9 things Boomers keep buying that their grandkids will never use (or understand)

Every generation has its quirks. For Boomers, it’s not just the music or the lawn obsession, it’s the stuff they keep buying that the rest of us quietly raise an eyebrow at.

Don’t get me wrong. Many of these things made perfect sense once upon a time. They were symbols of stability, success, or just the way things were done.

But times change. And what used to be practical, essential, or even aspirational for Boomers now feels like a relic from another planet.

So, let’s take a nostalgic (and slightly judgmental) stroll through nine things Boomers keep buying that their grandkids will probably never use or even understand.

1) Fine china sets

If you grew up in a Boomer household, you know the cabinet I’m talking about. The one with glass doors, packed with delicate floral plates, teacups no one’s allowed to touch, and a serving platter so big it could double as a UFO landing pad.

These were the “good dishes,” reserved for “special occasions” that somehow never actually happened. Thanksgiving? Too risky. Christmas? Maybe next year.

For Boomers, owning a fine china set was a sign that you’d made it, an heirloom in waiting.

But their grandkids? They’re more into clean, everyday pieces that can go from dinner party to dishwasher without a second thought.

Minimalism and practicality rule now. The idea of owning dishes you can’t use just doesn’t compute. It’s like buying a car you’re not allowed to drive.

2) Cable TV packages

Boomers love their cable subscriptions. The more channels, the better, even if they only watch five of them.

It’s not unusual for them to shell out over $100 a month for cable, DVR, and “premium add-ons,” even though most of the content is available online for a fraction of the price.

For younger generations, the idea of “flipping channels” feels prehistoric. Why scroll through static-filled news networks when you can open Netflix, YouTube, or TikTok and get exactly what you want, whenever you want it?

Streaming is personal, immediate, and algorithmically perfect for short attention spans. Cable’s rigid schedule and endless commercials? Not so much. It’s like insisting on using a landline when everyone else is texting.

3) Decorative pillows, lots of them

Walk into a Boomer living room or guest bedroom and you might find what looks like a soft, colorful avalanche waiting to happen.

Twelve pillows on the bed. Eight on the couch. Two more that are just “for show.”

These aren’t just pillows, they’re statements. Some have tassels, others are embroidered with inspirational quotes, and a few probably say “Live, Laugh, Love.”

For their grandkids, this just doesn’t make sense. A few comfy cushions? Sure. But an entire fortress of pillows you can’t even lean on? No thanks.

Younger people are more about functionality and simplicity. Plus, no one wants to spend five minutes every night removing throw pillows just to go to sleep. When you think about it, the decorative pillow trend might be one of the most confusing cultural artifacts of modern interior design.

4) Golf memberships

For Boomers, golf isn’t just a sport, it’s a lifestyle. It’s networking, social status, and leisure wrapped into one perfectly manicured experience.

They’ll happily spend thousands a year on memberships, equipment, and the occasional 19th-hole cocktail.

But their grandkids? They’re not exactly lining up for tee times.

Younger generations tend to see golf as expensive, time-consuming, and a little outdated. They’re more drawn to activities that are social, flexible, and don’t require an eight-hour commitment like hiking, CrossFit, or even pickleball.

And while many Boomers see golf as a classy pastime, younger people often see it as something that belongs in a corporate retreat brochure. It’s not that golf is dying, it’s just that it’s being replaced by sports that feel more inclusive and less status-driven.

5) Collector items and knickknacks

If you’ve ever had to help a Boomer parent move houses, you’ve seen it: the army of porcelain figurines, collectible plates, commemorative mugs, and vacation souvenirs that have quietly multiplied over the decades.

These weren’t just things, they were memories. Each one had a story: a family trip, a wedding gift, a retirement celebration.

But for younger generations, clutter is the enemy. Collectibles don’t spark joy; they spark anxiety.

Minimalism, small apartments, and the digital age have all made us value experiences over possessions. We store memories in photos, videos, and the cloud, not on dusty shelves.

