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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
When it goes well, cultural evolution works like biological evolution: the strongest things survive, while flaws, weaknesses, and superfluities disappear.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the progression of culture doesn\u2019t follow such a linear arc. Sometimes the societal pendulum swings simply because of boredom; technological innovations push current practices into obsolescence before we\u2019ve considered what might be lost without them; new traditions seem superior to the old, until they don\u2019t \u2014 and by then they\u2019ve faded beyond return.<\/p>\n
Inspired by ideas in Let\u2019s Bring Back<\/a><\/em>, Going, Going, Gone<\/a><\/em>, my conversation with Walker Lamond<\/a> about his book Rules for My Unborn Son<\/a><\/em>, and simply our own observations about what\u2019s lacking in modern life, below we present 57 things that have gone extinct or been waning that would be worth reviving.<\/p>\n These entries haven\u2019t been chosen based on pure nostalgia, nor the viability of their comebacks \u2014 many have a poor chance of resurrection indeed. Rather these are simply things that it would genuinely be nice to see revived, and in many cases wouldn\u2019t need to supplant culture\u2019s current offerings, but could co-exist as happy supplements alongside them \u2014 additions that would make for richer and more varied lives. Even if they may never make it back into the societal mainstream, they could be worth adopting into your individual life, family\u2019s culture, and local community.<\/p>\n The soda fountain once served as a communal watering hole for teenagers and teetotalers. You could hang out at the bar while a soda jerk made you an egg cream<\/a> or a \u201cblack and white.\u201d Couples could sip a single milkshake through two straws. In an age where fewer people are drinking alcohol, the soda fountain just might be the third space we need again.<\/p>\n Most of us don\u2019t need a watch to tell time anymore \u2014 we\u2019ve got phones for that \u2014 but it\u2019s still one of the handiest things you can put on in the morning<\/a>. Checking the time on your wrist is easier to do than fishing a phone out of your pocket, and makes for less of a disruption when you\u2019re interacting with others. A watch is also one of the few accessories at a man\u2019s disposal, and adds a touch of style and interest to your get-up<\/a>. It\u2019s a wearable bit of personality.<\/p>\n As much as we\u2019ve long been advocates for handwritten letters, it seems the ship for mailed correspondence has largely sailed. If you\u2019re close enough to someone to want to share the news of your life, neither of you likely wants to have week-long delays in discussing it. And even those who might appreciate a letter probably won\u2019t write back, defeating the point of true correspondence. But there are a couple forms of snail mail still well-suited to our time. One is the thank you note (see below); the other is the postcard<\/a>. For the postcard writer, sending one is fun and takes minimal effort. For the postcard receiver, finding one among their usual junk mail is a delight. So is the fact there\u2019s no pressure to reply \u2014 it\u2019s meant to be a one-way hello.<\/p>\n Thanks to short form video and social media dopamine hits, the ability to sit with a book, focus on a task, or listen to another person has steadily atrophied. But real insight, quality work, and deep connection only come when we give something our dialed-in, undivided attention.<\/p>\n Dancing is one of those activities humans have been doing for thousands of years, and up until a half century ago, it was one of the most common social pastimes. Today, adults may only dance once in a blue moon at weddings, and young people only get their groove on at homecoming and prom. The decline of dancing is particularly impoverishing for youth, as it teaches important interpersonal skills: how to weather rejection, read cues, move with another person without stepping on them, make small talk, be physically close to someone without being or feeling awkward about it \u2014 how to be more human, really.<\/p>\n Progressive dinners \u2014 where each course is served at a different house \u2014 used to be a staple of neighborhood life. You\u2019d get an appetizer at one person\u2019s place, the main entree at another, and dessert somewhere down the street. By the end of the night, you were full, but more importantly, you knew your neighbors a little better and your street felt a little more like home.