If You Were Born In The GROOVY Era Then You Will Remember…
By | November 1, 2018
Diverse First Grade Classroom ST. LOUIS-03/17/67- A junior United Nations is present in the classes of Frazier School, Brentwood, Mo. where seventeen countries are represented.
Throughout the years, people who are born between certain eras in time are grouped together into a singular demographic. If you are reading this article, chances are you are either a member of the baby boomer generation or Generation X, also known as Gen X. This era in time has also been referred to as a “Youthquake!”
Gen X’ers were typically born between the early to mid-60's to the early '80s.
If you fall into the demographic of Generation X, you were born during a period of many societal and cultural changes in the United States. Some were good and others, not so good. The fact remains, though, that if you are a member of Generation X, you must surely have a vivid memory of a groovy era past.
Check out some of these memorable and key Gen X concepts and events below.
- Many Gen X’ers were latchkey kids. Latchkey was the term used to describe kids who typically looked out for themselves a good bit due to their parents being divorced or mothers going back to work. The options for childcare was typically grandparents, neighbors or nothing at all. It wasn’t unusual to see a child wearing a key on a string or chain around their neck.
- Ray Charles was an iconic musician that we all idolized.
- AQUANET was a girl’s BEST friend!
Twiggy was an icon to Gen X’ers. Young girls practically starved themselves to be as skinny as she was.
- The Munster’s and The Addams Family TV shows were very popular!
- Remember fluffer-nutter sandwiches? I do! What could be any better than peanut butter and marshmallow?
- TV Dinners were known as the lifesaving meal for busy housewives! They weren’t especially good, but their convenience was considered a novelty, so the quality was overlooked.
- Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone had everyone wondering who was “NEXT!”
- You sat on the floor in front of the black and white TV set with the rabbit ears and watched Neil Armstrong land on the MOON! Apollo 11 was launched in July 1969.
- When you were a kid, you wanted to drink TANG because it was what the astronauts drank!
- Volkswagen Beetles were popular… the FIRST time!
- You begged your parents to let you go to the Woodstock Music Festival, but they wouldn’t allow it!
- TV dinners were a novelty! They were horrible, but the concept was so much fun!
- Batman was a kid’s biggest hero… after Dad!
Girls BEGGED their parents to buy them go-go boots!
- Families looked forward to watching The Wonderful World of Disney on Sundays at 7 pm.
- Older Gen X’ers will remember the advent of MTV. Heavy metal, punk and grunge music was front and center at the time.
- Young girls’ hearts throbbed over Little Joe on Bonanza and their mothers couldn’t get enough of James Bond!
- Young boys idolized the rough and ready cowboys in those iconic “Spaghetti Westerns.” Clint Eastwood was an all-time favorite!
- You trusted the Magic 8 Ball when it told you that you were going to be rich!
The list of groovy things that came out of that era is endless. These are just a few that stand out when I think back!
