GrownUps New Zealand

Gorgeous Grandma Day

Do you know what today the 23rd July celebrates?  Gorgeous Grandma Day!

Gorgeous Grandma Day is designed to celebrate the grannies in our lives.

Now that you know the day exists, hopefully you are already making plans to spend it with your own gran, or you will take the time to remember her in a special way.

Here are some memories of grandmothers from the GrownUps team – we’d love you to add yours in the comments below!

My maternal grandmother was a smart, feisty, gorgeous lady. She was fiercely proper, being a good English girl, but had those feet of hers firmly on the ground, with a wicked sense of humour.

As the eldest grandchild, I was very fortunate to have more time than most with her – and I was allowed the odd special privilege – my grandparents always set a tea tray at night, so that in the morning, they could enjoy a cuppa in bed before they got up (complete with electric jug). I had my own cup (which my mother had used as a child), and milo in bed, while I was read endless stories in the morning.

I also loved her home made ginger beer and gingernuts and the jar of licorice allsorts that she kept on the mantlepiece.

Once I was too big for that, the roles reversed, and I got to have a turn at taking care of her (as it turns out, pedicures by the beach and chatting are an excellent way to spend the afternoon – I left the swimming to Granny and my own daughter (who inherited her great-grandmother’s love of cold water  far more than I did!)

When I think of my paternal grandmother, I think of soft skin and amazing baking. I know that I inherited my love of baking and cooking from her – she never ever scrimped on ingredients, she never used a ‘instant packet’ and she was unfailingly generous. I learned a lot, just watching her in the kitchen, and despite not having the easiest of lives, she always showed love quietly, and was kind and brave.

Her vegetable garden was the stuff of legend, I doubt she ever bought a vegetable in her life, but it was her baking that stole the show – her tip for a perfect sponge? Take it out of the oven after 17 minutes, drop it from waist height onto the floor, and then put in back in the oven. They were light, fluffy and much taller than my little mouth could stretch, so I always ended up with icing sugar up my nose.

The roles reversed the night after my grandfather died, I remember her hand in mine, while she talked about him, and it felt like I was really helping her.

My grandmothers rocked.

Jane, GrownUps editor

My Nana Hannah is still alive (thankfully) and a very colourful member of our extended family – and I mean that literally. Every morning she changes her earrings for a different pair and her wardrobe is a sea of gem-stone colours: emerald greens, sapphire blues, teals that punch you in the face, the brightest pinks. (Last Christmas she wore a tee with an image of a pair of kicks over a powerline, Karen Walker maybe? “Nana do you know what that picture means?” “Yep”.)
She gives the best presents and always has done: when I was about four she made me a dress to match hers and I never felt prouder than when I was twinning with my nana. One year she sewed each of the grandsons (four of them) boardshorts from neon-coloured fabric – an utter highlight, worn till they fell apart.
Her dressing table is littered with pottles of creams and potions (lavender scented, primarily) but the best jars from my childhood were the ones that sat on her kitchen counter filled with lollies. Licorice Allsorts are her fave (RIP) but she always hunted out different varieties to keep us happy.
Debbie, Casual Fridays PR 
My grandmother Francis Stott (my mother’s mother, pictured ) was the greatest influence on my life she taught me so much. She was quite formidable and a real lady I never heard her utter a four letter word, and the values that she taught me as a child I still use today.
She and her husband Harold – who I called Pop – always took me to live theatre mostly at Auckland’s His Majesties and the St James theaters. Live theatre is a love I still have to this very day.
They took me to see my second cousin who was in the Auckland Roller Skating championships back in the mid 1950, I fell in love with roller skating and took it up as a hobby. It soon took over my life,  I skated in the championships till I was 21 and came second in the dance pairs in 1959 at the world roller skating championships in Christchurch.
Looking back on my life now the values and influences my wonderful grandparents instilled in me, I’m forever grateful  without their guidance my life would have been so different.

David H.W. Hartnell MNZM

My Gorgeous Grandma (nana) made it to the ripe old age of 100.

She was a real character and stubborn as anything. I guess you are when you’ve survived two world wars.
One of the most touching stories of her life was during the war when nana and granddad ran a bakery in the outskirts of London. They had to continue to bake the bread even during air raids etc, as it was such a necessity of life.
Nana had two young children (my mum and uncle) that she had to send away to live the country as it was too dangerous for them to stay in the city.
She would travel for hours by train to visit when she could, however my mum who was only a baby wouldn’t recognise her when she got there. I can’t imagine how heart breaking that would have been for her.
They all emigrated by boat to NZ in the 50’s and Nana spent most of the journey horribly seasick.
But Nana was a battler right throughout her life. Even after 3 hip replacements, a pacemaker and crippling arthritis, she would still insist on making her own bed and dressing herself each day whilst in the rest home.
She was rather deaf and would yell her conversations at you in the rest home lounge about all the other residents, and also comment loudly how the carers had very big bottoms (rather embarrassing).
One of my favourite comments that she would make when I went to visit was ‘love, your dumplings are boiling over,’ referring to my cleavage.
She also told me to ‘try before you buy’ when talking about finding a suitable husband / partner – quite open minded considering the era she grew up in.
I’ll definitely be thinking of her on Grandma day!
Sara, GrownUps

My Dutch grandma (or Oma) as we called her was not a sweet little white haired lady but she had oomph! A fiery redhead right into her eighties she was always impeccably and stylishly dressed during the day and at night wore silk pyjamas.

My Oma loved playing games with us.  She was fiercely competitive. If you beat her at scrabble it was no mean feat! She also owned a mah-jong set. How we loved this exotic game with its ivory tiles.

Oma was a very talented cook and was famous for her giant Dutch meatballs (about the size of a baseball) swimming in buttery Dutch gravy. She was also an expert at some Indonesian dishes like nasi goreng (my grandparents had been missionaries there). It was delicious!

She liked it hot and would stir plenty of sambal oelek (fiery minced red Indonesian chillies) into her rice. Luckily this was optional so we didn’t burn our mouths.

My mother was an only child so when our family immigrated to New Zealand my grandparents came over for a few years as well. They brought with them their sturdy Dutch bikes. Those were the days when only schoolkids would ride on bikes so I thought it very embarrassing if, when I was out with my friends, my grandparents rode past calling out “ Hallo! Hallo!” loudly. Now I can appreciate they were ahead of their time.

She may not have been a cuddly grandma, but I remember her fondly – I have also forgiven her for making me learn to knit on four needles!

Lyn Potter, GrownUps columnist

My memories of my Grandma, who died when I was 4 are…When I used to eat my Weetbix in the morning, I would keep it in my cheek for some reason and not swallow it.  She would keep pushing it with her finger, which I’m sure I used to find funny.

I have a lovely photo of Grandma & myself, on Christmas Day, with my Batman costume on, that she had just given me.  The broad smile on both of our faces is a memory that I cherish.

My memories of my Nana, who died when I was in my early 20’s…She was a very strong lady, who had been widowed many years before.  I used to call in after work, from my first job and talk about my day and what was going on in life.  She used to read literally every word in the newsletter every day, partly as I guess she liked to know what was going on, however also, on reflection, she was no doubt very lonely and hence it was her companion each morning.  She had a great laugh which I can still hear if I listen closely.
Richard, GrownUps