<\/p>\n Words should mean something. Some, like \u201cfriend,\u201d should practically be sacred. Unfortunately, friend has been bastardized by influencers who use it to describe their followers, by companies that cheerily apply it to anonymous customers, and by people who use the label for someone they say hello to in passing at church, a neighbor they borrowed a ladder from once, or the parent of their kid\u2019s classmate they\u2019ve only chatted with at school pickup. In regards to those latter situations, we do actually have a word for people you know, but not very well: it\u2019s not friend<\/em>, it\u2019s acquaintance<\/em>.<\/p>\n A lot of Christmas trees these days look like they were assembled for an Instagram post instead of a living room: artificial tree, matching lights, uniform ornaments. Christmas trees used to be a lot more wonderfully chaotic. You\u2019d have handmade ornaments your children crafted in grade school and bubbler lights mixed with popcorn garland. Nothing was coordinated, nothing was curated, and somehow that made the whole thing feel more like Christmas. Bring back real trees<\/a> with a hodgepodge of ornaments and plenty of tinsel. Bring back the kitsch!<\/p>\n Sardines used to be a grandpa staple. He\u2019d pop open a tin, splash on a little hot sauce, and lunch was served. Well, grandpa was on to something. Sardines are convenient, full of protein, and packed with omega-3s (without the heavy metals you find in tuna and other big fish). Plus, they\u2019re inexpensive and last a very long time. Puts hair on your chest, too! <\/a><\/p>\n In a time when most communication is typed and tapped, there aren\u2019t many occasions that necessitate writing things out by hand. But it\u2019s worth intentionally doing so sometimes<\/a> \u2014 whether in the form of journal entries<\/a> or notes \u2014 as putting pen to paper improves memory, boosts focus, enhances creativity, and strengthens learning and comprehension. It feels like a different cognitive experience and can lend a different angle to the expression of your thoughts. Plus, handwriting injects more idiosyncratic, connection-fostering personality into your missives.<\/p>\n Most people now walk around with nothing but a debit or credit card and the hope that every situation in life comes with a chip reader. But there are times and places where cash still comes in handy<\/a>: a high school basketball game, the bait shop in the middle of nowhere, the after-hours campground fee box, the valet who deserves more than a muttered thank you. A few bills folded in your wallet is one of those small, old-school habits that still comes in clutch.<\/p>\n Hobbies used to be thought of as an essential component of a balanced and fulfilling life; they represented a commitment to lifelong learning<\/a> and an outlet for the intellectual, creative, and self-reliant energies that didn\u2019t get expressed in your day job. Tinkering with electronics, building model planes, messing around on the guitar \u2014 you did such things out of genuine interest and purely for personal enjoyment. Now people can\u2019t allow themselves a pastime when they feel they should be doing something more productive, default to lower-effort entertainments, or turn what could have been a hobby into a side hustle or a performative stunt for short-form video. But a hobby done for its own sake \u2014 not for income or influence \u2014 is one of the rare ways you can lose yourself in something and come out feeling more like yourself. Click here to check out 75+ hobby ideas for men.<\/a><\/p>\n After a 207-year run, the annual Farmers\u2019 Almanac<\/em><\/a> will cease production in 2026. But here\u2019s hoping for a comeback. It\u2019s been a perennial, charming source of wisdom on everything from the odds of a white Christmas to the best time to plant your turnips. Even if it doesn\u2019t return, you can still get your almanac fix with The Old Farmer’s Almanac<\/em><\/a>, which, for now, continues on.<\/p>\n The rates of reading have fallen in general, and surely some genres of literature have been hit harder than others. That definitely includes poetry. Poems certainly don\u2019t lend themselves to our short-attention-span, easy-to-scan culture; they don\u2019t follow a familiar format and aren\u2019t always understandable on first blush. But that\u2019s exactly what makes them worthwhile. They stretch our brains to think in different ways and help us reconnect with emotional and existential nuances with which we\u2019d otherwise lose touch. Here are 20 classic poems every man should read.