# Did your mom... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 7, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023 "2003-09-07T01:45:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WomanofScorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@WomanofScorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WomanofScorn)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/1 "2003-09-07T01:45:03Z")
save birthday candles? We have recently moved and I found some birthday candles. They were new, thank the Lord. Thought I had inherited the disease for a minute there. But it had me thinking about how my mom had a drawer full of USED candles. I never quite understood why. Why not just buy new ones? So has anyone else’s mom done this? Or do you? What other odd things do you stash in a forgotten drawer? Toodles, WoS ---
**Author:** ![Latch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f475e1/32.png) [@Latch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latch)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/2 "2003-09-07T01:48:26Z")
My mom saved them, but bought new ones when another b’day came around!?!? I live on res (dorms) in a house w/ 11 other people. Someone had a birthday at the beginning of the year and we got some candles. Now we use them for everyone’s birthday. Have to blow them out quickly though because they’re getting kind of short 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/3 "2003-09-07T02:33:07Z")
We save and reuse until they are little stubs. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/4 "2003-09-07T02:54:28Z")
My mom saved them, but then always bought new ones too! Must be a “growing up in the '50’s” thing… ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/5 "2003-09-07T03:12:37Z")
Heck, I STILL do this, and I’m gonna be 46 this week. I don’t reuse them on birthday cakes, but I do use them as wicks for votive candles which have lost their own wicks, and they’re handy to use to light charcoal, for instance. I started saving them before those extra long lighters came out. However, I save just about EVERYTHING. One of my nicknames is “Lynn the Packrat” and for good reason. ---
**Author:** ![Papaveraceae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e8c25b/32.png) [@Papaveraceae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papaveraceae)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/6 "2003-09-07T03:20:40Z")
My mom had one of those jars with the rubber seal on that she stored all old used birthday candles. they got all dusty and sticky after a while. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/7 "2003-09-07T03:23:32Z")
No, but Mom saves wrapping paper. She unwraps it very carefully from presents and puts it away to use again later. Once we found her _ironing_ wrapping paper. My mom is really strange sometimes, bless her heart. ---
**Author:** ![Sinshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sinshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinshine)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/8 "2003-09-07T03:29:58Z")
When we dismantled the house that my grandmother lived in her entire married life, we found what must have been every margarine tub she’d ever purchased. I lived with her for two years. I have very clear memories of the lectures I received for using anything less than Tupperware™ for food saving purposes. Simply nothing else would prevent the bacteria from getting in! ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/9 "2003-09-07T03:30:53Z")
🙂 AREN’T moms precious?!!! The things they were taught, before we were even a glint in Dad’s eye. It harkens back to a time that none of us can remember, much less relate to! ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/10 "2003-09-07T03:51:24Z")
My mom still has the “6” candle from when I turned six. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/11 "2003-09-07T05:40:59Z")
My mom only saved the singing candle, all others got thrown away. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Macphisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Ms\_Macphisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Macphisto)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/12 "2003-09-07T05:51:08Z")
I’m pretty sure my mom saved the number candles, but not regular candles. I’m not quite sure why she’d save the number candles, since you can’t exactly reuse them the next year and my brother’s four years younger than I am, so they’d be forgotten by the time he reached the appropriate age. Doper mothers, tell me the truth: when your first child is born, you get issued a secret handbook outlining all the inexplicable things you can do to drive your kids nuts, don’t you? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/13 "2003-09-07T05:58:05Z")
My mother used to save pens that didn’t work… actually, I think she still does this. She thinks that if you write enough with the pen that supposedly doesn’t work, it’ll work again. Somehow, I’m not so sure. Thank goodness I don’t do that. F\_X ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/14 "2003-09-07T06:30:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Flamsterette\_X \* > \*\*My mother used to save pens that didn’t work… actually, I think she still does this. She thinks that if you write enough with the pen that supposedly doesn’t work, it’ll work again. Somehow, I’m not so sure. Thank goodness I don’t do that. \*\* If there’s still ink in them, I’ve found the flame from a lighter or match applied to the ballpoint can usually make em work again. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/15 "2003-09-07T06:48:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ms Macphisto \* > Doper mothers, tell me the truth: when your first child is born, you get issued a secret handbook outlining all the inexplicable things you can do to drive your kids nuts, don’t you? 😉 Several of us are going to find out in a few months. But I somehow suspect if there _is_ such a handbook one of the rules is ‘Don’t tell about the handbook’ My mom is a major packrat… she still has tons of little odds and ends of mine from when I was younger and left behind when I moved and she kept in case I ever wanted them again. Last I visited her I started going through stuff and finally just said ‘know what mom? Unless you really truly think I’ll need it or it’s clothes you think might still fit and I need to try on… get rid of it’ So maybe she’ll have more space to put more junk in, but at least I won’t feel guilty for her holding onto stuff I haven’t seen/used in several years. The only upside is she still has baby blankets and maybe some clothes and cloth diapers which will come in handy. I know my cabbage patch kids wore some of my baby clothes… ---
**Author:** ![Nvme77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Nvme77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nvme77)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/16 "2003-09-07T07:30:10Z")
My mom saved the candles as well as the little ornament stuff put on our birthday cakes (firetrucks, cinderella’s coach, record player) It reminds me of those times as a kid when birthdays were cool things. Now imy birthdays just seem forced. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/17 "2003-09-07T10:09:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Latch \* > **My mom saved them, but bought new ones when another b’day came around!?!?** My mum does that too ---
**Author:** ![WomanofScorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@WomanofScorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WomanofScorn)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/18 "2003-09-08T01:37:12Z")
ooooooo my i’m so guilty of keeping the ornaments on the cake. Of course, I was a child so they were toys to me heh. I actually still have a Garfield one…i’m so ashamed… ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/19 "2003-09-08T02:49:38Z")
Venturing a guess here, as I’m just a tad older than Lynn, but I think it has to do with our parents being depression kids. My Mom kvetches at Dad for the stuff he saves, but she’s cut from the same cloth. I’ll cast no stones, as there are things in my shop which would cause any rational life form to query, “WTF?” Another nut that hasn’t fallen far from the tree. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WomanofScorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@WomanofScorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WomanofScorn)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-your-mom/200023/20 "2003-09-08T03:53:06Z")
I was leaning more towards her being a packrat. course, she was born in '53 soooo. She’s not as bad as hubby’s grandma. She saves EVERYTHING. like rewashes paper plates…plastic sandwich bags…i mean everything. it’s horrible…but of course, she is 90 and grew up having to ration things. Oh well.