Y2K Survivors Recount How Their News Years Eve 1999 Plans Went Down

For those of you who are too young to remember, New Years' Eve, 1999 was a giant source of anxiety to the American people.
People lived in fear of the Y2K bug, which was supposed to cause incredible problems in all computer software and cause nuclear missiles around the country to malfunction and fire.
Curious to see how the general public reacted, Reddit user nikkefinland asked:
Redditors who can remember 1999, how did you spend the New Year's Eve?
Here are some of the answers.
Whoopie 2K
I met a guy I had been chatting with on AOL. Got drunk had sex, did the walk if shame. 14 years later we are still together. hrtbrknmama
Gloria In Reclusive Deo
We spent it eating pork and saurkraut at the house of my parents' Amish friends. The theory was, if all technology suddenly gave out, we'd be in the right place. virnovus
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Failure To Launch
A friend and I thought we were so f*****g slick. We were standing by an ATM at the stroke of midnight. We thought that the Y2K virus was going to cause the ATMs to just start spitting money out. Right before midnight, a police officer, seeing us in our all-black garb, asked what we were doing. When we told him, he started laughing his ass off and told us he'd split the money three ways with us if it started shooting out. No money was made that night, but it left a lifelong memory which is okay...I guess. kcman011
Scary Spice
I was 12. My friends and I dressed as the Spice Girls and played Backstreet Boys' album "Millenium" on my boom box all night long.
I would totally spend this New Year's Eve the same way if my friends were into it. HodorYelledHodor
Mommy, Can I Go Home Now?
I went to a huge party with my family because I was only 8 at the time. All night all the adults were getting tanked, not just a little bit... They were full blown wasted, falling over etc.
I kept getting sparks in my eyes from party poppers because every adult in the hall was wasted and kept popping them in my face and then laughing before doing it again. Being 8 years old and wanting to go home I did it back and one woman got all the confetti in her eye and spent the rest of the night nursing a sore face. I had to go sit on these horrible plastic chairs for the remainder of the evening as a punishment. Ahh the good times. sauceoclock
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Stayin' Inside
I would have been 12 on the millenium. My mother genuinely believed in all that 'y2k' stuff and had stockpiled water etc. We weren't allowed to go into the town (about 15 miles away) to watch the fireworks or have a party because she was worried we wouldn't be able to get home. We had New Years the same way we always had it when I was kid. Everyone had to stay up til midnight and after the bells we went to bed. [deleted]
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Unimpressed
At like noon my Aunt had already called people and gave the update from Australia. 12:30 a.m. the first me and my friend paused the game we were playing and checked our watch and were like, "oh, yeah Y2K", looked out the window and didn't see any flames or such and went back to playing video games. NewRedditAccount11
An Actual Bug
I was 13 or so. We were all at a family friend's house, not worried at all. It had been pretty well debunked that anything bad would happen.
There was a plush bug-like toy that we were all playing with that would make a crash sound upon impact; it was marketed as The Y2K Bug (probably sold at Target at the checkout line or something). We tossed that all over the living room for hours.
Found It Also, On eBay. Kirjath
Trick The Adults
Parents had a huge blowout party with all their friends. I was 12 at the time. I decided it would be funny to turn off all the lights when it turned midnight to freak everyone out a little bit. So at midnight, I went into the garage and flipped the main breaker for the whole house. Heard a couple of screams, but everyone was so drunk that they didn't even notice as I turned the lights back on about 5 seconds later. I was a little s**t as a kid. sonOFsack889
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Typical Tomfoolery
Told my parents I was staying at a friend's house, told his parents I was staying at home, went to another friend's house for a party. Ended up getting really drunk, took a tree branch to the head while riding in the back of a truck, fell down a flight of stairs, used a dog as a pillow, and got punched by a friend for trying to fluff his dog.
It was a good night. tattedspyder
From From The Home I Love
In my parent's home village in Mexico, at the time each house had a lightbulb in the kitchen if they're lucky and the running water for the town was from a local well running on a gas powered pump. My dad would tell me "We won't know if civilization collapses here." 4chanian_immigrant
Vive La Millenium
I was in Las Vegas with my girlfriend and a group of friends. Dressed in a suit and her in a dress, we hit the strip and walked from various casinos until our group found a spot we liked. Las Vegas was prime for a Y2k breakdown being that they relied on a tremendous amount of power and automation for a relatively small city. You could feel there was a slight tingle of uncertainty in the air that night and people were meandering around with a bit of a high anticipating what we all thought would be a total breakdown of society.
