Life moves at such a rapid pace that sometimes we fail to notice the small, subtle changes happening around us. Seriously, we’re all caught up in our daily grind, hustling and bustling through this ever-changing world, and we miss stuff vanishing right under our noses. It’s like poof!
Gone without a trace, and we’re left scratching our heads, wondering what else has slipped away without anyone batting an eye.
One Redditor asked, “What eventually disappeared without anyone noticing?” Now, this thread received thousands of comments, and we have listed the most interesting ones for you!
1. Reddit Live
Remember those times when Reddit Live was popping’? It was like a virtual party, man! We had live threads for breaking news, sporting events, and even epic TV show finales.
A discerning Reddit user commented, “Those guys playing guitar in that live.”
Another replied, “I haven’t thought about that guy since the last time I saw him playing live. Seriously, when did Reddit Live end?”
2. Toys in Cereal Boxes
Back in the day, cereal boxes were like treasure chests waiting to be opened. You’d pour that cereal into your bowl, trying not to be too rough because nobody wanted their precious toy damaged!
One said, “I would choose the cereal primarily on the toy.”
Someone else added, “I never really thought about it, but this is pretty genius advertising for kids. You don’t have to have the best cereal anymore you just have to have the best toy.”
Another added, “F***, you just unlocked a memory I didn’t even know I had. Playing the games and DVDs from cereal boxes.”
3. People Fainting
You’d be watching a game, and suddenly a player would just drop like a sack of potatoes. Or you’d be at a concert, and someone would pass out from all the excitement. And let’s not forget those epic fainting scenes in movies and TV shows – they were legit entertainment!
A Reddit user wrote, “People fainting when something unexpected happens.
Another added, “Anytime we had an “all school gathering” when we were in primary/junior school, someone always feinted. What the f*** was that? They were all boys. I haven’t seen someone faint since I was 10 years old. That was almost 30 years ago.”
4. Video Game Manuals
Come on; those manuals were more than just pieces of paper; they were our passports to the gaming universe! They had backstories, character bios, and even secret codes to unlock hidden treasures.
A Reddit user wrote, “I liked them because they were basically a mini players guide that helped you contextualize everything without giving too much away. Now that everything is digital, I don’t see why they can’t include them with the physical copy. Charge me $5 extra; I don’t care.”
Another person agreed to it and said, “Great memories of knowing I was getting Pokémon Blue for my 7th birthday and spending part of my vacation money on the big players’ guidebook. My younger sister and I read it and talked about the Pokémon we wanted to get the whole trip home.”
5. Ronald McDonald
Remember those good old days when you’d go to McDonald’s, and Ronald would be there, all smiley and jolly? He was the face of McDonald’s, the man who made Happy Meals actually happy!
One Redditor stated, “Kinda surprised I haven’t seen this one yet, but Ronald McDonald. You remember the old clown everywhere in and around McDonald’s commercials and stores? Gone. Phased out when that “clown scare” prank trend was going around.”
Someone else replied, “I spent a few months in one last year. The only glimpse of Ronald McDonald is his glove in the logo. There’s no Ronald McDonald or any of the other McDonald characters anywhere.”
6. Fast Food Chains Party Rooms
Picture this: colorful balloons, cool decorations, and a massive table filled with the yummiest fast-food feast you can imagine. You’re stepping into a food heaven where calorie counting is out the window!
Someone on Reddit said, “I recently told my husband about attending a birthday party at McDonald’s when I was a kid, and it blew his mind. Do you remember that they used to have party rooms?
Another replied, “H**l yeah, never had a Mcdonald’s party, but I remember having a Burger King party one year in the late 80’s. They provided a burger-shaped bounce house, and everyone got happy meals with extra toys. What a time to be alive.”
7. Custom Ringtones
Someone commented, “”Ringback” tones or “CallerTunes”. Where you could assign a song to play when people called you instead of them hearing ringing.”
Another person said, “I forgot about ringback. That stuff was worse than having to listen to music on hold.”
Another person shared similar thoughts and mentioned, “Ditto. I like knowing who’s calling before even picking up the phone.”
You’d pick a catchy song or a hilarious soundbite to announce your incoming calls. Your phone had its own personality, and you could tell who was calling just by the ringtone, right? It was pure genius!
8. Automatic Seatbelts
Automatic seatbelts were the epitome of cool! You’d hop into your car, and like magic, the seatbelt would swing over you, even when you forget to.
One said, “I think I had heard that it was discovered that automatic seatbelts were more of a liability in an accident than regular seatbelts.”
