10 Childhood Smells you Forgot you Loved
How often do you come across a scent that automatically transports you back to your youth?
I had one just the other day. I was walking by a bakery and the smell of freshly baked bread immediately took me back to when I was 10 years old living in Argentina.
You see, our house was situated right next to a bakery and every morning I woke up to this glorious “fresh baked cake” aroma. Just like in cartoons, I would picture the trail of scent making its way from the ovens to my nostrils as I lay in bed. Inevitably, I would wake up with my mouth watering and be delighted when I walked into the kitchen and saw the bakery’s white package with the sweet smelling baked delicacies that my sisters and I devoured.
Those were good times and if I could bottle a scent it would be this one.
Our brains are magnificent in that just by thinking about a scent, it can magically conjure the essence of that aroma and take you back in time.
According to Dr. Phil Kronk, “while sounds, pictures, and touch can bring back memories of our childhood, scientists have found that only the sense of smell can vividly and intensely bring back those memories.”
As it turns out, your nose is a time machine that helps you travel back in time.
Let’s time travel together and revisit 10 smells from your childhood that you forgot you loved:
COPPERTONE SUNSCREEN
Who can forget this scent? I don’t have it here but I can smell it now. Nothing screamed sun, beach, and vacation like this unique, tropical and happy aroma.
FRESHLY CUT GRASS
I feel like there are some scents that can’t be adequately described, they just need to be felt. But if I’m going to try, it’s like green, hay, water and warm weather all combined into one.
THE INSIDE OF A LIBRARY
As a huge book nerd, there was nothing like the classic scent of time, old books and mustiness that abruptly greeted me as I walked into the library.
AIR DRIED LINENS
This is what the sun would smell like if you could bottle it. Nothing like spreading those sun-drenched clean sheets over you and fading into a cozy, fragrant sleep.
BOX OF CRAYONS
Pure bliss is what this was. The distinctive smell of colorful wax always takes me back to my glory days of drawing.
POND’S COLD CREAM
This one smells like nostalgia. I loved watching my mom’s cleaning regime which always ended with her slathering Pond’s cold cream on her face every night before going to bed. I can still recall the strong, flowery, clean smell.
FRUIT STRIPE GUM
OMG, I loved the smell of this gum even though the taste lasted like 10 seconds only. The best part is that it’s still around and has the same intensely sweet smell.
A BRAND, NEW DODGEBALL
Not only can I smell it now but I can also hear the bounce of the rubber ball hitting the pavement. Now that was my childhood!
THE INSIDE OF A HALLOWEEN MASK (with the rubber band around your head)
For the love of plastic! The mask with the eye holes you could barely see out of and the dizzying effect of the plastic scent sure made for a challenging night.
POPPERS FIREWORKS
Remember those little fireworks you threw on the ground with the loud pop and smell of burnt power? Ah, I can smell it now.
For now, I say close your eyes, take a long deep breath, and tell us in the comments what other smells you fondly recall?
By Cynthia Correa
Top Photo by Jeff Nissen unsplash.com
