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Flipping through old family albums is both a pleasure and a challenge for us. It’s great to revisit wholesome memories from our past again, but it can really hurt to see just how many embarrassing and awkward photos there are of us. It’s cold, hard proof that we weren’t as cool as we thought we were! Is that really how we used to dress? Oh, dear Lord, is that what we look like when we smile?!

If you learn to embrace that goofy and derpy side of yourself, you might realize just how much fun you can have in front of the camera when you’re not trying to come across as ‘perfect.’ And it makes it sooo much easier to deal with any awkward pics you might find in your archives.

That’s where the Awkward Family Photos project comes in. The brainchild of childhood friends Mike Bender and Doug Chernack, AFP features super awkward and cringy photos from the past that are incredibly fun to look at. Nearly all of us have some pics at home like this which makes it even more enjoyable.

Scroll down for the newest vintage awkward pics, as featured by Awkward Family Photos, and remember to upvote your fave ones, Pandas. Got any similar photos to share with us? You can post your pics in the comments. And if you can’t get enough of AFP, then hang on to your hats and check out Bored Panda’s recent articles about the project here, here, and here.

More info: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com

#1

"My Aunt And Uncle Were Crowned "Golden Couple" At Our Local Fair For Being The Longest Married Couple In The County At 72 Years. Our Local Paper Did A Fantastic Arrangement For The Honor..."

"My Aunt And Uncle Were Crowned "Golden Couple" At Our Local Fair For Being The Longest Married Couple In The County At 72 Years. Our Local Paper Did A Fantastic Arrangement For The Honor..."

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Bored Panda got in touch with co-founder Mike again to get his take on a few more things. Meanwhile, we also interviewed professional photographer Dominic Sberna. Check out what both of them told us, Pandas!

Mike, the co-founder of Awkward Family Photos gave some advice on how best to achieve that great sense of embarrassment and awkwardness that'll echo through the decades.

"Well, as you know, we celebrate the awkward photos, not the normal photos... so we prefer that photographers make people uncomfortable," he suggested that anyone feeling comfortable in front of the camera isn't as interesting as someone oozing with character because of how unique they look in the frame.

"And here's how they can do that—put them in strange poses, make them stare at one another, submerge them in water, or position them in front of a dog that is relieving itself in the background," Mike joked, though those really are great ways to turn the awkwardness dial to the max.

#2

"My Grandma Got Bit By A Pelican On The Pier And Then Began To Scold It"

"My Grandma Got Bit By A Pelican On The Pier And Then Began To Scold It"

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#3

“One Of Our Goats And I Were Both Pregnant With Twins And Due The Same Week. I Made Her Dress Up And Take Maternity Photos With Me”

“One Of Our Goats And I Were Both Pregnant With Twins And Due The Same Week. I Made Her Dress Up And Take Maternity Photos With Me”

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According to Mike, the secret to an unnatural smile in photos is "a smile that says, 'I love my family,' when in reality, you want to strangle them."

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He told Bored Panda that the secret behind the AFP project's long-lived success truly is its relatability.

"I think AFP has been successful because everyone shares uncomfortable moments with their families. It's universal, no matter where you live or what language you speak," Mike said that these photos go deeper than language and culture, hinting at what makes us all human.

#4

"My All Time Favorite Picture Of My Sister. She Was 6, Tired, And Had Just Tried Sparkling Grape Juice. Not A Fan"

"My All Time Favorite Picture Of My Sister. She Was 6, Tired, And Had Just Tried Sparkling Grape Juice. Not A Fan"

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sharonemillia_1 avatar
Mozzarella
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My face when I hear another goddamn antivaxxer going on about my connection to Satan through the vaccine

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#5

"Dad Didn't Have Much Luck In The Arm Wrestling Circuit, But He Has High Hopes For His Boy"

"Dad Didn't Have Much Luck In The Arm Wrestling Circuit, But He Has High Hopes For His Boy"

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#6

“This Pretty Much Sums Up My Childhood"

“This Pretty Much Sums Up My Childhood"

"I’m the blond on the left burying my head in my sister’s lap while she gets in a cheap shot. The youngest is fish-hooking my other sister while my mother looks on and laughs. My father is letting everyone know what his future looks like with four daughters like these.”