Another responded, “My aunt is actually part of the reason they aren’t around anymore. She was in a bad car accident where the car rolled several times. The door opened during the rolling (or at least separated enough to tell the sensor it was open), and off came her seat belt in the middle of the accident.
She spent months in the hospital. Lots of surgeries and still has issues 30+ years later from the accident; it was so bad. They were a cool feature until they malfunctioned.”
9. Sobe Drinks
Someone shared, “I used to love the strawberry daiquiri one. I wish they’d bring them back.”
Someone else replied, “So d**n good. Plus, I got a cap one time that just said, “You’re a lizard, Harry,” and for some reason, those four words pop into my head way more often than anything I ever read in those books.”
And let’s not forget the mouth-watering flavors! We’re talking about wild stuff like Dragon fruit, Strawberry Kiwi, and the legendary Lizard Lava!
10. Rocking Horses
Someone on Reddit said, “Those coin-operated rocking horses you used to see in front of grocery stores.”
Another person agreed to it and said, “My daughter rode one last month in South Dakota. Low key was jealous.”
You’d spot one of these outside the grocery store or the mall, and it was an instant ticket to the ultimate kiddie adventure! You’d pop in a few coins, hop on the saddle, and away you’d go, riding like a cowboy! Sounds like the ultimate dream, right?
11. Monarch Butterflies
Monarch butterflies are real-life fairies, spreading their charm and gracing us with their enchanting presence.
Someone commented, “I never see swarms of Monarch butterflies anymore.”
Someone on Reddit said, “Yep. I still have milkweed in my backyard, but I haven’t seen a Monarch in probably five years now. 20 years ago, my milkweed patch was butterfly central.”
12. Saturday Morning Cartoons
We have to admit, Saturday morning cartoons were the bomb! We’re talking about classics like Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, and the whole gang from Hanna-Barbera.
One said, “As a kid, the only thing that would wake me up early on a Saturday was Pokémon and then yugioh. You miss a week and you have no idea what’s going on.”
Another responded, “It was the only cartoon on tv when I was a kid, for the most part. Nickelodeon was just getting started when I was a kid, and only kids whose parents had cable got that. Saturday mornings was all we had.”
Someone said, “YES! I was in the hospital a couple of months ago, and the channel selection was awful…and the nurses came in every three hours, so I was up at all hours, and I figured maybe Saturday morning cartoons could entertain me…nope.”
13. The Work Routine
Back in the day, 9-5 was the name of the game! You’d roll into work at 9 AM and then punch out at 5 PM, feeling like you conquered the world! It was the rhythm of our life, and we all knew the drill.
Someone commented, “Somewhere along the way, 9-5 turned into 8-5.”
Another person shared similar thoughts and mentioned, “yea, growing up, all I heard was 9-5, and when I was an adult, it was like, wtf is going on with the hours.”
Someone else replied, “The hour used to be paid, so you’d work 9-5 with an hour-paid lunch, and it was your time. Now it’s 8-5 with an hour unpaid, and you’re expected to answer your phone if it rings and be at your desk 5-15 minutes before you’re on the clock.”
14. TV Bumpers
Someone on Reddit said, “TV bumpers. There used to be a little sequence between the show and commercials. Some of them were really interesting and creative. I think my generation remembers the “wand IDs” on the Disney channel (where a Disney celeb would use a wand to make the logo). There were also bumpers that were PSAs or other actual content.”
Another added, “I remember MTV bumpers in the very, very early days before they had been saturated with commercials. So very long ago.”
So, where did those TV bumpers go? Did they all run off to start a bumper circus, leaving us behind with nothing but reruns and commercials? Or did some evil villain swipe them from our screens, trying to rob us of our TV joy?
15. Plastic Lanyard
Plastic lanyards used to be the ultimate fashion accessory! You’d sport them around your neck, showing off your crafting skills to become the talk of the town! One said, “Those plastic lanyards people used to braid and make.”
Another person shared similar thoughts and mentioned, “And it’s so hard to ask people if they remember them because they all called them something different! Gimp braids, boomdoggle, scoobie-doos…”
Another person said, “I work at a camp and yup, they’re dead. Only a few can do it, and I do them all the time at work.”
16. Safe Places for Kids
Someone commented, “Places children and teenagers can hang out without supervision.”
Another responded, “This should be higher. Any millennials/Gen X remember hanging out at the mall as teens? Yeah, a lot of malls and shopping centers that still exist in the US today don’t allow that anymore; they now require everyone under 18 to be accompanied by someone over 21.”