And when you’re paying rent for 600 square feet, there’s no room for a shelf full of porcelain angels. Still, I get the sentiment. Maybe our “collectibles” are just digital now, our playlists, posts, and photos, just less breakable.

6) Paper everything

Boomers trust paper like it’s a close friend.

Bills, bank statements, insurance documents, they keep them all. Neatly filed in color-coded folders or stacked in drawers, often “just in case.”

When I helped my mom sort through her paperwork a few years ago, she had every utility bill since 2009. Every. Single. One. I asked why, and she said, “You never know when they’ll make a mistake.”

For her, paper equals proof.

For her grandkids, though, the idea of hoarding paper is almost laughable. Everything’s online: digital statements, e-signatures, cloud storage, and searchable PDFs.

Why dig through a filing cabinet when you can type two words into a search bar and find it instantly? Technology has replaced the need for paper, and it’s not coming back. The modern version of “proof” is a screenshot.

7) Door-to-door warranties and phone plans

There’s something about extended warranties that just hits the Boomer brain like comfort food.

They were raised in a world where products broke, service calls mattered, and customer loyalty meant something. So when someone says, “For just $9.99 more, we’ll protect this for life,” they’re in.

But here’s the thing: most modern products are built to last or to be replaced cheaply.

Younger generations are skeptical of add-ons. We comparison-shop online, read reviews, and cancel subscriptions faster than a salesperson can say “unlimited data.”

Boomers were taught to stay loyal to brands. Their grandkids? They’re loyal to convenience and transparency.

It’s not that we’re careless, it’s that we’d rather trust information than a salesman with a clipboard.

8) Magazines and physical newspapers

There’s something undeniably romantic about reading a physical paper. The smell of ink, the rustle of pages, the ritual of folding it just right.

But the truth is, very few young people are keeping that tradition alive.

Boomers still subscribe to print magazines and newspapers because they’re tactile, familiar, and part of their daily rhythm. They like circling headlines, clipping coupons, and reading the Sunday edition with coffee.

Their grandkids, though, are getting real-time updates from Reddit, Substack, and news apps. They don’t want yesterday’s news, they want live analysis, trending takes, and shareable insights.

And let’s be real, they’re more likely to learn about a world event through a meme before they ever see it in print. We live in the age of instant information, where the news never ends. Print can’t compete with that.

9) Fancy silverware and table linens

Finally, let’s talk about the “good silver.”

Every Boomer household has a velvet-lined drawer full of cutlery that hasn’t seen daylight since Clinton was in office. The forks are too heavy, the spoons are too ornate, and there’s always one mysterious utensil no one knows how to use.

And don’t even get me started on the embroidered tablecloths and linen napkins.

For Boomers, these items were about pride and presentation. Dinner was an event.

But for younger generations, dinner is about connection. It’s about the people, not the plateware.

We’ll eat a homemade gourmet meal off a ceramic plate from Target and feel just as fancy.

No one wants to spend half a Sunday polishing silver when there’s a world outside waiting to be lived. Formality has been replaced by warmth and authenticity, and honestly, that’s a trade worth making.

The bottom line

Every generation leaves behind its own set of habits, rituals that made perfect sense at the time.

For Boomers, these purchases were about stability, status, and a sense of “doing life right.” A full set of china, a paid-off golf membership, a stack of magazines, they weren’t just things. They were symbols of success.

But their grandkids live in a world that moves faster and demands less baggage. We value experiences over possessions, adaptability over tradition, and flexibility over formality.

That doesn’t mean Boomers got it wrong, it just means the world changed.

One day, our grandkids will probably look at our smart home gadgets, our 20 different streaming subscriptions, and our obsession with oat milk lattes and think we’re the ridiculous ones.

And when they do, we’ll probably say the same thing every Boomer has said at least once: “You’ll understand when you’re older.”