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Meanwhile, pro photographer Dominic shared his thoughts with us about how the person behind the camera might go about building a sense of trust with those they're taking a picture of.

"Building trust comes by way of making someone feel comfortable," he explained to Bored Panda.

"To do that, you have to be outgoing and make sure that the person(s) you're photographing are free to be themselves. It will make for genuine images that they'll love for a lifetime," he shared.

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According to the expert, one of the best things that you can do to make the photographer's job easier is to be genuine. It also works for pretty much every other area in life, too.

"Just be yourself. This is also advice for life. Just be free and be yourself. You've paid someone (in most cases) to take your photo and you want to like the results," Dominic told Bored Panda.

#7

"We Just Wanted A Nice Family Photo"⁠

"We Just Wanted A Nice Family Photo"⁠

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#8

"When It’s Your First Day Of Kindergarten And Also Your First Day As Head Of The Pta"

"When It’s Your First Day Of Kindergarten And Also Your First Day As Head Of The Pta"

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#9

“As A Child, I Would Dress Up As A Clown Whenever There Was A Reason To Celebrate – In This Case The Birth Of My Younger Brother”

“As A Child, I Would Dress Up As A Clown Whenever There Was A Reason To Celebrate – In This Case The Birth Of My Younger Brother”

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"The only way you're like the end result is if you know that you acted as your true self and helped output the results you imagined in your vision."

Meanwhile, when it comes to flashing those pearly whites in a natural way, it all comes down to who you're with and what you think of in front of the camera.

"Having someone making you laugh or thinking of a happy memory. Some of my favorite photos from my own wedding day are when we're laughing because I can remember by the smiles on our faces what was being said," Dominic revealed to us.

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#10

"I Asked My Grandma If She Had Some Rice That I Can Put My Phone In When It Got Wet And She Pulls This Out Of A Cabinet"

"I Asked My Grandma If She Had Some Rice That I Can Put My Phone In When It Got Wet And She Pulls This Out Of A Cabinet"

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#11

“I Was Just Trying To Peel My Daughter Off Of Me, Sit Her On The Bench And Then I Was Running To Get Out Of The Picture. However It Looks Like I Have Left My Children With Their Sitter And Am Running Away For Dear Life!”

“I Was Just Trying To Peel My Daughter Off Of Me, Sit Her On The Bench And Then I Was Running To Get Out Of The Picture. However It Looks Like I Have Left My Children With Their Sitter And Am Running Away For Dear Life!”

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#12

“I Got A Life Sized Barbie When I Was 7 And My Brother Had Other Ideas”

“I Got A Life Sized Barbie When I Was 7 And My Brother Had Other Ideas”

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Founded all the way back in the ancient era of 2009, Awkward Family Photos evolved from a simple blog into a massive social media project that brings joy to countless people around the world. Awkwardness unites us all, no matter where we’re from.

On Facebook alone, AFP has nearly 2.6 million followers. Meanwhile, another million internet users have liked the project’s page on Instagram. It’s clear that they’re popular, and it’s no secret why: they bring vintage, relatable humor right to our feeds.

The co-founder of Awkward Family Photos, Mike, previously told Bored Panda that the core mission of the entire project has stayed the same throughout all this time.

The project, according to Mike, is “a celebration of awkwardness especially as it relates to family. We are still laughing 'with' and not 'at' people. We have built a community of folks who are comfortable enough to laugh at themselves."

As AFP has blossomed, the co-founders have looked at various ways of growing their brand. For instance, they’ve published a card game. It’s been so successful that they’ve even followed up with an expansion pack for it.

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#13

“My Poor Daughter Never Heard The End Of It From Her Siblings After Her Heartbreaker Tee Shirt Turned To Fartbreaker For School Pictures"

“My Poor Daughter Never Heard The End Of It From Her Siblings After Her Heartbreaker Tee Shirt Turned To Fartbreaker For School Pictures"

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john_laughlin avatar
Brandon Marlowe
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My fave! I actually DID laugh out loud. (Very juvenile sense of humor here.)

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#14

"My Dad In High School (1959) vs. Me In High School (1986)"

"My Dad In High School (1959) vs. Me In High School (1986)"

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#15

“My Sister Looking Like She’s Gonna Tear My Head Off When I Was An Infant Being Held By My Dad”

“My Sister Looking Like She’s Gonna Tear My Head Off When I Was An Infant Being Held By My Dad”

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"We have streamlined our process and brought on help so that we can look through everything we get and post the best-curated submissions. At the end of the day, our community is everything so we appreciate every photo and message," the co-founder shared his thoughts with us.