<\/a><\/p>\n From the Victorian era through the mid-20th century, it was common for hosts to offer guests a big, aesthetically pleasing bowl of whole nuts, along with nutcrackers and picks to extract their goodies. Cracking nuts around the fire or at holiday gatherings was part of the slow, social rhythm of the winter season. With the rise of pre-shelled nuts, this tradition has fallen out of favor. But nut-cracking is fun, and the fact that it takes a little effort probably makes it the most appropriate way to eat these calorie bombs \u2014 not by the pre-shelled handful, but by the well-earned niblet.<\/p>\n There are only a few ways to accessorize a suit. A lapel pin. A pocket square. And a once-popular but now forgotten (and worth reviving) option: a boutonniere. Most men only wear a flower in their button-hole at prom or their wedding. But you can wear a boutonniere on any occasion where you\u2019re wearing a suit<\/a> \u2014 and are feeling confident enough to make a unique style statement.<\/p>\n Bookplates \u2014 small, personalized labels pasted inside the cover of a book \u2014 were once a mark of ownership and pride. They signified that a book belonged to you<\/em> and reminded borrowers who to return it to. Their bespoke designs and mottoes<\/a> added individual character and expression to a personal library, giving a sense of recognizable identity to one\u2019s collection.<\/p>\n Sleeping porches were once a common feature of American homes in the early 20th century. These screened-in or open-air porches \u2014 usually on the second floor of a home \u2014 were used for sleeping during warmer months before air conditioning was common. They provided a cool, breezy place to rest on hot nights and were popular for both comfort and health reasons, as fresh air was believed to improve well-being. Jack London used his constantly. They\u2019d still be a welcome place for a summertime slumber.<\/p>\n The barbershop razor shave<\/a> is the facial for manly men. Nothing beats a hot towel on your face or the fragrance of shaving cream to sap the stress right out of your body. It\u2019s also a little dangerous: letting another man hold a razor sharp piece of metal to your neck reminds you that you\u2019re alive.<\/p>\n There\u2019s lots of evidence that people, on the whole, are getting less weird<\/a>. Less deviant, less creative, less inclined to divert from the standard societal lockstep. It seems like we have less eccentrics than we used to \u2014 those oddballs who dressed differently, read strange books, and didn\u2019t care if anyone understood them. Algorithms have flattened the culture<\/a>, nudging us toward the same tastes and the same safe personalities. A little harmless oddity reminds us there are other ways to be human.<\/p>\n In a world that\u2019s become blandly casual, dressing up for special occasions like weddings, parties, and nice restaurants gives life a little more texture. It makes an event not only feel more special for you, but, by contributing to the overall atmosphere, more special for others as well. Dressing up is an act of service.<\/a><\/p>\n GPS may be efficient and convenient, but paper maps force you to really understand where you are<\/a> and where you\u2019re going. You spread one out on the hood of the car, trace a route with your finger, and suddenly the whole landscape makes sense. They don\u2019t buffer, they don\u2019t die at 3%, and they don\u2019t reroute you into a lake. A good map turns getting somewhere into a small adventure instead of another task handed over to an order-barking algorithm.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve heard of door-to-door salesmen, but did you know there used to be door-to-door knife sharpeners? While the former were annoying, I feel like I would have welcomed the latter. A guy with a whetstone would knock on your door, take your dull blades, hone them on the spot, and hand them back to you all sharpened up. It\u2019s a perfect service, because who can remember to sharpen their knives? And if you do, who wants to schlep them over to a shop? While house-call-making knife sharpeners have mostly disappeared, they might be making a comeback; I\u2019ve employed a young man here in Tulsa<\/a> who runs a mobile sharpening service, and it\u2019s awesome!<\/p>\n In an age of constant sharing and digital transparency, the idea of keeping something to yourself can feel almost subversive. But complete transparency is not an unalloyed positive, and secrets aren\u2019t necessarily sinister \u2014 they\u2019re essential for cultivating intimacy, mystery, and personal depth.<\/a> Having a secret handshake, a private tradition, or something only you and one other person knows creates a special kind of bond. Secrets give weight to trust and texture to relationships. Not everything needs to be broadcast; sometimes the most meaningful things are the ones held closest to the chest.