Celebrate the End Of Yet Another Year With the 50 Best Childhood Memes for GenXers and Millennials

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John Summers • Contributor
Dec 3, 2024 11:00 PM EST

Writing nostalgic listicles is always a blast, but I have to say, 2024 has been especially fun for diving headfirst into all those 80s and 90s throwbacks. There's just something about looking back at our childhoods that makes the world seem a little more magical—or at least a little less complicated. From Blockbuster runs on Friday nights to that sweet 8-bit soundtrack of our favorite video games, this year, I spent a lot of time putting together lists that brought back the sights, sounds, and feelings of a simpler era.

Now, as the year winds down, I'm closing it out with one of my favorites: the 50 best childhood memes for GenXers and Millennials. It's a perfect end-of-year celebration that dives deep into all those shared experiences we grew up with—like slap bracelets, Saturday morning cartoons, and giant brick cell phones. Grab your favorite snack, settle in, and let's revisit some old memories together.

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  • 01

    My relationship with 2024 was iffy anyways

    KELI est MAYOR DIE WILSON EMASO DELOREAN RENTAL COM 2024 Me 80s
    via @80skidsrule
  • 02

    And a plaid flannel shirt around your waist

    When it's 1999 and you show up to class with frosted tips, the new Limp Bizkit CD, a Korn tee, and brand spankin' JNCOs.
    via @8090sbabiesonly
  • 03

    Ignored Again!

    18:27 1 Q Best genx playlist on Apple Music Google Best genx playlist on Apple Music ⇓ 57 Sign in Oli All Videos Images Short videos Shopping News Did you mean: Best gen z playlist on Apple Music
    via u/cthulusbestmate
  • 04

    "Oh the Times, they are a-changing"

    SUPER MARIO3
    via u/Ralph--Hinkley
  • 05

    What's the point if the boombox is gonna do it again?

    00 PENCIL...
    via u/EdwardBliss
  • 06

    I see you are also a man of exquisite taste

    Me, When I Hear 90's Music Blasting From the Car Next to Me. Instagram.com/That80s And90sPage
    via @that80sand90spage
  • 07

    Seemed weird at the time too, TBH

    GRANYA BROS I'M SO OLD MY HIGH SCHOOL HAD A SMOKING AREA
    via u/Jawsfinatic71
  • 08

    TSssss

    THROW EVERY 80'S KID KNOWS THE FEELING OF BEING BRANDED BY THIS ON A HOT SUMMERS DAY
    via @toys_retro
  • 09

    I sneezed and now I have to rest

    Really mad about how fast life went from MySpace to MyChart. THAT 80 901 PARE MyChart MyChart
    via @that80sand90spage
  • 10

    More like peak 80s

    When the weather man says dress for the mid 80s
    via @toys_retro
  • 11

    Zo-Hom-Bi, Zo-Hom-Bi...

    There's nothing worse than having a Cranberries song stuck in your heeeeeeead, in your heeeeeead, in your head, in your head, in your hea, hea, hea, head....
    via @that80sand90spage
  • 12

    Also Viggo Mortensen is now older than Ian McKellen was when he played Gandalf

    Santa INTERN Fi do Ralph Macchio Is Now Older Than Pat Morita Was In The Karate Kid. Let that sink in.
    via @toys_retro

    You're Welcome 

  • 13

    It was all the led paint we ate

    THIS IS WHAT A GRADE 8 GRAD LOOKED LIKE IN THE 80'S
    via @toys_retro
  • 14

    When he turned his hat backwards it gave him more power

    No one: We need a movie about arm-wrestling truckers 1980s: Go on. I'm listening.
    via @toys_retro
  • 15

    What even is that?

    thinking about the crackhead honey comb guy from the 90s
    via @that80sand90spage
  • 16

    I have permanent hearing loss and I love it!

    GEN Z "THIS THING REALLY BOS KICKS!" GEN X: "CAN IT KNOCK PICTURES OFF THE WALL ?"
    via @toys_retro
  • 17

    I swear, If they touch Back to the Future...

    Me watching all these reboots of my favorite movies that had nothing wrong with them in the first place
    via @toys_retro
  • 18

    It was exciting!

    This device could predict incoming phone calls
    via @80s_channel
  • 19

    Free pickup service

    You have a collect call from: "It'stimetopickmeup Fromtheskatingrink"
    via @80skidsrule
  • 20

    You know where you are? You're in the jungle, baby!

    I DON'T ALWAYS LISTEN TO THE 80'S.... BUT WHEN I DO, J SO DO THE NEIGHBORS
    via @80skidsrule
  • 21

    They should do this again, with the same N64s

    Back when McDonald's had Nintendos 64 in em was the peak of humanity
    via JoetheGeologist
  • 22

    Just spreading the love

    GEN ALPHA HEART GEN Z HEART MILLENNIAL HEART GEN X HEART
    via u/Ultravod
  • 23

    Just cut these kind of people out of your life

    Thank you for letting me borrow your CD. I love track 8. Here ya go. Sfemorer @millennial misery
    via ProfessorGigglesworth
  • 24

    Can you imagine NOT doing the drum solo?!

    So, "In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins came on a few minutes ago at work. I was the ONLY person who did the air drum solo. I don't wanna work here anymore. I don't need that kind of negativity in my life.
    via @genxtalks
  • 25

    Robot 100%

    WHICH ONE DID 00 YOU CHOOSE?
    via JoetheGeologist
  • 26

    What about quicksand and Piranhas?

