walk into school with our right foot on the first day, and I now can't enter any building with my left foot. It just feels wrong."
12. "I got into sewing because of my grandpa. He was a quilter, and although I was more interested in clothing, I still learned about quilting and have worked on many quilts. When he passed, I inherited all of his fabric (six massive containers full), which I continue to use."
13. "Long story short, I'm a reader. I'm addicted to books and read 6-10 of them a week. It started with my grandmother, who not only read to me, but also discussed books, characters, plots, etc. with me even when I was small. One of the first books she gave me was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which I've read every couple of years or so. She also gave me her copy of Little Women, published in 1902, which was the first book she ever bought."
14. "My grandma always told me, 'They can never fault you for being gracious,' and I keep that in mind any time I’m facing conflict. I hear her voice in my head and try to conduct myself in a way that, when the story is retold, I don’t come out looking like the asshole — even if that means 'losing' the conflict sometimes. It’s done a great job of teaching me to pick my battles and regulate my emotions. Let me be clear, though — her message wasn’t about letting people walk all over me or backing down at the first sign of tension. It was about staying aware of my behavior and approaching conflict with logic, empathy, and humility."
15. "I became a decent-sized Yankees fan because of my grandfather. My mom always said my grandfather never cared about sports when she was growing up. Once he retired, he became obsessed with the Yankees. I used to watch games with him on a regular basis, and he would tell me the rules and which players were his favorite. I make sure to watch as many games a year as I can remember. I always think of him when I watch."
16. "My grandmother, Gray, taught me to use a wet paper towel to wipe up the dirt I swept with a broom. The paper towel gets it all!"
17. "They taught me how to garden and make soups, noodles, and pierogi from scratch."
—Anonymous, 78, Massachusetts
18. "My grandpa used a letter knife to open his mail. We visited on his birthday once, and I watched him slice a birthday card envelope and slice the birthday card inside in half. He told me to ALWAYS put birthday cards in, but to fold them down just in case. I think of him every single time I put a card in an envelope, and I think he'd be pleased to know that."
19. "Getting up early. It really is true that the early bird gets the worm. I love getting up early and going to get groceries because there are no crowds. It's also nice to feel like you have your whole day ahead of you. Being awake before the sun with my cup of coffee is soooo serene. I understand why Grandma loved waking up early."
20. "I learned that if you treat something well, it lasts for much, much longer, thus you get your money's worth out of it. They used their possessions mildly and took care of them. So do I. I have a 27-year-old Nissan, used the same coffee maker for years, and save a lot of money along the way, not having to replace things."
21. "Every time I came to visit, which was a lot, my grandpa would put on an old blues or Motown record, and we would just sit in silence and listen to the vinyl the entire way through. He taught me how to slow down, be mindful, and truly enjoy a work of art and pleasant company. When I had my daughter, I started doing the same thing with her every Sunday. With the advent of streaming, I feel like the artist’s intention gets lost sometimes when you don’t just sit and listen to the work as intended. And mindfulness is an essential skill."
Are there any wholesome habits you picked up from your grandparents? Let us know in the comments!
Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.