I was thinking the same exact thing. We have so many pictures of her making this same. exact. face. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we were related.
I totally remember those fancy candles! I got one for my mom when I was 7 because I thought they were so elegant. (We never burned ours, though, it just got all dusty and eventually thrown away.)
Our special candle went into a box in the attic – only to be brought down years later melted into a totally different format. We had 5 or 6 of those ’special’ candles. AARRGGHH
She’s begging *BEGGING* for the photographer to please hand her the rest of her Alabama Slamma on the other side of the fancy candle so she can just get through another story about Uncle Earl’s colonoscopy. Aunt Edith is playing her invisible tiny violin in response.
Oh yes, the fancy candle. My mom always bought one when we went on vacation to Florida every year. Sometimes the candle even had SAND in the design. And no, we never burned ours either. That would have been a WASTE.
I think I owned the dress on the poor unfortunate creature in the middle. Might have been from the Gunne Sax “holiday” line.
OMG…Gunne Sax and the fancy mall candles they would make right in front of you. Two things I thought would be timeless in my teen years, but things I hadn’t thought about in years.
No doubt, that is the onion soup mix and sour cream homemade dip. Virgin Mary is indeed hovering over Grandma sitting on the texture couch.
About this time last year, I burned a candle that I had gotten back in about 1980. My mother, who moved several times after I turned 18 and moved out, got rid of many things that I would have liked to still have but carted this candle around from place to place.
Granted, it was a neat candle. It looked like an orange and was pretty realistic. I decided the time was right to release the vintage wax into my home air and remember my collection of novelty shaped soap (including some shaped like giant lifesavers) that were never used and lost to who knows where.
My mother in law had some novelty soap in the shape of snowmen last Christmas. She was out of soap (in her bathroom) and my 4 year old daughter used one of her snowmen…she was really unhappy. I don’t get it. It’s soap. Why do people buy soap and just look at it?
That Virgin Mary you speak about could also be the parting between 2 curtains. There’s a Father Christmas figurine on the table, near grandma’s fries/nachos/crisps! And what’s the girls doing with her right hand? Slashing her wrist with a crisp, out of desperate boredom?!!
is the dad wearing some sort of political button? it would be interesting to know when this was – and i dunno, but he looks pretty right wing to me with that virgin mary in the ‘company room.’
The numbers on the photo (89 12) are probably December 1989. Looks like a Christmas button, probably one that the relative hosting the “party” gave to him last year.
Yes, in her television commercial days:
“Zombinol Time-Release Extra-Strength. Let it slide you through a difficult day. Caution: may be habit-forming.”
Yep, that’s me alright. And you’re absolutely correct:
1) it was at least 83* in there…and smoky b/c of my chain-smoking relatives.
2) I hated my life
3) that was soup packet onion dip
4) my grandmother freaked out when we lit the fancy candle
I also have some updates:
1) the guy on the left is my brother-in-law, not grandpa. we had a progressive family.
2) I am not Amy Winehouse, but…um…thanks?
Thanks for laughing at and with me – It is by far my most favorite family pic and really shows me for the delicate flower I was.
i think it is, actually – my grandparents are/were pretty religious and in their old house they had a lot of…let’s say…portraits and jeebus knick-nacks…
Wow, this brings me back to adolescence! This photo would normally depress me, but I realize that I’ve got one thing going for me – my fancy candle: I NEVER BURNED IT!
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afp
Now, how is this awkward? It looks like a gal having a good time with her grandfolks.
“She keeps doing that thing with her hand to me, Mom…make her stop doing that thing with her hand to me.”
LOL, that brings back so many memories
Every element of an awkward, uncomfortable holiday party is represented here.
I bet the temperature in that room is over 75 degrees.
The very first thing I thought when I looked at this was how hot that room must be. LOL
Wow, I totally thought this was my sister-in-law at first. That’s her normal expression.
Ha, ha!
I was thinking the same exact thing. We have so many pictures of her making this same. exact. face. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we were related.
I think my mom had a dress like that and I don’t remember her looking to happy in it either.
You can even tell how special of an occasion this was, because the “fancy” candle was being burned!!
I totally remember those fancy candles! I got one for my mom when I was 7 because I thought they were so elegant. (We never burned ours, though, it just got all dusty and eventually thrown away.)
Our special candle went into a box in the attic – only to be brought down years later melted into a totally different format. We had 5 or 6 of those ’special’ candles. AARRGGHH
Is that an entire hamburger on the right on the serving tray?
Yeah and those are french fries in front of grandma.
Looks more like an Arby’s Roast Beef N’ Cheddar to me. Which is totally appropriate for the crudite (excuse lack of accent, please) platter.
you can choose your friends, but you’re stuck with family…until the age of emancipation, i guess.
Indeed, the two chill geezes on the left and right will be none-too glad when little Frowny McBadperm heads off to State!
Wait! Is that the Virgin Mary on Grandma’s head in the reflection?
you rock!
hahaha! It blows my mind how some people are so keyed into details, and I don’t mean that in a bad way.
Forgive me…I’m an engineer….
Yep, that’s definitely her
Emo for the late eighties.
HAHAHA!!! Looks like Phil from ‘Wayne’s World’!! All partied out! “If you’re gonna spew, spew into this!”
“Phil, you’re partied out…again”
Love the hair.
She’s begging *BEGGING* for the photographer to please hand her the rest of her Alabama Slamma on the other side of the fancy candle so she can just get through another story about Uncle Earl’s colonoscopy. Aunt Edith is playing her invisible tiny violin in response.