Las Vegas had blocked off the strip and set up a fireworks show (I believe they did this for two reasons - 1: Y2k celebration and 2: In the case of a breakdown, you wouldn't have people running out of hotels/casinos into streets packed with cars). So, right before midnight, as i'm in the middle of an amazing roll on the craps table, my girlfriend and group of friends drag me outside the casino onto the strip to watch the possible Y2k implosion/fireworks show.
Everything goes off without a hitch, I kiss my girlfriend at the strike of midnight and we return back to the casino. However, now that Y2ker's are streaming back into the casino, the table minimums have been bumped up. I was on a $10 craps table and they are now $25 minimums...so, with the foolishness brought on by the joy of the world not imploding, I rallied and laid down some serious (for me at the time) coin on my regular numbers and let the dice roll. It was serendipitous! I couldn't lose and sat at that table as long as my girlfriend and friends let me (which was only 15 minutes or so) and had an amazing roll...It was a great way to kick off the millenium! highway570
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Misbehavin'
I was a senior in high school. My buddies parents went out of town, so we had a party at his house. Busted into the liquor cabinet making horrible mixed drinks like gin, rum, and kool-aid. Danced to Prince's Party Like It's 1999 over and over. Got to third base with my girlfriend, and then had to take her home at 12:30 because of her curfew. Went back to the party and played Atmosfear...this board game that had a VHS "dungeon master" that told you to do things and interrupted play as you tried to win. Then more booze concoctions and passing out in the buddies parents bed. Ah memories... nickyrat
Wait, Which End Of The World Is This?
I was 13, at church and terrified that The Rapture was due to arrive at midnight. We all had knotted stomachs at the prospect of a tormented damnation for all eternity, and as the hour came, there was a brief, audible silence before a collective sigh of relief as the hour passed.
My kids, should I ever choose to have any, will never know that kind of torture. [deleted]
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Playing It Safe
I worked on a Y2K team for an international company. The whole team spent New Year's Eve at work. We had a huge spread of food and beverages. A couple of TVs were setup to watch every time zone ring in the new year starting with the first one. And we got to talk to people all over the world in the company at each of our locations to verify everything went ok. Even though I was at work, it was a nice and interesting time. Greyyguy
Bein' A Big Kid
At home with my parents drinking sparkling grape juice and pretending I was drunk. I was 7. Oh, and we watched the typical New Years stuff on tv.
Millenium & M's
I was with my family (my parents and younger brother) at a cabin outside Pidgeon Forge Tennessee.
I ate millennium m&m's (which were all white if I remember correctly) and watched my dad set off fireworks that we weren't allowed to be shooting off. It was cold and dark and lovely. I ate collard greens, black-eyed peas and cornbread with butter for luck, and a sip of champagne because it was a special occasion.
On the first day of the new millennium we drove by Dollywood and decided not to go because it was packed. We got barbecue instead and I read a book and took a nap.
Pretty uneventful, but I'll remember it till I die, unless I get Alzheimer's. Kijafa
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Relationship Bugs
New Year's Eve 1999? I broke off with my first boyfriend (he'd been seeing another guy behind my back) then went to a big party some of our punker friends invited us to. Which turned out to not actually be their party, but a party hosted by someone none of us actually knew. They'd discovered it via the friend of a roommate of the host or something and decided to mount an invasion. Good times. Drank until I was in a good mood, slithered home, slept on the couch, then spent the next decade telling anyone who'd listen that my first relationship ended because it wasn't Y2K compliant. runpmc
This Sounds Familiar...