In Mike’s opinion, the very idea of ‘normal’ is pretty darn boring and superficial. "From our standpoint, the normal photos are boring. It's the awkward ones that reveal the most about us and our families. But in general, posing, matching outfits, and feuding families always make for glorious awkwardness so please keep it coming!" he said.

Some people (like yours truly), have an awfully difficult time relaxing and letting go of that desire for ‘perfection’ in everything that they do. Naturally, these individuals can feel upset if someone gently makes fun of them for looking super goofy in old photos. It can make us feel incredibly embarrassed and, if we don’t learn to embrace these feelings, it can even morph into a sense of deep-rooted shame.

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#16

“During Our ‘Perfect’ Beach Photo Shoot, My Oldest Son Jumped On My Back, Propelling My Infant Son Out Of My Arms"

“During Our ‘Perfect’ Beach Photo Shoot, My Oldest Son Jumped On My Back, Propelling My Infant Son Out Of My Arms"

"My infant son was not harmed, just wet and scared but mommy is forever traumatized.”

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#17

"A Valentines Day Card From A Student Of Mine"

"A Valentines Day Card From A Student Of Mine"

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#18

“Our Grandma Used To Not Only Give My Sister And Me Mullets In The 80s, She Would Then Perm Them. Matching Permed Mullets. Need I Say More?”⁠

“Our Grandma Used To Not Only Give My Sister And Me Mullets In The 80s, She Would Then Perm Them. Matching Permed Mullets. Need I Say More?”⁠

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Bored Panda recently spoke about dealing with embarrassment to a couple of experts. Professor Suzanne Degges-White from Northern Illinois University, a Licensed Counselor, said that having a sense of humor and flexibility helps when aiming for success in adulthood.

“Being able to laugh at our missteps allows us to go easy on ourselves when we do something potentially embarrassing. No one likes to 'lose face,' and that is engrained to varying degrees across cultures. Unfortunately, our brains may be especially prone to catastrophizing events and so we might make something more out of something no one else really noticed and no one else will recall later on," she said.

"When we are able to 'get it off our chest,' we actually feel better about the event. That's a healthy response to an embarrassing moment. When our personalities are wired to feel that we must be 'perfect' in all that we do, we internalize negative feelings about the mistake we made and mistakenly assume that everyone else is judging us due to that one moment," the professor suggested opening up about our embarrassment with others.

"Fortunately, our brains are designed to protect us from pain and many of us may suffer horrible humiliation at some point in our lives, but we can benefit from a brain that allows us to 'selectively forget' the incident, or else we're able to rationalize it by reminding ourselves that 'everyone makes mistakes,' 'it was just one time and no one will remember it,' or similar healthy responses,” she said.

#19

“My Husband As An Infant. I Prayed Our Children Would Not Inherit His Large Cranium”

“My Husband As An Infant. I Prayed Our Children Would Not Inherit His Large Cranium”

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#20

"If Your Mum Wasn't Making Herself Into A Ramp For Your New Bmx, Did She Even Love You? 1980'"

"If Your Mum Wasn't Making Herself Into A Ramp For Your New Bmx, Did She Even Love You? 1980'"

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#21

"My Favorite Picture Of My Parents. Them On Their Wedding Day. 1991"

"My Favorite Picture Of My Parents. Them On Their Wedding Day. 1991"

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"The best way to embrace our mistakes is to acknowledge we've made one—or else no learning can take place. Then remind ourselves that everyone makes mistakes—that's totally normal behavior! Then figure out a way to laugh at yourself before allowing someone else to laugh at you first. When you laugh at yourself, others laugh WITH you, not AT you,” the professor noted, adding that some parents raise their kids by demanding ‘perfection’ in everything they do which can lead to further problems down the line.

