08 May The Cozy Comeback: Why Grandmacore is for Millennials, Gen Z—Everyone
By Barbara K. Stump, MA
What is grandmacore, and why is it trending? The way it has been described to me is that it is an aesthetic—a lean into feeling cozy, and reflective of a “traditional grandma” way of life. From what I’ve read, heard from others, and seen on social media, grandmacore is hitting hard, especially with millennials and Gen Z’s. Perhaps people are looking for a way to slow down life by picking up the hobbies associated with grandparents. Or maybe, they want to pursue these hobbies now, and not wait until they are retired. Life is short, right? Whatever the reason, people are documenting their hobbies by using the grandmacore hashtag on social media platforms. So there’s that, and there is also the creative outlet these nostalgic hobbies offer to unplug from digital overload. Sounds contradicting, but somehow it’s working, and offering a positive outlet to many people. An escape that is comforting because, in most cases, people genuinely have good memories of times spent with their grandparents.
When I think of my own grandparents, I am fortunate to have many good memories. My maternal grandparents lived in Western Canada. Despite the distance, my recollection of being with my grandparents still resonates with me today. My grandpa exposed me to fishing and enjoying the outdoors, and my grandma loved to bake cakes and pies. Maybe that’s why I find it relaxing to bake something and share it with my family and friends, like these mini-banana breads I made this week. I’ll share my recipe at the end of this article.
Having positive core memories, of times spent with grandparents, can definitely connect to uplifting emotions while engaging in grandmacore hobbies. Psychological scientist, Gabrielle Wiedemann, from Western Sydney University, shared her thoughts regarding the benefits with The Sydney Morning Herald, “It takes some degree of your attention which can divert thoughts about other things that may be worrying you, allowing you to detach a bit from the emotional aspects of that, but it’s not so all-encompassing that you can’t still be aware of what’s going on around you.”
Possibly you are already engaged in the grandmacore lifestyle, or maybe you have been searching for different ways to decompress. Here is a list of some grandmacore, and grandpacore, activites for you to try:
- Woodworking: making birdhouses, cutting boards, stools or chairs
- Gardening: growing flowers, vegetables, landscaping
- Knitting and Crocheting: pot holders, hats, scarves, blankets
- Sewing: clothing, and repairing clothing, making cozy quilts
- Baking and Canning: homemade treats, jams, and preserves
- Scrapbooking: using photographs to create a collage of memories
Embroidery and Needlework: embellishing clothing, decorating pillows, creating frameable artwork- like the example here, that my mom made for me when I was a teenager.
- Reading: enjoying books, magazines, newspapers, journals
- Board Games and Cards: playing classic games with friends and family
- Jigsaw Puzzles: solving and putting these together alone or with family and friends
- Tea Parties: these can be held any time of the year, with any age group
Birdwatching: looking for and observing birds in their natural habitat. Below are a few pictures that I took from my recent birding adventure.
Hopefully, one of these ideas will interest you. I’m sure there are several other ideas that could also be included on this list, like making candles, sachets, and soaps. Keep in mind, when you engage in grandma hobbies, you are literally working with your hands, but simultaneously you need to have a “thumbs off” mindset. This means you will not be able to swipe and scroll aimlessly on social media while doing these activities. Is that a bad thing? I don’t think so, and as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, the objective of grandmacore is to unplug digitally. There are additional benefits as well, such as: a sense of satisfaction for completing a project; creating something homemade; and observing something in the world around you with your own eyes.
What hobbies or things do you remember doing with your grandparents?
On a recent phone call with my niece, Jackie, we reminisced about the tea parties my mom used to throw for the grandkids. The grandchildren would sometimes dress up with hats and costumes, or if they were at the lake then their swimsuits were just fine. Before having tea, they would help grandma bake cupcakes, muffins, scones, or cookies to have during tea. Jackie remembered wearing aprons in grandma’s kitchen, helping to measure ingredients, setting the oven to the right temperature, and using an old timer to know when their baked goods would be done. Sometimes they would make savory finger sandwiches to go along with their tea, like cucumber sandwiches with crusts cut off. They could invite their stuffed animals and baby dolls to the tea, and before their guests arrived the grand kids would set the table together.
Such a sweet memory, and honestly you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy a good tea party! A chance to feel cozy, and catch up with friends over a cup of tea and homemade treats sounds great to me. I can see why grandmacore is trending. There is an emotional connection, and there is something for everyone! Whether it’s planting a garden, making a birdhouse, or knitting a comfy blanket, I hope this spring you will give the grandmacore trend a try. Life can sometimes feel like it’s all about work, but there is more to life than going to work. By intentionally slowing down to create a meaningful lifestyle will enable you to enjoy the comforts of your own home now, not just when you retire. The dividends of doing so will be worth it!
What’s your favorite grandmacore activity and why? If you have one, maybe try documenting it using the grandmacore hashtag on your social media platforms. Who knows, you might encourage someone else to spring into the grandma core vibe. On that note, here is the banana bread recipe I mentioned I would share at the end of this article. It’s a tried and true grandmacore cozy feel, especially with a nice cup of tea. Give it a try, and enjoy! #grandmacore