    D Is it just me, or does no one disappear in the Bermuda Triangle anymore?
    via @genxtalks
  • 27

    Everywhere is a playground when you're left unsupervised

    IS THIS A PLAYGROUND? CONSTRUCTION SITE GENERATION X imaflip.com 百
    via u/copperpin
  • 28

    It's probably in the box of old cables

    Canon PowerShot ELPHIBO CANO via Canon/Ta NS 8 2-6.9 8x Moment of silence for this lil guy who used to be a key member of the squad and geltedaily now who even knows where the heck y'all left him
    via ProfessorGigglesworth
  • 29

    Still too soon

    How To Trigger GenX This Halloween
    via u/JeffTS
  • 30

    I feel targeted

    You know you are old when your ability to recall song lyrics from the 80's far exceeds your ability to remember why you walked into the kitchen.
    via u/damagedgoodz99824
  • 31

    Oh come on!

    Rob Petrozzo @robpetrozzo They put the discman w/ the anti-skip system in a museum. This is what it feels like to turn old, officially. Panasonic Panasonic S-5X420 MP3 ANTI-SKIP SYSTEM Discman, a portable compact disc (CD) player, Panasonic, c. 2002. WDM-2009-S-1
    via ProfessorGigglesworth, @robpetrozzo
  • 32

    How to confuse a GenZ

    I'm This Old.. IIII INSTRUCTOR USE ONLY 500 PART 1 1 to 50 のの KEY 1 CA 10 s 2 EAS (8) CO 3 CAS << 10 ES 4 <A> <B> 07 ES 1. <A> <B> ex coa co TAY C •Orry one man MARKING INSTRUCTIONS SUBJECTIVE SCORE FEATURE CAS CB> < 10 CA> <B> <CS (DCS 11. CAS CB3 103 102 12 <A><B>< 12 CA> CB: <0> <b>c> 14 <A> <B: ces coɔces 15 CAT CBD CC2 102 LES 16 CA> <B> ( 911 NAME SUBJECT 20 CAS 3 KO KO 21 A 133 (0) 0 E 22 AY 22 AS BY 25 <A> <B (C) D 28 KAT CB2 Co 27 VA> <B> CO 28 <A> <B> <C> (0) CES 25 A> <B> ces cos 28 3
    via @8090sbabiesonly
  • 33

    "Honey, bring the scissors from the drawer and a bowl from the kitchen"

    Kids haircuts today Haircuts when I was a kid.
    via @8090sbabiesonly
  • 34

    "Dad, I can't really breath in this" "You're fine!"

    Am FILTER CIGARETTES Homemade costumes in the '80s were legit Marlboro
    via @that80sand90spage
  • 35

    It comes with a huge book of CDs

    I am this old. VOL @millennial misery SCAN TRACK 135CV 21CA 3 TUNE PROG LO OFF TOYOTA TE ALENO CONTROL FLOW MODE 5 RPT 6 RAND 00 TAPE CD Panasonic RITT-SHOCK NEMORY
    via @millennial misery
  • 36

    What's the worst that can happen?

    Just want to send a shout out to the adult sitting on the porch who watched this entire scenario unfold and he just sat there. 2
    via @that80sand90spage
  • 37

    I need this guy back as an AI assistant

    If you know who this is, Ask Jeeves It's time to take some meds for that back pain
    via derek237
  • 38

    All of our problems started when the decided to ban these

    I CAN SMELL PONY BOY THIS PHOTO
    via @80s_channel
  • 39

    That's actually a really good name for a band

    Head Cleaner - worst band ever... Head Cleaner Play Both Sides Ling
    via @80s_channel
  • 40

    Wait, 80s movies are old? Since when!?

    "2000s movies are as old now as 80s movies were in the 2000s"
    via @80s_channel
  • 41

    What's My Age Again?

    HOME 1 BACK Oldies All the Small Things Blink 182 VOL AUDIO 105.9 144 Seek 144 1 Phon 97.1 Tune EM 1107.5 Scan Station List Bluetooth Smart Me at 35 having a midlife crisis because Blink-182 is now considered "oldies". Shortcu
    via derek237
  • 42

    He is holding a cigar!

    The Chuck E. Cheese I grew up with would have had today's Chuck E. Cheese in the back of a trunk C
    via u/lopix
  • 43

    Funnily enough it also tasted like toiler paper

    Back in the day we ate ice cream out of toilet paper rolls and didn't complain
    via u/jb2x
  • 44
    Damn, dude, save some women for the rest of us. TACO BELL @KYFriedMemes HONDA HONDA TESO CAMIN
    via @KYFriedMemes
  • 45

    Slime her!

    There is no Wendy, only Zuul. S
    via @totally80sroom
  • 46

    That's how I remember it

    Them: What was it like growing up in the 80's? Me: PWBOY TOMBSTONE WILD DOM PIZZ 18
    via @totally80sroom
  • 47

    Makes sense

    How we used to take selfies in the '90s D
    via derek237
  • 48

    I must confess, also my knees

    This is adulthood lower back MY LONELINESS IS KILLING ME
    via derek237
  • 49

    Now listen here you little punk...

    "Welcome, please scan the QR code for the menu.” ME:
    via 1980s Memory Lane
  • 50

    Where are the flying cars?!

    1984: I can't wait to see what the world is like in 40 years! 2024: I really miss 1984.
    via 1980s Memory Lane

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Tags

1990s 90s memes retro nostalgia 80s music Nostalgia Overload 80s 90s kids 90s memory lane nostalgia memes millennial-nostalgia 1980s
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