#22

“Our Daughter Would Not Cooperate For Her Photos. She Was Doing Everything But Smiling. Here She Is Getting Ready To 'Hulk' Out”

“Our Daughter Would Not Cooperate For Her Photos. She Was Doing Everything But Smiling. Here She Is Getting Ready To 'Hulk' Out”

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#23

"I Was Born In 1981 But Turned 55 In 1992"

"I Was Born In 1981 But Turned 55 In 1992"

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#24

"My Daughter Was Supposed To Be A Flower Girl In Her Aunt's Wedding But Napping Is Life (And She Was Safely Strapped In)"

"My Daughter Was Supposed To Be A Flower Girl In Her Aunt's Wedding But Napping Is Life (And She Was Safely Strapped In)"

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Meanwhile, psychologist and well-being consultant Lee Chambers stressed that laughter can be a great response to instantly make you feel better if the embarrassing situation isn’t anything too serious.

“If the feelings are intense, try taking a few slow, deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth, calming your nervous system and physiological response. In a similar way to laughter, smiling can be effective in shifting your state to the positive,” the expert told Bored Panda.

#25

“A Photo My Mom Captured Of My Then Two Year Old Daughter"

“A Photo My Mom Captured Of My Then Two Year Old Daughter"

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#26

"My Great Grandma And Her Twin Sister In Springfield, Missouri. The Original Inspiration For The Shining I’m Sure"

"My Great Grandma And Her Twin Sister In Springfield, Missouri. The Original Inspiration For The Shining I’m Sure"

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“There are times when playing down or even ignoring the feelings can be helpful in the moment, taking the edge off, but it is important that you accept them and express them if it's something significant," the psychologist noted that embracing these feelings is important.

"Because the feelings of embarrassment are generated from a past event, anything that brings you into the present moment can bring relief. Try to avoid saying sorry, as it will keep taking you back to the moment. You can even keep your biggest embarrassing moments top of mind, having reflected and realized that in hindsight, they weren't as big an issue as you felt at the time," he said.

#28

"My Husband’s Grandfather Hung Every Photo On The Wall That He Had Of His Grandchildren"

"My Husband’s Grandfather Hung Every Photo On The Wall That He Had Of His Grandchildren"

"As a test, the family had the grandkids pose by a garbage dumpster and sent it to his grandfather to see what he would do and he still hung it up on the wall. It then became a tradition to send him photos of the family by dumpsters."

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#29

“This Is A Photo Of My Daughter And Her Father Riding The Tennessee Tornado Roller Coaster At Dollywood. When We Saw The Photo At The Sales Kiosk, We Laughed So Hard We Just Had To Buy It!”

“This Is A Photo Of My Daughter And Her Father Riding The Tennessee Tornado Roller Coaster At Dollywood. When We Saw The Photo At The Sales Kiosk, We Laughed So Hard We Just Had To Buy It!”

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marshalldavies avatar
Agfox
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Little-known life hacks: suspect one of your children is a Demon, take them on the Tennessee Tornado Roller Coaster

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#30

“It Was 1990 So I Guess My Parents Thought They’d Dress Me Up Like A New Wave Recording Artist”

“It Was 1990 So I Guess My Parents Thought They’d Dress Me Up Like A New Wave Recording Artist”

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"We can even reflect back on our blunders from the past, and with the emotion dampened, take some of the lessons and observations forward for next time we feel like we've messed up. By doing this, you will feel more courage even when the fear of embarrassment strikes, and sharing these stories will elicit others to share, quickly realizing we are not alone, and that nobody is perfect.”

#31

"It Was My Son’s First Time On My Favorite Ride And He Was Terrified. As For My Husband, He Just Always Looks Like That"

"It Was My Son’s First Time On My Favorite Ride And He Was Terrified. As For My Husband, He Just Always Looks Like That"

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#32

"Vintage 1984 Polaroid Of Mr. T Pitying Me As A Baby With My Mom"

"Vintage 1984 Polaroid Of Mr. T Pitying Me As A Baby With My Mom"

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Jaden Alexander
Community Member
1 year ago

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#33

“My Grandparents’ Christmas Card From 1951 And My Favorite Annual Reminder That Font Choice Matters"

“My Grandparents’ Christmas Card From 1951 And My Favorite Annual Reminder That Font Choice Matters"

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#34

“The Photographer Kept Telling My Son To “Smile More!” And This Was His Version Of Smiling “More””

“The Photographer Kept Telling My Son To “Smile More!” And This Was His Version Of Smiling “More””

