What Is 'Grandmacore'? Here's Why Youngsters Are Embracing 'Granny' Hobbies

A new trend, dubbed "grandmacore", has washed over social media where Gen Z and millennials are preferring to go slow in their lives by adopting hobbies that their grannies may have pursued. Instead of clubbing or bar hopping, young people are turning to knitting, baking, gardening, and crocheting -- finding comfort in these cosy, retro activities.

What is grandmacore?

Grandmacore is an aesthetic movement centred on the cosy, nostalgic vibe of a "traditional grandma" lifestyle. The trend is currently all over social media platforms, with users posting photos and videos, documenting their granny hobbies using the grandmacore hashtag.

"I think part of it is the desire to kind of find some slowness in your day, versus the constant (fast) paced rat race of what we were kind of taught was what we should be doing," Hannah Arnold, a housemaker who has embraced the grandmacore trend, told USA Today.

"I feel like Millennials and Gen Z are kind of being like, 'Wait, I don't want to work, work, work...my whole life and then find time for these hobbies. I want to integrate them into my life now, so I can enjoy them throughout my lifetime, not only when I'm old and grey."

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For the majority, picking up "granny" hobbies is a way to recall memories of their own grandmothers, who pampered and spoiled them.

The appeal of grandmacore lies in its simplicity and emotional connection. These innocuous hobbies provide a creative outlet while fostering a sense of accomplishment and connection to the past. From tending a garden to knitting a scarf, these activities allow individuals to unplug from digital overload and embrace a more conscious lifestyle.

“It takes some degree of your attention which can divert thoughts about other things that may be worrying you, allowing you to detach a bit from the emotional aspects of that, but it's not so all-encompassing that you can't still be aware of what's going on around you," psychological scientist Gabrielle Wiedemann, from Western Sydney University told The Sydney Morning Herald.