Reddit Users Recall 12 Everyday Items Once Treated as Luxuries
Updated
Updated · BuzzFeed · Jun 7
Reddit Users Recall 12 Everyday Items Once Treated as Luxuries
2 articles · Updated · BuzzFeed · Jun 7
Summary
A Reddit thread in r/AskOldPeople compiled 12 items older users said once signaled luxury, from restaurant meals and hotel stays to color TVs and wall-to-wall carpeting.
Air conditioning, long-distance phone calls and flights stood out because access existed but costs kept use limited, with some families installing A/C yet rarely turning it on.
Food memories underscored the shift: orange juice came in tiny servings, mixed nuts appeared mainly at Christmas, and fresh oranges were prized gifts during World War II.
The responses framed hand-me-down clothes, one-car households and even monthly McDonald’s trips as markers of tighter budgets, showing how common conveniences became ordinary over time.