<\/p>\n If we\u2019re going to bring back writing things by hand, it\u2019s worth writing them nicely<\/em><\/a>. Because we\u2019re out of practice these days, our handwriting tends to be sloppy. But good penmanship has value: it makes your writing legible and aesthetically pleasing, and it\u2019s simply satisfying to produce. It\u2019s particularly rewarding to master cursive<\/a> \u2014 a skill that\u2019s especially endangered, not only in regards to writing it but even reading it.<\/p>\n Much of coed socializing these days takes the form of hanging out in groups, and even when people start going out more exclusively, their encounters may not rise above Netflix and chill. Real dates<\/a> \u2014 those that follow the three P\u2019s: planned, paired off, and paid for \u2014 would restore more intentionality to relationships. They signal commitment, effort, and respect, and they raise the stakes just enough to make the interaction meaningful. Real dates, centered on actual activities<\/a>, teach you how to think ahead and make a little magic happen \u2014 skills that are foundational not just to romance, but to maturity.<\/p>\n Unlike the silent typing you do on a laptop, typewriters give your thoughts and writing a tactile, mechanical heft. You can hear and feel your sentences as you hammer them out on the keys. There\u2019s no backspace and no instant revisions, so you\u2019ve really got to think through what you want to write before you dive into the clickety-clack.<\/p>\n At the peak of their popularity in the mid-20th century, bridge nights were sometimes held multiple evenings a week. They were a staple of adult life, a communal pastime where friends and couples gathered around a card table to play, snack, laugh, and talk. The game gave people a reason to get together on the regular. In a world that\u2019s feeling more fragmented and lonely, we could use more evenings like that \u2014 low-key, face-to-face, and anchored by something as simple as a shared deck of cards<\/a>. We could also simply use more adults prioritizing having their own social life, rather than completely surrendering to their kids\u2019 extracurriculars.<\/p>\n While landlines used to be ubiquitous, now only a quarter of households still have one. Cellular phones have routed them from the field. But landlines still offer some benefits: they\u2019re easy for kids to use in an emergency, the connection is consistently clear, and sharing a single phone requires the household to function as a unit \u2014 taking messages, relaying information, and so on.<\/p>\n In a world of endless, algorithmically curated streaming playlists, listening to music on a record player<\/a> makes music listening feel like an event, not just background hum. The friction of having to pick out a record and delicately putting the needle on the vinyl slows things down and makes you appreciate what you\u2019re listening to.<\/p>\n The valet chair (also called a butler\u2019s chair) used to be a staple in a man\u2019s bedroom. A chair that often included a hanger-style backrest, trouser bar, small tray for cufflinks or a watch, and even a hidden compartment or drawer, it gave your jacket, trousers, and pocket contents a proper landing zone so they didn\u2019t end up scattered around your room or in a sad heap on the floor. It\u2019s the perfect place to drape clothes that you\u2019ve already worn but can wear again before washing<\/a>, and it lends greater order to your daily routine.<\/p>\n If you watch old movies, you\u2019ll often encounter a recurring scene: people gathered around a piano, belting out some tunes. That actually happened in real life. When you didn\u2019t have Spotify, you had to make your own music. Even in an age where we can stream any song on demand, there\u2019s something incomparably fun, joyful, and connective about singing with other people<\/a>. Of course, if we\u2019re going to bring back singing around the piano, we\u2019re going to need more skilled pianists among us, which means we’ll also need to revive the tradition of kids taking (and sticking with) piano lessons.<\/p>\n Modern insults are pretty boring \u2014 mostly the same set of expletive-laden put-downs. The 19th century did it better. Their insults had personality. They were clever. An unmannered youth might be called an \u201cunlicked cub,\u201d a lazy person a \u201cslug-a-bed,\u201d and a habitual complainer a \u201cgrumbletonian.\u201d Here are 50 more colorful old-fashioned insults worth bringing back.<\/a><\/p>\n At the peak of their popularity, 4,000 drive-in theaters operated across the country; today, only 300-400 remain. But they perhaps have more to recommend them these days than ever before; in a time where it\u2019s hard to justify the cost of going to a standard movie theater, given how cheap and comparably immersive home viewing can be, the drive-in offers a truly different, and affordable, experience. You get to pack the whole family, along with as many snacks as you\u2019d like, into the car for a distinctive indoor\/outdoor night out.