Everyone comes from a unique and sometimes strange family. Growing up, we don’t know any better, so everything our family teaches us–well, we think that’s what everyone else does.
Maybe your family uses poop knives, maybe your family does the whole “family cloth.” Or, maybe your family eats some pretty nasty food combos–but, you never realized it was weird or strange until you moved out into the real world, without mom and dad.
Cooking Channel show host and podcast host Georgia Hardstark asked the Internet what the weirdest thing their families did growing up was…
What’s a weird thing your family did that you thought was normal till you moved out? We kept birthday candles in the freezer.
— Georgia Hardstark (@GHardstark) April 19, 2018
And, obviously, there were some strange things.
35.
The dishwasher was used strictly for storage. Not dishes either, just random shit
— Philip Stroh (@Strohbo32) April 19, 2018
34.
Family Dinner "cuss out" we could say whatever horrible words we wanted for 3 minutes 1ce a month at dinner (simultaneously), then couldn't curse the rest of the month
— BeccaPants (@BeccaHandel) April 19, 2018
33.
Once my brother and I figured out the Santa thing, all of our Christmas presents suddenly started to be from living AND deceased pets. It isn't really Christmas until I've received a wrapped gift from, "Ghost of Eeyore the parakeet."
— No Shoes (@noshoes039) April 19, 2018
32.
We stick our heads under the faucet when we want a quick drink of water. The HORROR on my new college friend's face when she took me home and I did it in front of her parents.
— hannah reis nation (@hannahrreis) April 19, 2018
31.
my family always kept butter on the counter so it would be soft & spreadable for toast in the morning. when i lived with my ex, he threw away a brand new container of butter i had set out overnight because he was scared of food+germs. it was a sore spot & it STILL IS.
— Julie Z (@mammothwheat) April 19, 2018
30.
Every morning we gathered in my parents room for a cup of tea and to discuss what we were all doing for the rest of the day.
— Ariadne Griffin (@Ariadne_Griffin) April 19, 2018
29.
My first college roommate got the flu and I asked if she wanted a puke bowl Incase she couldn’t make it to the bathroom in time. Oh that’s not a thing? ?
— Sammi Gilmartin (@SammiSuzyQ) April 19, 2018
28.
No joke. Bathing everyday. I have so many friends that don’t shower/bathe everyday. Everyone in my family does and it was expected and normal. Went to college and was totally shocked.
— Dr. OG (@TheRealDrOG8) April 19, 2018
27.
We would have arguments in the form of long, formal letters that we would then hand to each other stone-faced. Turns out that's not a casual thing in the rest of society.
— B.G. Holt (@BGtheBFG) April 19, 2018
26.
My dad ate saltine crackers with his ice cream. I did to. Then realized it was weird.
— Frodis Caper ☮️ (@Frodis_Caper) April 19, 2018
25.
We don’t use the front door ever under any circumstance
— Hope (@hopelatour) April 19, 2018
24.
We left bourbon for Santa instead of milk. Didn’t realize that wasn’t normal until I was a teenager.
— Kathleen Ferner (@Kathleany) April 19, 2018
23.
I thought Thanksgiving was a costume holiday until I was 15 because we all dressed in full pilgrim regalia.
— Furball (@dickfacecat) April 19, 2018
22.
Called the tv remote the channel changer
— emilie-strange (@emiliestrange36) April 19, 2018
21.
“Salad” was a head of iceberg cut up with ranch on it. When I grew up the stuff in salads blew my mind.
— Carla Morfee (@Carriebot) April 19, 2018
20.
When my kids are grown, their answer will probably be- making a mini snowman every winter and keeping him in the freezer. pic.twitter.com/1dlW0EIspl
— Andria Terry (@aterry55) April 19, 2018
19.
We kept our pajamas under our pillows. I thought everyone did that. My mom would say put your pjs away and she meant under your pillow. In college my roommate told me they go in a drawer.