Nowadays, it’s all about organized playdates and scheduled activities. We’ve got helicopter parents making sure kids are supervised 24/7, and the fun is a little less adventurous.
17. Family Photos at Home
Family photographs used to be the soul of our homes! You’d walk into any living room, and there they were, hanging proudly like a visual story of our lives. We’d have snapshots of birthdays, vacations, holidays, and every random family gathering in between.
Someone on Reddit said, “Having many Family photographs in homes. Completely gone now, homes used to be plastered in them. The only times I really notice them is in homes of older people.”
Someone else replied, “I think that has a lot to do with digital photography coming into play. The only person I’ve met who actually has prints in his house is my uncle, who is a semi-professional photographer.”
18. Paper Newspaper
Someone shared, “Newspaper machines at random corners. Paper newspapers in general.”
Another person agreed to it and said, “My sister always used them as lining for her pet snake’s cage. She’s had the snake for 15 years now (she’s an old lady snake), and it gets harder and harder to find newspaper for her lmao.”
Paper newspapers were the OG of journalism! They brought us stories, opinions, and comics – all wrapped up in a bundle of papers. Plus, they were handy for covering your head when it rained; talk about multi-purpose!
19. Privacy
One said, ““In the 80’s, we were all worried about a wiretap in our home. Now we ask our wiretap to order a pizza for us.”
Another responded, “People video strangers like it’s normal, particularly children and the elderly. You think just because grandma doesn’t know how to get on Tiktok that it doesn’t matter if you’re putting her wedding dance on the world wide web? You think little Joe Jr. wants a video copy of himself playing his tummy like a beatbox? So his classmates can find it and ridicule him?”
Nowadays, it’s all about online tracking, targeted ads, and algorithms that know us better than our own families!
20. Fireflies
Someone on Reddit said, “Fireflies, aka *lightning bugs. I live rural and I used to see hundreds on a warm summer night. Now I get excited if I see just one. I mentioned it to other people who live in the same area as I do, and they were just like, “Huh. Yeah. You’re right!””
Someone else replied, “Growing up in Los Angeles, I always thought they were movie fiction… Until I moved to rural GA. The first time I saw one, my classmates thought I looked so adorable, just gawking at them in total awe. It was like seeing a unicorn!”
Have you seen any fireflies recently?
17 Celebrities Who Experienced A Rapid And Damaging Downward Spiral
Celebrities are everywhere! It’s amazing how they can capture our attention and become the center of our pop culture universe. One minute, they’re regular people, and the next, boom! They’re catapulted into the limelight, living the high life and being adored by fans all over the world. But fame comes with its fair share of downfalls.
17 Celebrities Who Experienced a Rapid and Damaging Downward Spiral
20 Antiquated Social Customs We Need To Leave Behind in the Dust
Can you believe how much our society has changed over the years? It’s surely mind-blowing! As we find ourselves in the 21st century, it’s high time we look closely at some old social customs that don’t fit in anymore.
20 Antiquated Social Customs We Need To Leave Behind in the Dust
10 Startling Things People Feel Ashamed To Admit They Don’t Know How To Do
In a world where competence and expertise are often praised and admired, it’s no surprise that many individuals harbor secret insecurities about their lack of knowledge or skills in certain areas. You’d be surprised at what some people don’t know.
10 Startling Things People Feel Ashamed To Admit They Don’t Know How To Do
20 Hilariously Outdated Pieces of Boomer Advice That Leave Millennials in Stitches
From lectures on frugality to hard work, Baby Boomer advice is never in short supply. But what happens when that wisdom doesn’t seem to fit with the experiences of a millennial? Some advice needs to be left in the past.
20 Hilariously Outdated Pieces of Boomer Advice That Leave Millennials in Stitches
Grandma Knows Best! Frugal Living Tips from the Great Depression That Are Relevant Today
Our grandparents and great-grandparents lived through the Great Depression, which forced them to be very frugal and make do with very little. They became creative in the ways they saved money and reduced waste. We can learn from their habits.
Grandma Knows Best! Frugal Living Tips from the Great Depression That Are Relevant Today
20 Things That Boomers Love That Are Hard for Us To Understand
There is a ton of stuff old people do that the younger generation doesn’t seem to wrap their heads around. However, it is a pattern, and everyone who gets old ends up doing the same things they couldn’t understand when they were young.
20 Things That Boomers Love That Are Hard for Us To Understand
This article was produced and syndicated by A Dime Saved.