<\/p>\n Knowing a little Latin used to be a basic part of being educated \u2014 not because anyone expected you to converse in it, but because it opened you up to the ideas that built the Western world. Even building a small Latin vocabulary<\/a> \u2014 mottos, legal phrases, liturgical language \u2014 gives you a sense of where our words came from and why they mean what they mean. It also makes reading old books more enjoyable, since authors often liked to casually drop Latin into their prose.<\/p>\n Shaving with a safety razor<\/a> turns a routine grooming task into a ritual. You have to make deliberate strokes instead of mindlessly scraping your skin with a plastic contraption; it\u2019s rather meditative. And there are practical benefits: the resulting shave is closer and cleaner, and you save money and waste by not having to constantly buy and toss disposable razors.<\/p>\n In the 1970s, most households had friends over at least once a month. Since then, that kind of at-home socializing \u2014 dinners, game nights, parties \u2014 has fallen by more than half. Somewhere along the way, we got out of practice with hospitality, decided it required an unattainable standard of perfect lighting and gourmet food, got less comfortable with the intimacy of having people over, and succumbed to the inertia that eschews any fun that requires effort. But hosting something like a dinner party<\/a> is a skill you can get good at with practice, brings people closer than any kind of outsourced entertainment can, and adds real zing and satisfaction to life.<\/p>\n Listen as you drive through most neighborhoods in America these days, and you might notice something missing: the shrieks and laughter of kids playing outside. It used to be you couldn\u2019t walk down the block without dodging a game of kickball, stepping over a jumprope, or seeing a pack of bikes dumped in someone\u2019s yard (plus a DIY bike ramp in the driveway). Now most of the action happens indoors and behind a screen. There are few things that would be better for today\u2019s children<\/a> than turning this dynamic around; outdoor play encourages kids to be independent, engage in health-promoting physical movement, and take competence and confidence-building risks<\/a>. <\/p>\n Roasting chestnuts enjoyed robust popularity until a blight in the early 20th century wiped out billions of American chestnut trees, making the nuts far less available. While the trees have only made a partial return, because imported chestnuts are readily available, the practice of eating them \u2014 particularly when roasted over an open fire<\/a> \u2014 is primed for a comeback. Finally bring that line in \u201cThe Christmas Song\u201d to life. The crackle, the smell, the slow business of peeling them while they\u2019re still steaming \u2014 it all makes for a ritual that adds some memorable texture to the holiday.<\/p>\n Up through the mid-1800s, the majority of weddings took place at the bride\u2019s home rather than a church or another location. There were no sophisticated venues, no event coordinators, no anxiety about whether the flowers were Instagram-worthy. The practice was still fairly common up through the early 20th century \u2014 until weddings became increasingly elaborate and grandiose. An at-home wedding could re-root the institution, provide an appropriately homey and intimate setting for a ritual that joins lives \u2014 and families \u2014 together, and, of course, be a whole lot cheaper.<\/p>\n Most of us take photos on our phone. And that\u2019s where those pictures usually stay \u2014 in an overwhelming, unwieldy archive perhaps thousands of photos deep. The lack of easy browsability makes it rare for us to go back and look at them. A physical photo album fixes that. Filled only with the best, intentionally curated shots, it invites you to pick it up, flip through its pages, and travel back in time.<\/p>\n Neckties aren\u2019t expected in many situations anymore \u2014 but that\u2019s exactly what makes them meaningful<\/a>. Wearing one signals intention, care, and the willingness to rise above the bare minimum. A tie is a chance to add some flair to a standard suit.<\/a> It shows that you acknowledge that an occasion calls for formality. It\u2019s a small gesture that says: this matters.<\/em><\/p>\n The number of parents who read aloud to their children has been dropping for decades. That\u2019s a loss for everyone. Reading books aloud<\/a> is one of the best ways to connect with your kid and increase their affinity for literature<\/a>. It becomes a comforting family ritual that they\u2019ll look back on fondly for the rest of their lives.