— Love, Steen (@okayitskristina) April 19, 2018
18.
My dad would buy those rectangular blocks of cheese and we would just hang and watch tv while eating slices of cheese off the block. Apparently eating cheese like that is weird?
— Rachel Dawson (@rmd030) April 19, 2018
17.
When McDonald's had 39 cent hamburgers my mom would stock up and freeze them, and then reheat them throughout the week for dinner. I think part of it was budgetary but part of it was that she just didn't want to cook. Ha!
— Beth (@discomBoBruns) April 19, 2018
16.
My parents put cracked empty eggs back in the carton
— JamieChambery (@jamie_chambery) April 19, 2018
15.
My parents use the microwave as a bizarre kind of food storage device. Any leftover bacon from breakfast? Check the microwave. Pizza from last night? Check the microwave. It’s a wonder we haven’t all died of food poisoning. Right, @catiecatiee?
— Lauren Marie ? (@theLaurenHW) April 19, 2018
14.
My family brings a cooler of beer to wakes and when things get too emotional we go outside and have a little tailgate. Thought all Irish American families did that until I went away to college.
— Kelcie Meehan (@kekied2) April 19, 2018
13.
Not weird, specifically…but because we always had toasters, I thought toaster ovens were what rich people had instead of toasters.
— Tiffany Wilson (@SleepyTiff) April 19, 2018
12.
I thought these were called wheezewickers until I moved out for college pic.twitter.com/D3ThGYb7cD
— aloha amanda (@heymandarae) April 19, 2018
11.
My mom would insert my brothers name instead of Mickey in "Hey Mickey!" I didn't realize until I was about 20 that it wasn't actually his name.
— Kelly Raaz (@KellyRaaz) April 19, 2018
10.
Every Christmas Eve we’d put “reindeer food” out in the yard. One year I asked why there were no footprints. After that my mom used an old severed deer leg our dog found (we lived in the country) to make hoofprints and keep my childhood Christmases magical.
— Kaylee Collier (@kaylee_collier) April 19, 2018
9.
On the first day of spring my grandma would take us out to the garden to look for the “Thumbelina flower.” She would buy these teeny little fairy dolls and plant a tulip and place the doll into the tulip so we could find it.
— Expedition Limitless (@travelimitless) April 19, 2018
8.
We had a small kitchen & used our oven for storage. We kept tons of pots, pans, baking sheets, etc. packed to the max. Moved in with two of my best friends & they made fun of me nonstop for instinctively checking the oven all the time for pots & pans
— Jackie McDonagh (@jmacca92) April 19, 2018
7.
My family called the cheese and tortilla roll up things that you heat up in the microwave “cheese dongs”. I never questioned it until I went to college. The look on my roommates’ faces when I called it that was priceless ?
— Ella (@EllaJo2016) April 19, 2018
6.
Dad would cook us chicken and noodles for dinner and call it “dead dog in a basket” @DominiqueH92
— Dariane (@dh08) April 19, 2018
5.
Assigned seats at the supper table/no elbows on the supper table/asking if I may be excused when I'm finished eating!!! I thought everyone's household was like that til I slept at a friends lol
— jazming (@jaazzercise) April 19, 2018
4.
My sister and I used 2 to 3 clean towels every shower. 1 for the floor, 1 for the bod, 1 for the hair. I didn't have a clue people reused towels. #momloveslaundry #beforeearthday
— Mary Regan (@marycregan) April 19, 2018
3.
Peanut butter and honey sandwiches are apparently wayyy less popular than PB&J
— Matt Berry (@martiansunset) April 19, 2018
2.
We called the Kraft grated parmesan cheese shaky cheese & I didn't know that was weird until my college roommates told me that "shaky cheese isn't a thing"
— ???? (@t_a_i_a_) April 19, 2018
1.
Used old (clean!) underwear for dusting cloths. Really?
— Typical Arglebargle ? (@kellymiche) April 19, 2018