I was working at a pizza shop and was sent out to deliver a pizza to a guy in Times Square. On my way there I discovered my girlfriend Michelle was cheating on me, and later she dumped me. Eventually I discovered that the pizza delivery was just a result of a prank phone call, so I stayed at the cryogenics lab I delivered it to and ate it myself. When New Year's arrived at midnight, I toasted to another lousy millennium, and fell backwards into an open cryogenic tube and was frozen for 1000 years. lihorne
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Woodsy Dads
I was 13 years old, living in the UP (of Michigan). I was with my father at a huge party out at someone's camp- now, if you know anything about the UP, sometimes camp is nicer than the house that people live in officially. This was one of those, in my opinion. The only "downside" is that there was no electricity already- but the guy that owned the place had a huge generator to light the place up. The most memorable thing about that night is that my dad let me drink a few beers! Also, there was a bonfire that was about 20 feet in diameter, with flames that were at least 30 feet high at its apex. I am NOT s******g you. My father would never admit to being superstitious, but he found me wandering around talking to people just before midnight and and grabbed my hand as the countdown began. He was white-knuckled by the time it hit midnight. I honestly think he thought the world was going to end. He was an interesting fellow- he passed away last November, telling stories about him still tears me up a bit. Thanks for listening, anonymous friends! rewayna
Wary Walking
I went out drinking and partying with friends. Ended up at a private rooftop party and got yelled at by the cops for "accidentally" throwing our empties into the street. As I recall I wasn't too worried about Y2K, but I had a bag of rice and a gun in the trunk just in case. I expected a few power outages and random wonkines with minor systems, but I guess enough people were on the ball fixing stuff that nothing bad happened. I myself had fixed some Y2K code a few months earlier, so for once I was part of the solution. lshiva
Other Reasons To Worry
What I remember most about that new years was actually the next morning, the first. I was in college and we drove to another university a few hours south (Southern Illinois at Carbondale). When we went to sleep there was snow on the ground, and when we woke up, it was almost 80 degrees outside, on January first, 2000, in Illinois. It was really creepy and strange, everyone was outside I shorts and t-shirts playing basketball and hanging out. That's when I knew something was drastically wrong with our climate. ive_lost_my_keys
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Nothing Went As Planned
I was going to our local teen friendly, no alcohol party. I borrowed my mom's truck. Driving past the gas station, the sign read $1.09 per gallon. I arrived at the party. I got some cash from one of those tornado cash grab machines, where you step in and money flies around. The clock struck 12, and the lights were still on. I met up with one of my friends, returned to the gas station to top off the tank with my winnings. Driving home, I couldn't help but think, "I guess it's not the end of the world like they said it'd be." planification
We get it, we're all super busy, and sometimes it's really hard to get all the chores done around work and living our lives.
But there are appliances we can have in our home, like a dishwasher, that can make those chores much more convenient.
However, they could really ruin our day, too, if we use them incorrectly.
Redditor Loud-Situation2643 asked:
"What should never go into the dishwasher?"
Can This Go Without Saying?
"The toilet brush! I read a story here about somebody that does that regularly."
- BOFHOOC
"That’s disturbing. I had a landlord tell me to put my cat’s litter box in the dishwasher weekly to keep the cat smell down. I did not take her up on that advice."
- annissamazing
"Your toilet brush. My friend found out the hard way her housemate was doing this WHILE DOING THE DISHES."
- raz0rflea
Apparently... Dinner?
"Fish. I worked apartment maintenance and a lovely old couple ruined, like, three dishwashers in a row by using them to steam fish. Very gross, considering the pre-wash cycle uses the gray water from the last cycle."
"Smelled pretty bad, too."
- poppykayak
"Lasagna."
- SiloueOfUlrin
High-Quality Knives
"I'll admit, we run some knives through, but only the crummy ones. The good ones, NEVER, and ideally those are hand-washed right away after use and not left to sit with anything on them."
- InannasPocket
Cast Iron Accessories
"I found a La Creuset Dutch Oven on clearance sale at crate and barrel of all places. I immediately bought it. Still, a lot of money to spend, but it was the best purchase I ever made for my kitchen."
"I fully understand why people pass these down from generation to generation. It’s in amazing condition for the number of times I’ve used it. And it’s dishwasher safe!"
"I still hand wash mine, because it’s like a child to me, and I don’t trust my partner to handle it! I always said I’d be a chef if I didn’t love what I do right now. So the fancy kitchen stuff I have always gets hand washed."
"P.S. their website says it’s dishwasher safe, but they recommend a hand wash for longevity and because the enamel can eventually wear down in a dishwasher."
- TheGhostofGiggy
Also, Wooden Kitchen Accessories
"Wooden Cutting boards."
- theSealclubberr
"This is one of my luxuries in life. Using a machine to wash your wooden spoons will shorten their life by a lot. Hand washed and well cared for a wooden spoon will last decades."
"A set of bamboo wooden spoons is like $12, so I buy a new set every year or two. $12 to not hand wash every night? Yes please."
- mwbbrown
Liquid Dish Soap. Enough Said.
"My daughter did this once, WOW, what a soapy disaster."
- CRCs_Reality
Also, Laundry Detergent
"When I first moved into my own apartment, my mom gave me a sandwich bag full of about a dozen detergent pods as a 'These will help you start off on your own' gesture."
