Smells like nostalgia
Last night I grabbed a clean washcloth from the linen closet. As I ran it under water, I got a whiff of one of my favorite smells from childhood: grape-flavored Big League Chew. As I sniffed it again, the scent was gone, just like that, which was too bad because I loved the smell of Big League Chew. I always got the grape flavor too, which I’m sure my parents appreciated during long car trips. That first sniff after opening a new pouch – ahh. I know there was some kind of flap about targeting kids with a tobacco-like product, but shredded gum? Totally awesome.
Some of my other favorite childhood scents:
Crayons. There was nothing like opening a fresh box of waxy crayons. And it had to be the big (at that time) 64-crayon box – the one with the sharpener. Although my brother and I never used it. Once the crayons got dull and we’d start asking for a new box, my parents would say, “Use the sharpener!” But the crayons weren’t the same after that. You’d have to tear off part of the label, the sharpener never gave the crayons that honed point, your artwork suffered, etc. No good.
Scratch & sniff stickers. As kids, my brother and I were into collecting stickers – big time. All sorts of stickers: regular ones, shiny ones, puffy ones with googly eyes, anything we could get our hands on. But the best ones were the scratch & sniff ones. My brother once had a root beer one that smelled just like a freshly poured mug of A&W, and I had a banana one that smelled SO GOOD.
Scented markers. Remember those scented markers that were popular in the early 80s? Our school had a ton of them, and every day one of us would hold one under our nose, inhale deeply, sigh with contentment and invite an unsuspecting victim to “Smell this one – it smells like black licorice!” before surprising them with a Hitler moustache. And then the teacher would sigh and roll her eyes because now she’d have to tell another set of parents that their child is a gullible idiot.
Play-Doh. Mmmmm. That fresh, salty smell. Love it. And don’t even try to tell me you never licked Play-Doh. You did, Play-Doh licker. You did.
Strawberry Shortcake. I…uh…had what one might call an…obsession with Strawberry Shortcake in 5th grade. I had this…ensemble that consisted of a pink Strawberry Shortcake shirt, pink pants, and God help me, a pink belt with strawberries on it. I probably would’ve worn that outfit into high school if the pants hadn’t split on the playground when I was attempting to jump up six stairs at once. That was a sad day. Anyway, I also had some of the Strawberry Shortcake figures: Strawberry Shortcake, Blueberry Muffin, and my favorite, the one that smelled the best: Lemon Meringue.
What smells take you back to your childhood?
Oh, grape does it for me too. Grape gum and grape soda.
Comment by Jess — February 10, 2010 @ 10:03 am
My grandma used to get me these small (glass) bottles of Jergens lotion that smelled like a cross between marshmallows and coconut. I catch a whif of it every once in awhile and it totally takes me back.
Comment by LoriD — February 10, 2010 @ 10:47 am
Oh, I love it!
I remember a skunk scratch and sniff sticker. I, um, LOVED IT. (I still do like that smell… I know.)
Oh, the crayons. That is a great smell. How about the combo of Elmer’s glue and construction paper? AWESOME.
Comment by Artemisia — February 10, 2010 @ 12:33 pm
i too had a LOVE for strawberry shortcake, i had strawberry shortcake leg warmers and loved/lived for the smell of her hair!!
Comment by jen — February 10, 2010 @ 12:54 pm
Pretty sure you and I would have been Strawberry Shortcake twins. There might be photographic evidence of my Ms. Shortcake obession. My oldest sister happened to be taking photography at the time so I had to do portrait sessions with her dressed in my all my pink strawberry glory.
My smells would be:
Diesel Bus Exhaust – Will always and forever remind me of Blizzard Ski School. Spent every Saturday of every winter from age 6 to 18 going to the various ski spots around MN and Western WI.
Suntan Lotion & Sunkist Pop – Summers on the boat on Lake Minnetonka. Always.
Chanel #5 Perfume – My mom’s perfume of choice and will always remind me of her dressing up to go out for the night.
Old Spice – My dads default scent. I’m always a kid when I smell that one.
Comment by Emily — February 10, 2010 @ 2:19 pm
Scratch N Sniff stickers were the best! I’d forgotten about smelly markers.
I still find play doh smell to be intoxicating. I have yet to taste it but it has its appeal. If you ever come over, I will open a fresh can for you to lick to your heart’s content.
The new Strawberry Shortcake doesn’t smell as good as it did back in the day. I have no idea if it’s my mature nose or they managed to mess it up.
Ah, these are good memories.
Comment by Shelly — February 10, 2010 @ 7:05 pm
You are *so lucky*. My parents would *never* buy us replacement crayons until every stub — stored in a plastic baggie — was used up. I *pined* for a sharpener, for that fresh, new, neat, organized 64-box.
I am ruined forever.
(And for me it’s fresh-cut wood. I spent hours helping my Dad in his workshop as a kid).
Comment by Ellie — February 11, 2010 @ 8:40 am
Oh, I LOVED LOVED LOVED the baby-powder-y smell that SOME but not ALL Cabbage Patch Kids had. Mine did not have that smell, but my bff’s did, and oh, how I wished mine did too. Fast forward to years later, and my daughter got a CPK for Christmas… and hers had the smell! I still sneak around sniffing her from time to time.
Also, Luv’s Baby Soft. And that Exclamation perfume- was that by Debbie Gibson?
Comment by Marie Green — February 11, 2010 @ 1:31 pm
Oh, what Marie said! Oh, the CP dolls… And the Luv’s Baby Soft! Actually, I use Softsoap’s Pure Cashmere body wash specifically because it smells kinda like Baby Soft and the scent-triggered memory makes me feel happy in the mornings. (Er, or afternoons or evenings- whenever I get around to showering!)
The smell of ice cream and root beer always makes me think of my dad’s root beer floats, always made with A and W’s root beer ONLY.
And the smell of cinnamon potpourri makes me think of the stuff my mom always used to burn in her little potpourri pot when I was little.
Comment by Sarah — February 11, 2010 @ 2:15 pm
The smell of freshly baked cookies, or bread, or cake, or pie reminds me of walking into the kitchen at home after getting off of the school bus and walking down our kind of long driveway after school. Mom had usually just taken something out of the oven. Yummmmmm!
Comment by Becky — February 11, 2010 @ 5:57 pm
Watermelon bubble gum. It was my favorite when I was a kid. And I was totally into Strawberry Shortcake, too. I just had the dolls, though. No clothes. Well, I had clothes, obvs, just no Strawberry Shortcake clothes. Okay, I better stop now.
Comment by Shelly — February 12, 2010 @ 9:07 am
I totally still sniff crayons. Every year during back-to-school sale time, I’ll find myself at Target, furtively checking to make sure no one is watching before I grab a box of crayolas and take a big whiff.
Comment by velocibadgergirl — February 18, 2010 @ 12:04 am