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#35

“My Husband, The Blonde, Punctured His Kidney While Wrestling With His Brother Who Is Posing On The Right. His Injury Caused Him To Pee Blood And Resulted In Major Surgery. And His Little Brother Couldn’t Have Been Prouder”

“My Husband, The Blonde, Punctured His Kidney While Wrestling With His Brother Who Is Posing On The Right. His Injury Caused Him To Pee Blood And Resulted In Major Surgery. And His Little Brother Couldn’t Have Been Prouder”

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#36

"My Daughter Would Not Stop Crying Until She Got Her Own Cone Of Shame"

"My Daughter Would Not Stop Crying Until She Got Her Own Cone Of Shame"

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#37

"I Apologize For My Crimes Against The Ozone Layer. High School Graduation, 1989"⁠

"I Apologize For My Crimes Against The Ozone Layer. High School Graduation, 1989"⁠

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#38

"My Mother And Grandmother Demonstrating Safety Standards In The 1960s"

"My Mother And Grandmother Demonstrating Safety Standards In The 1960s"

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#39

“This Is My Sister Graduating High School Back When You Had To Wait To Get Photos Developed”

“This Is My Sister Graduating High School Back When You Had To Wait To Get Photos Developed”

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sanchishiva avatar
Sanchi
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’m laughing way to hard at this. And where is mr. Censor? A*s is now an allowed word?

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#40

“It’s Hard To Get All 4 Brothers To Behave For A Picture But The Oldest Sure Tried To Keep Everyone In Line”

“It’s Hard To Get All 4 Brothers To Behave For A Picture But The Oldest Sure Tried To Keep Everyone In Line”

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Jaden Alexander
Community Member
1 year ago

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#41

"Came Across Some Old Photos Of A Weird Looking Baby At My Parents' House. Found Out It’s Me At 4 Weeks. Thank God They Captured My Beauty Before I Grew Out Of It"

"Came Across Some Old Photos Of A Weird Looking Baby At My Parents' House. Found Out It’s Me At 4 Weeks. Thank God They Captured My Beauty Before I Grew Out Of It"

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vs222ak avatar
Ladytron
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's a reason why most newborn photoshoots are with their eyes closed/sleeping... they look a bit weird with their eyes open trying to find focus.

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#42

"Found At My Parents. Not Sure If I Should Laugh Or Cry?"

"Found At My Parents. Not Sure If I Should Laugh Or Cry?"

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#43

"My Great-Grandfather's Passport Photo From 1978"

"My Great-Grandfather's Passport Photo From 1978"

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#44

“My Parents Just Got A Hot Tub And Were Very Excited About It"

“My Parents Just Got A Hot Tub And Were Very Excited About It"

"Therefore, my grandma hired a professional photographer to take a family photo in the hot tub. For some reason they posed with wine and candles even though the children were not old enough to drink… and sent it out to 150 plus friends as a Christmas card.”

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#45

“Thirteen Of Grandma’s Grandchildren Were In The House For A Couple Days Around Christmas-Time. She Was Pretty Exhausted”

“Thirteen Of Grandma’s Grandchildren Were In The House For A Couple Days Around Christmas-Time. She Was Pretty Exhausted”

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#47

“Grandma Made These Wonderful Crochet Vests For Each Of My Husband’s Siblings. He Looks Strangely Happy About It. (Far Right)”

“Grandma Made These Wonderful Crochet Vests For Each Of My Husband’s Siblings. He Looks Strangely Happy About It. (Far Right)”

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#48

“I Received This Photo From My Dad While He Was Babysitting My Daughter. When She Found Out Grandpa Could Take Out His Teeth, He Let Her Wear Them”

“I Received This Photo From My Dad While He Was Babysitting My Daughter. When She Found Out Grandpa Could Take Out His Teeth, He Let Her Wear Them”

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#49

"My 2001 School Photo"

"My 2001 School Photo"

"In order to perfect this aesthetic masterpiece, I put a massive amount of gel in my wet hair, then I bent over and swung my hair around and blow dried it upside down until the gel hardened completely… I got a little lightheaded each time, but clearly worth it!”

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#50

"Here Is My Dad With My Grandma In 1956 At The Snow King Chair Lift"

"Here Is My Dad With My Grandma In 1956 At The Snow King Chair Lift"

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Note: this post originally had 115 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.