"The first night of living in my own apartment, I fired up the dishwasher. 20 minutes later while playing video games, I noticed this wave of suds moving toward me from the kitchen. When I say a wave, I mean it. I have never seen so many d**n bubbles."
"That’s how I learned my wonderful mom gave me both dishwasher detergent pods AND laundry detergent pods in the same sandwich bag. I had a 50/50 odds and boy did I lose, lmao (laughing my a** off)."
"Needless to say, this happening on my first night living on my own had me questioning what I was doing, and if I would be better off living in my mom’s basement for the rest of eternity."
- mitten_man69
We Need a Storytime for This One
"The part of the blender that says, 'Do Not Immerse.'"
- PomeloLongjumping537
Protect the Detailed Glassware at All Costs
"All my PRETENTIOUS fancy brewery glasses. Those designs are staying where they are."
- JonathanWattsAuthor
"I put a printed shot glass into the dishwasher that was part of a set. It came out clean all right, picture completely dissolved."
- Luneowl
That Would Be Terrible
"Your secret cash stash."
- ThinkingOz
Ew ew ew.
"Mashed potato residue. Oh my god, it gets on EVERYTHING. Especially if the chunks are too large to fit through the filter. It just sits in the water and coats everything."
- ioncloud9
For the 'Friends' Fans Out There
"Paper, snow… A ghost!"
- TheAceBoogie
Divorce.
"I found out recently, you aren't supposed to put your girlfriend's collectible Starbucks cups in there."
"They melt."
- scumbag801
Reddit's Got Jokes
"A baby."
- DrunkWestTexan
"As a new father, I wish you'd told me earlier."
- ancalime9
And Feathered Jokes
"A duck."
- beetus_gerulaitis
"Who are you that you are so wise in the ways of science?"
- MacTechG4
While dishwashers were invented to make our lives a little bit easier when it's time to wash the dishes, there are some items that, when placed in there, could really ruin someone's day.
TV enthusiasts could argue that shows on television are a more compelling and superior form for media entertainment.
A story arc can be played out to its fullest potential without shortchanging the audience with a two-and-a-half hour duration of a film.
While movies are in their own category, TV shows–including short miniseries–can engage an audience over a span of seasons as long as there is more stories to tell.
Some TV shows break away from the formula and can feature anthology–or standalone–episodes that are impressive in their own right.
Whether it's a featured independent storyline or a memorable moment within a show's season, Redditor stevenpost asked:
"What's the greatest episode of a tv show ever made?"
These comedic shows offered up plenty of memorable laughs.
From "The Simpsons"
"Marge v. the Monorail"
– bloom_picayune
That Dark Mockumentary
"What we do in the shadows - 'On the Run' (the Jackie Daytona episode)"
– Bakedalaska1
Such A Snakehole
"The snake juice episode of Parks and Rec."
– GuinessForDinner
Touching Cameo
"The scrubs episode with Brendan Frasier. I didn't know a 22 min show could make me cry."
– metarinka
This classic TV show still resonates with newer viewers.
It's Hard To Choose
"The twilight zone episode monsters are due on maple street"
"The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosions and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, prejudices... to be found only in the minds of men. For the record, prejudices can kill... and suspicion can destroy... and a thoughtless, frightened search for a scapegoat has a fallout all of its own—for the children and the children yet unborn. And the pity of it is that these things cannot be confined to the Twilight Zone."
"Will the real Martian please stand up is also a classic"
"Incident on a small island, to be believed or disbelieved. However, if a sour-faced dandy named Ross or a big, good-natured counterman who handles a spatula as if he'd been born with one in his mouth, – if either of these two entities walk onto your premises, you'd better hold their hands – all three of them – or check the color of their eyes – all three of them. The gentlemen in question might try to pull you in – to The Twilight Zone."
– theMothman1966
Here are some hauntingly compelling examples.
Based On The Tragic Event
"Chernobyl- Vichnaya Pamyat"
– hambone10
'... they mistakenly sent the one good man. For God's sakes Boris, you were the one who mattered the most.'
"Not the best line of that episode, but definitely in the top."
Shoutout To Firefighters
"It’s difficult for me to pick a 'best episode' from Chernobyl because in my mind it’s possibly the best television ever made from start to finish. Pacing is fast and there’s literally not a wasted shot in the entire series."