<\/p>\n Even if you don\u2019t have a sleeping porch, you can get the benefits of a fresh-air sleep by slumbering with the windows open<\/a>. In a time without A\/C, when people thought well-circulated air warded off disease, doing so was the default. There are still reasons to crack open a window when you go to bed today. It does reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses, and when the air is cool, it drops your core temperature, helping you fall asleep faster. Fresh air also, in an unquantifiable way, simply makes your sleep feel more refreshing.<\/p>\n As handwritten correspondence has declined, it seems that penning any kind of note<\/a> \u2014 even the kind you leave on a nightstand instead of mailing \u2014 has too. That includes love letters. We\u2019ve traded the convenience of communicative immediacy for occasionally writing out something more meaningful and heartfelt. But none of those \u201cLove you!\u201d texts will end up in a shoebox or get reread when you\u2019re old. A proper love letter<\/a> gives you the chance to express your feelings more ardently than you do on a day-to-day basis and is a surefire way to rekindle the sparks of romance.<\/p>\n Having your clothes tailored used to be standard practice. Nobody expected a jacket or pair of trousers to fit straight off the rack. You\u2019d take them in, get measured, and end up with a set of superior duds. The difference tailoring makes is surprisingly striking<\/a>; garments look significantly sharper when they\u2019ve been altered to fit your unique body. Sure, in an era of athleisure there are far fewer clothes that even can be tailored, but those that remain could benefit from a little snipping and stitching.<\/p>\n Kids seem a lot more literal-minded and less imaginative today. Perhaps it\u2019s the way the internet presents the idea that every question has been solved and every rock looked under, but they don\u2019t seem to consider the possibility of the unknown and the invisible \u2014 that there might be mythic creatures or supernatural beings \u2014 as much. Certainly when I was growing up, Scholastic\u2019s book catalogs were filled with scary stories and how-to manuals for hunting ghosts. And dares like \u201cBloody Mary\u201d were more of a thing. Wondering if there might be ghosts around makes life feel more mysterious and compelling for kids. And for adults too, really.<\/a><\/p>\n There was a time when riding in a stretch limo \u2014 not those gaudy Humvee limos with disco lights you see these days \u2014 made you feel like an absolute baller. \u201980s limos had a vibe straight out of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous<\/em>, even if your destination was the high school prom or the reception after the wedding. You could call up the driver from the phone in the back and ask him to whisk you away to wherever you pleased, make drinks in the bar, and enjoy the ride in style. We could use more things that make ordinary people and ordinary nights feel unforgettable.<\/p>\n Digital cameras may win on convenience, but film cameras have benefits of their own. Since every click costs you, you\u2019re more discerning about when to break your immersion in a moment to put a lens to your eye. You get the craftsman-like satisfaction of fiddling with the camera\u2019s settings and knowing that the final result depends on your skill. And you enjoy the anticipation of not knowing how a photo turned out until the roll gets developed \u2014 and the surprise of opening the envelope of prints, seeing the ones that really hit, and chuckling at the mess-ups.<\/p>\n A handwritten thank you note<\/a> is one of the easiest ways to stand out in a world where most expressions of gratitude get reduced to a quick email or text. They only take a few minutes to write, but can make someone\u2019s day. And because hardly anyone sends them anymore, the person on the receiving end will be disproportionately touched. <\/p>\n Everyone wants to talk over video these days, but there\u2019s something undeniably awkward about those interactions: you\u2019re often distracted by looking at yourself, and the feeling that you are \u2014 but aren\u2019t \u2014 making real eye contact registers as off<\/em> deep in the brain. Audio-only calls elevate the intimacy of a conversation above texting, without the weirdness of video. There\u2019s something comforting and connective about just listening to someone\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n Mumbley peg was once a staple of boyhood. It\u2019s a game that just required a pocketknife, a patch of dirt, and the ability to make said pocketknife stick in the ground with a bit of flair. Cowboys played it around campfires, soldiers played it between marches, and schoolboys played it at recess until risk-averse adults started shutting it down in the 1970s. It remains the perfect mildly dangerous game to while away the time.