Oh yes, the fancy candle. My mom always bought one when we went on vacation to Florida every year. Sometimes the candle even had SAND in the design. And no, we never burned ours either. That would have been a WASTE.
I think I owned the dress on the poor unfortunate creature in the middle. Might have been from the Gunne Sax “holiday” line.
OMG…Gunne Sax and the fancy mall candles they would make right in front of you. Two things I thought would be timeless in my teen years, but things I hadn’t thought about in years.
No doubt, that is the onion soup mix and sour cream homemade dip. Virgin Mary is indeed hovering over Grandma sitting on the texture couch.
This is a classic.
I still make the onion soup mix sour cream dip. It just gets better as I get older. I’m so ashamed.
Bean, I also love that onion soup mix dip! I haven’t made it in ages, but I will now that you reminded me.
is it just me or does the girl in the middle kind of look like lady gaga?
That’s _exactly_ the comment I came here to make. Ra ra ah-ah-ah-ah
ok i was gonna say she looks like amy winehouse but i see the gaga resemblance too hahaha
Put her in some jeans and a cut-off tshirt and she could be in Twisted Sister.
Nice placement on the fancy candle.
About this time last year, I burned a candle that I had gotten back in about 1980. My mother, who moved several times after I turned 18 and moved out, got rid of many things that I would have liked to still have but carted this candle around from place to place.
Granted, it was a neat candle. It looked like an orange and was pretty realistic. I decided the time was right to release the vintage wax into my home air and remember my collection of novelty shaped soap (including some shaped like giant lifesavers) that were never used and lost to who knows where.
My mother in law had some novelty soap in the shape of snowmen last Christmas. She was out of soap (in her bathroom) and my 4 year old daughter used one of her snowmen…she was really unhappy. I don’t get it. It’s soap. Why do people buy soap and just look at it?
I think Grandpa is wearing his Mondale/Ferraro button.
Nothing says the 80’s like mirrored walls.
My mother would have heart palpatations that they’re BURNING the fancy candle.
I feel that poor girl’s pain. All that suffering for crocheted slippers and a dime store fruitcake. Thanks Grandma.
You got crocheted slippers!??!?! I got socks every year.
To me, this is the TRUE MEANING of Christmas!
That Virgin Mary you speak about could also be the parting between 2 curtains. There’s a Father Christmas figurine on the table, near grandma’s fries/nachos/crisps! And what’s the girls doing with her right hand? Slashing her wrist with a crisp, out of desperate boredom?!!
is the dad wearing some sort of political button? it would be interesting to know when this was – and i dunno, but he looks pretty right wing to me with that virgin mary in the ‘company room.’
can anyone see what it is?
The numbers on the photo (89 12) are probably December 1989. Looks like a Christmas button, probably one that the relative hosting the “party” gave to him last year.
It’s sad when even the grandparents look bored!!! lol…
this made me day
I swear that looks like a young Amy Winehouse!!!
Yes, in her television commercial days:
“Zombinol Time-Release Extra-Strength. Let it slide you through a difficult day. Caution: may be habit-forming.”
Win.
THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT!
am i the only one who thinks that girl in the middle looks a hell of lot like a cleaner Amy Winehouse???
Omigawd! Amy Winehouse! EATING!!
My roommate had a couch exactly like that in the ’80’s!
I’ve looked and looked, now I give up – where is the Virgin Mary everyone’s talking about?
There’s a reflection of a Virgin Mary statue in the mirror behind the woman’s head (right panel).
Grandma’s house smells like moth balls and disappointment
Gigantic WIN.
Awesome. What more can I say?
Hi guys –
Yep, that’s me alright. And you’re absolutely correct:
1) it was at least 83* in there…and smoky b/c of my chain-smoking relatives.
2) I hated my life
3) that was soup packet onion dip
4) my grandmother freaked out when we lit the fancy candle
I also have some updates:
1) the guy on the left is my brother-in-law, not grandpa. we had a progressive family.
2) I am not Amy Winehouse, but…um…thanks?
Thanks for laughing at and with me – It is by far my most favorite family pic and really shows me for the delicate flower I was.
YAY photo fail!
Thanks for submitting this, AND for the backstory. Makes it even more amusing!
And I’m also glad to hear you’re not Amy Winehouse.
But what about the virgin mary above gramma’s head in the mirror? Is that what it was??
i think it is, actually – my grandparents are/were pretty religious and in their old house they had a lot of…let’s say…portraits and jeebus knick-nacks…
LOL! Wonderful photo! Thanks for sharing. I think we all have a couple of pix likes these tucked away!
I’m a bit dissapointed, I was convinced it was Marney and she was ticked off at the lack of homeade dip…
and regulation sized casserole dishes…
Wow! You look EXACTLY like an old friend of mine named Heather. Until I read your reply I swore this was her!!!
I think this is my new favorite pic on this site. So money.
Fantastic!
Wow…was that Molly Ringwald?
oh my god, it’s amy winehouse!
That’s the first thing I thought of! A young Amy Winehouse. Maybe her family is what lead her to drink…
Wow, this brings me back to adolescence! This photo would normally depress me, but I realize that I’ve got one thing going for me – my fancy candle: I NEVER BURNED IT!
Yes, Sharon had WAY too much Eggnog. Now it was Grandma’s turn.
In her teen years, Orphan Annie realized that her long hoped for adoption hadn’t been such a great thing afterall.
Wow, I think you stumbled upon some of Amy Winehouse’s old family photos.
Definately Amy Winehouse
That looks like Lady Gaga before her bleach blonde hair lol
A young Amy Winehouse begins to feel disenfranchised with her family and starts down on a road to mayhem in rebellion to these awkward early years.