"Open Wide, O Earth is my honorable mention episode just for the inclusion of the firefighters. Full-blown body horror that hits even harder because it’s based on stuff that actually happened. The show has lots of excellent horror sequences but the firefighters arc definitely stands out as the most memorable to me."
– Hefty_Tendy
Picard's Wakeup Call
"The Inner Light - Star Trek TNG"
– Doit2it42
The Gripping Tracking Shot
"'Who goes there' of True Detective is a serious adrenaline ride. Great episode from a fantastic show."
– Smoque_
The Face Off
"Better Call Saul - Chicanery."
– earhere
One of the best episodes I've seen recently was from the penultimate episode of This Is Us.
After taking a break from watching the show after being overwhelmed with being behind, I was encouraged to keep watching it. I'm glad I did.
Not only did this particular episode profoundly give the beautiful show a worthy send-off, but it also helped me process a lot of emotions as I continue to struggle to deal with a family member living with a cruel mental illness.
Everyone has insecurities.
Be it speaking in public, wearing beach attire, or even one's profession, very few people don't have at least one topic of conversation that is bound to make them red in the face.
Some people are pretty adept at hiding their discomfort and can manage to persevere through their phobias with their dignity intact.
Others are not so lucky and often go to great lengths to hide their insecurities, only to make them even more apparent.
"What screams 'I’m insecure'?"
The Wisest People Are Those Always Willing To Learn
"When people are unable to admit that they don’t know something."- slimytoads
Other People's Success Are Not Your Failures
"Mocking someone else's achievement."- SuvenPan
Never Pick Yourself Up By Taking Others Down
"Belittling others."- Term-Haunting
"Always talking badly about others and trying to make them look weak/bad."- Pildith
Maybe Honesty Isn't Always The Best Policy...
"When you're quick to be 'brutally honest' with others, but have a meltdown when someone does it back to you."-eF240uKX52hp
Not As Funny As They Think...
"People who tear other people down as a joke but then get mad when they get it handed back to them."
"Clearly they either aren’t joking or are too sensitive to be dishing out sh*t."- babythrottlepop
Being On Top Adds More Possibilities Of Falling Down...
"Trying to one-up people in every conversation."- Flanky_Bwai
"One upping people in conversation."
"If I tell you I had a great trip to X place, I don’t need to hear about your better trip to someplace else that’s ostensibly 'better'."- I_Am_The_Grapevine
Some Things Speak For Themselves...
"Constantly saying what kind of person you are."
"If you were, you wouldn’t have to tell us."- ubereddit
A Little Contrition Goes A Long Way...
"Never apologizing."
"Making excuses and even twisting the facts but never apologize."- SuvenPan
But Enough About Me, What Do You Think Of Me?
"Constant projection and self-serving compliments."- nhabz
What Are They Even Trying To Prove?
"Revving your vehicle loudly every time you pass another person."- msnmck
Superior By Association
“'You will address me by my husband’s rank!'”- Psychological-Stay16
PDA Much?
"Elaborate Instagram and Facebook posts declaring love for one’s significant other over and over and over."- jbmaun
Always Needing Validation
"People who can’t think or feel anything without being told that it’s okay to do so."- Diesel07012012
It's sad that so many people think the only way to overcome something which makes them embarrassed or afraid is by embarrassing or demeaning others.
When being open and honest about your insecurities might, instead, result in your finding common ground with others.
And making new, lifelong friends in the process.
People Confess Which Things From Their Childhood They Thought Were Normal Until They Were An Adult
Every family has customs or traditions which are unique to them.
Be it all gathering together to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol every Christmas eve or an annual fried chicken picnic with dark and stormies every fourth of July. They are well aware not everyone does this, which makes it all the more special.
However, depending on the way it was introduced to them, some children are raised to think certain customs or habits done by their family are, indeed, normal.
Only to grow up and realize that theirs might have been the only family in the world which partook in them.
In some cases, this discovery is met with laughs and maybe the tiniest bit of embarrassment.
Other times, it's no laughing matter.
"What's something about your childhood that you thought was normal at the time but realiszd as an adult that it wasn't?"
Seemed Like A Good Idea, Until You Read Why...
"Having a cooler in the car."
"My parents always packed one, there were cokes and waters in it."
"The weird part was there was also always beer in it."
"Didn't matter if we were going 12 hours or 1 hour, they packed a cooler."
"Didn't realize how much my mom was drinking until years later when she become a non-functioning alcoholic."- IslandsOnTheCoast·
Dad Of The Year!
