32 Reasons You’ll Never Forget Holidaying Before the ’90s

Written by Julie McCubbin Last updated October 5th 201505/10/15

Going on holiday and creating memories is something we all like to do. And here at the Holiday Hypermarket we love reminiscing about holidays from summers gone by. Whether that was days out to the seaside in the ’60s, camping in the ’70s, or for those lucky enough, stepping on an aeroplane and jetting off abroad in later years. So, we have put all our memories together and created – 32 Reasons You’ll Never Forget Holidaying Before the ’90s.

The whole town broke-up for factory fortnight and went on holiday at the same time
Your entire family squeezed into a small car for the journey, with ‘air con’ provided by a winding handle on the door
With no proper service stations, food on-route consisted of a roadside picnic (with a folding table if you were ‘posh’)
The only tool to guide you on your journey was an old fold-out map
Your holiday was actually a week staying with your grandparents in the next town
It was an unwritten rule that you had to send a postcard to your family and friends before returning home
Phone calls involved a walk to the local phone box, where you would insert your two pence coins, but only when you’d heard the pips of course
You had no wheels on your suitcase and had to carry it with your actual arms – what!?
An ‘upgrade’ on your holiday was going to a caravan by the sea, instead of your grandparents’ house
Butlins was considered the height of sophisticated family holidaying
Every meal was accompanied by either Smash or tinned potatoes
You would cry laughing at your dad as he wrestled with a deckchair in an attempt to put it up
You cringed every time your dad wore socks and sandals for a day at the beach
Knotted handkerchiefs worn on your head were a common form of sun protection
You had hours of fun building sandcastles and watching Punch and Judy shows
You giggled for ages when you first saw saucy postcards in the shop
You continued to eat your hard-boiled egg, even after you’d dropped it in the sand!
You couldn’t wait to buy some rock for your friends with your hard earned pocket money (Best friends always got a special gift – usually a sugar dummy)
The highlight of your week was spending your small change in the arcades
You always wore jelly shoes on the beach
You thought you were the bees knees when you came home from holiday with your ‘Kiss Me Quick’ hat on
Your holiday inspiration (or aspiration) came from Judith Chalmers and Wish You Were Here
You heard your mum and dad talking about how the Jones’ from down the road have just gone on holiday to Spain on a bus
Not one to be outdone by the Jones’, you catch your mum and dad flicking through Teletext for a holiday abroad
When two weeks Full Board in Majorca was only £50 per person, or a one way ticket to New York on Freddie Laker’s Sky train was only £59 per person
You weren’t anyone until you had been on holiday to Benidorm
A Sony Walkman was the first thing you packed
You had the option of sitting in ‘smoking’ or ‘non-smoking’ for your flight
You could wander into the cockpit for a look around
A snowball or martini was the most exciting drink on the in-flight menu
You returned home with a straw donkey under your arm – oh, and let’s not forget a pair of Spanish castanets
You waited weeks for your photos to be developed