<\/a><\/p>\n Doctors used to wear crisp white coats (and nurses had distinct get-ups as well). These days, most make the rounds in scrubs and Skechers. A tailored, distinguished uniform lent the medical profession a sense of dignity and gravitas \u2014 an authority that comforted patients, especially when discussing the weighty matters of health, or even life and death.<\/p>\n Before the era of picking up a grocery-store bouquet and calling it good, men used to pick out arrangements for their lady loves very deliberately; each chosen flower had a special meaning and carried a message.<\/a> A rose for love, a lily for devotion, a sprig of rosemary for remembrance, etc. The giver enjoyed creating the floral cipher and the recipient enjoyed (and probably sometimes felt a little anxious!) decoding it. If you\u2019re going to say it with flowers, you ought to be really saying something.<\/p>\n Most fireplaces now run on gas. Flip a switch and you get some instant heat and ambiance. It\u2019s convenient, for sure, but it\u2019s not the same. Building a wood fire<\/a> takes time and a little know-how, and there\u2019s real satisfaction in getting the logs stacked just right and coaxing the first spark into a steady blaze. The smell of smoke, the crackle of the wood, the pleasure of giving the embers a poke \u2014 you can\u2019t get any of that from a gas line.<\/p>\n Every attic used to have at least one old, dusty trunk. Cracking one open was like stepping into someone else\u2019s story. You could smell the memories. And you never knew what you might find: an old uniform, a box of medals, yellowed letters \u2014 and definitely, definitely a map to buried treasure.<\/p>\n57 Things We Should Bring Back<\/span><\/h2>\n
Soda Fountains<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Soda-Fountains.png\")
<\/p>\nWearing a Watch<\/h3>\n
Sending Postcards<\/h3>\n
Attention Spans<\/h3>\n
Dancing<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Dancing.png\")
<\/p>\nProgressive\/Walking Dinners<\/h3>\n
Acquaintances<\/h3>\n
Real, Kitschy Christmas Trees<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Real-Kitschy.png\")
<\/p>\nEating Sardines<\/h3>\n
Writing Things By Hand<\/h3>\n
Carrying Cash<\/h3>\n
Hobbies<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Hobbies.png\")
<\/p>\nFarmers\u2019 Almanac<\/em><\/h3>\n
Reading Poetry<\/h3>\n
Cracking Whole Nuts<\/h3>\n
Boutonnieres<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Boutonnieres-1.png\")
<\/p>\nBookplates<\/h3>\n
Sleeping Porches<\/h3>\n
Barbershop Shaves<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Barbershop-Shaves.png\")
<\/p>\nEccentricity<\/h3>\n
Dressing Up for Special Occasions<\/h3>\n
Paper Maps<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Paper-Maps.png\")
<\/p>\nDoor-to-Door Knife Sharpeners<\/h3>\n
Secrets<\/h3>\n
Penmanship<\/h3>\n
Real Dates<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Real-Dates.png\")
<\/p>\nTypewriters<\/h3>\n
Bridge Nights<\/h3>\n
Landlines<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Landlines.png\")
<\/p>\nRecord Players + Vinyl Records<\/h3>\n
Valet Chairs<\/h3>\n
Singing Around the Piano<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Singing-Around-the-Piano.png\")
<\/p>\nColorful Insults<\/h3>\n
Drive-In Movies<\/h3>\n
Knowing Latin<\/h3>\n
Safety Razor Shaving<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Safety-Razor.png\")
<\/p>\nHosting and Entertaining in Your Home<\/h3>\n
Kids Playing Outside<\/h3>\n
Roasting Chestnuts on an Open Fire<\/h3>\n
Getting Married at Home<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Getting-Married-at-Home.png\")
<\/p>\nPhysical Photo Albums<\/h3>\n
Neckties<\/h3>\n
Reading Aloud to Kids<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Reading-Aloud-to-Kids.png\")
<\/p>\nSleeping With the Windows Open<\/h3>\n
Love Letters<\/h3>\n
Tailoring<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Tailoring.png\")
<\/p>\nGhost-Hunting<\/h3>\n
Stretch Limos<\/h3>\n
Film Cameras<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Film-Cameras.png\")
<\/p>\nHandwritten Thank You Notes<\/h3>\n
Audio-Only Phone Calls<\/h3>\n
Mumbley Peg<\/h3>\n
Doctors in Doctor\u2019s Coats<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-Doctors-in-Doctors.png\")
<\/p>\nGiving Flowers With Meaning<\/h3>\n
Wood-Burning Fireplaces<\/h3>\n
Trunks in Attics<\/h3>\n
The Civilian Conservation Corps<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/11\/BB-The-Civilian-Conservation-Corps.png\")
<\/p>\n