"When i was a kid I thought that all the Korean candy stores were free."
"Like you could go in, take what you wanted and leave."
"I would make friends with other Korean kids, take them to my favorite candy stores and tell them to help themselves. which they did."
"So apparently, whenever we'd visit my family in Korea, my dad would talk to all the candy shop owners in the neighborhood and tell them to put anything me or my friends took, on a tab."
"Maybe it was because i barely even spoke korean, but that whole situation just seemed perfectly f*ckin normal to my oblivious little self."- yaybunz
Boundaries Exist For A Reason
"In hind sight I realize that what I thought was 'freedom' was actually neglect."
"Kids aren't supposed to be left to themselves in such a degree that they end up raising themselves."
"From personal experience doing so leads to a lot of misunderstandings on how things are supposed to be."- Hattkake·
A Little Sensitivity Does Go A Long Way
"Being really sensitive to people's emotions because you never know if they could be in a bad mood."
"Turns out I learned that from my dad to make sure I don't make it worse."- UpstairsDifficult966
Think Carefully If You Have What It Takes To Be A Parent...
"Parents aren't supposed to make fun of their kids, complain about what they have to do for their children, and break down when they don't feel validated by their own child."- Doobledorf
"My mom never cooked, and there would be a lot of nights where I went without food because she didn't buy any."
"I thought it was normal for a mom to sleep the majority of the day."
"In reality she was always f*cked up on painkillers."
"Then, with my grandmother, she was controlling over whatever clothes, shoes, and how my hair looked."
"I always had to look like a good Christian boy."- Additional-Soup3853
Wait, what?
"I was in college before I learned that you don't have to get your mother a gift for your birthday because 'she's the one that did all the work that day'."- lylertila
Kind Of Sad To Think Self-Sufficiency Is So Rare...
"Being able to fix things myself."
"My dad is an engineer and throughout my childhood we'd come up with random creative projects to build stuff, he'd show me how to fix things and what safety precautions to look out for."
"Now if something happens at my flat I know how to fix it (or I call my dad and he'll guide me)."
"My boyfriend and friends have no idea how I know this stuff or how to do these things themselves, I always thank my Dad!"
"It's great because I get to save a lot of money, and I've saved money for my friends too!"
"Also, it means a lot to me because at the time and the town I was in girls weren't encouraged to do engineering, but my dad didn't care."
'I was little girl and thought it was essential for me to know how to do these things myself."
'I think he also hoped I'd one day become an engineer!"- imhere2913
Sadly, Not As Common As You Thiink...
"My parents were happily married and our home was happy and loving."- IllChampionship5
"Actually liking your parents/siblings/family."
"Almost everyone I know can't stand the people they grew up with, which I find strange."- ThatDukeGuy
Making A Custom Even More Meaningful
"Every Christmas my parents would buy me and my siblings one Christmas ornament to decorate the tree, which typically highlighted a special event or something important or a topic we were highly interested in that year."
"The tree started off rather bare at first, but after five kids and twenty-five years, that thing was filled from top to bottom, and shows a history of our lives."
"I thought it was how everyone decorated family home Christmas trees for awhile, but apparently it’s pretty unique to us."- RummelNation
Leading To A Massive Vocabulary No Doubt...
"Having a room full of dictionaries."
"I was baffled when I met kids in secondary school (as an adult doing a teacher training course at the time) who didn't even understand the basics of how to use one in their own language, let alone a two-language one."
"My dad was a translator so growing up it was just a normal thing, and I would sometimes just take one and look up random words in different languages for fun."- MrLuxarina
Unbelievable That This Isn't Normal
"Being taught to care about everybody, regardless of race, religion, or politics."
"We were lower middle-class farmers and we played with everyone."
"Everybody was welcome in my parents home."
"We had a ginormous garden and my parents gave our neighbors food out of it."
"My parents taught if you give out love, it’s returned 10 fold."
"Needless to say that bit us in the butt some times."
"But my parents died living and believing that."- SCGranny64
Not Exactly Normal, But Far too Commonplace
"When it would rain we would put pots and pans down to catch the drips."
'I would be sent to go have a slumber party with cousins whenever the electricity would get cut off due to nonpayment."
"I thought it was commonplace for people to go thru stuff like that."- RacksDiciprine
Ultimately, everyone's childhood is unique.
Many are grateful to learn just how unusual or special their childhood is.
For others, the discovery proves to be far too little too late.
Do you have something to add? Let us know in the comments.