Why Getting Old Has Become So Cool

I was sitting in my local coffee shop, waiting for my friend to arrive, when I overheard the conversation at the next table. It was three women talking about their recent mahjong game. They were so excited and animated; it was as if they were talking about a professional sports playoff game and not their intimate, friendly competition.

Their enthusiasm did not surprise me. I recently started playing mahjong with friends and I am already hooked on the game.

What did make me chuckle was the ages of these women. They looked to be in there late 20’s or 30’s. Personally, I had started playing canasta and then mahjong when I was in my 50’s, after becoming an empty nester. It seemed logically since I had more free time and so many of my friends were playing.

I’ve always thought of mahjong as a game for older adults but these women were as young as my daughters.

And it isn’t mahjong that’s popular with young people. It seems that somehow the ways, clothes and pastimes of older women have become hip, cool and trend!

Mahjong Mania

“I admit, I used to think of mahjong as a game for my mother and grandmother, “says Kim Murstein, 30, Co-Host & Creator of the podcast and multi-platform entertainment brand Excuse My Grandma. But now she loves playing mahjong with her millennial peers. Murstein explains, “I resisted learning to play when my grandma and mom offered to teach me, thinking I was too young to enjoy the game. But I’ve discovered that playing mahjong is such a fun way to spend time with my friends.”

The popularity of mahjong makes sense. It’s a great way to connect with people regardless of your age. “We live in a divisive time,” says Grandma Gail Ruddick, 82 (co-host of Excuse My Grandma with Kim, her granddaughter.) Ruddick continues, “These games minimize the need for deep conversations or extraneous stuff. Everyone is focused on the boards or the tiles. It doesn’t matter your politics or your age – you can even play across generations. I love playing with my daughter and granddaughter.”

Caftans For All

In the classic sitcom Three’s Company, the landlady was a woman in her late 50s named Helen Roper. Mrs. Roper was always wearing a caftan (also called a “mu mu”), a long, flowy dress in a colorful pattern. Her attire was similar to that of another iconic older character, Dorothy on The Golden Girls.

Caftans are great for warm days, whether you are sipping drinks by the pool or going out to dinner. Light, airy, and comfortable (no annoying waistbands or worries about putting on a few pounds over the holidays), caftans are the ultimate easy-to-wear that looks great. So much so that younger women are catching on to their versatility. Social media influencers, as well as TV shows such as The White Lotus and Palm Royal, have made caftans a fashion trend, with celebrities such as Zendaya, Selena Gomez, and Priyanka Chopra sporting this easy style.

5 pm Dinner, Anyone?

When my friends suggest we meet for a dinner reservation after 7 pm, I’m polite but I am not happy.

Especially if I wanted to have a glass of wine, I prefer eating dinner on the early side. I find I digest better, sleep more soundly and lower my risk of a hangover headache if I eat and imbibe on the early side.

Years ago, my kids used to laugh and say it made me seem like a little old lady eating dinner at 5 o’clock.

But it turns out that my old lady’s eating habits were actually ahead of the trend!

Once deemed the early bird special specifically geared toward senior citizens, it is not young people flocking to evening meals before the sun sets. Ruddick jokes, “Now my friends and I have to dine at 3:30 to get a table.”

Murstein explains, “Our generation is much more health-conscious, and we realize it’s better for our bodies to eat earlier.” It’s true – studies show that eating between 4:30 and 6:30 is the sweet spot for better digestion. That early bird doesn’t just catch the worm, she improves her blood sugar control, decrease evening bloat, and support long-term weight management. 

B-I-N-G-O for the Win

Another game once considered a pastime played in retirement communities, Bingo is booming with Gen Z and millennials. The nostalgic appeal, ease of play, and socialization aspect have made it a very popular activity.

According to recent data, younger people are attending bingo nights at bars, casinos and community centers in their area. They like the opportunity to spend time with people where eating or drinking is not the sole focus.

Like mahjong and canasta, bingo offers a low-drama, low-cost way of spending time socializing.

Grandma Knows Best

Whether it’s nostalgia or a shift in values, it seems the younger generation is finally learning to appreciate their older, wiser elders.

“I’ve seen a response to our platform that my generation is realizing the wisdom of our grandmas,” says Murstein. “I like to call it ‘grandma core’ as I see younger people adopting the fashion and pastimes of our grandmothers. There is a lot of respect going around – in other words, ‘Don’t mock it until you try it!”