Middle NZ: The new generation’s coming for your vinyl collection - and not because they want to listen to it

Vinyl is not only "trendy" to collect, it's also "a thing" to hang it on your walls.

OPINION

Two of my granddaughters had birthdays this month. There are four days between them and they both turned 12.

One lives in Australia, so I FaceTimed her, sang Happy Birthday and we talked about her sleepover, what she was planning to do for the day and, of course, her presents.

Luckily for me, the other one lives in Hawke’s Bay and a family lunch was planned for Sunday.

The birthday girl was rather tired as she’d had a sleepover the night before, as was their dog, who had spent the night with the girls.

Usually, she’s running around the place (the dog, not the child) jumping up for a pat. Not on this day. She slept just about the entire time we were there.

Anyway, I went into my granddaughter’s bedroom, which was, as usual, immaculate. Not a thing out of place. I glanced up above her bed, and there on the wall were four LPs (all perfectly positioned).

I said: “Where did you get those from?”

She said: “Dad’s friend gave them to me.”

Me: “But why?”

She: “‘Cause it’s a thing.”

Me: “What do you mean ‘a thing’ and where did you get the idea?”

The answer, of course, was social media. Apparently, it’s the thing to do. Hang LPs on your wall.

I’ve seen LPs on walls before, a long time ago, and I know collecting vinyl is “a thing”. But I never expected to see it on my 12-year-old granddaughter’s wall.

I have since found out it’s ‘trendy’. I must get up with the play.

The other thing that’s trendy again is baggy jeans. They remind me of me a very long time ago.

I’ve thought about wearing them again, but can’t even bring myself to try them on. They look amazing on my grandchildren, and must be so much more comfortable than the tight jeans we have been wearing for years.

Next thing you know, she will be wearing knee-length boots, purple eyeshadow and mini-skirts.

Linda Hall is an assistant editor at Hawke's Bay Today. Photo / Warren Buckland.

Can’t wait to see her father’s reaction to that.

The other thing that is apparently trendy is skincare. That’s not a bad thing - however, I cringe sometimes when I see some of the bottles of “stuff” they put on their skin.

I did do a Nana warning about being “careful what they put on your skin”.

However, like all generations of young people, including myself, they just carry on with it.

There are far worse things they could be doing, and if it makes them happy, it makes me happy.

Footnote: Bit of chicken chat - at last, the girls are on the lay. Well, some of them. And I’m learning. I can tell which ones are laying because their combs are bright red. They love laying in the hay shed and I love going on egg hunts. Long may it last.

Linda Hall is a Hastings-based assistant editor for Hawke’s Bay Today and has 30 years of experience in newsrooms. She writes regularly on arts and entertainment, lifestyle and hospitality and pens a column.