Is 2025 the year of 'grandma' hobbies? Here are the young people embracing 'grandmacore'

Elegant doilies, half-burned candlesticks and vintage ceramic platters full of homemade baked goods fill Madison Vaughn's Kentucky cottage.

The 31-year-old, known as The Grandma Cottage on TikTok, boasts 65,400 followers who eagerly devour her "grandmacore" content. Vaughn's videos feature her dimly-lit maximalist home some folks may expect to see in a centerfold of "Country Living Magazine." She enjoys cooking homemade meals for her husband and three children and thrifting vintage home décor.

Vaughn is one of countless young people, primarily Millennial and Gen Z women, who have found solace in "grandma" or "granny" hobbies like knitting, crocheting, baking and gardening ? those traditionally associated with one's grandmother. Countless videos featuring the "grandmacore" hashtag on TikTok showcase young women avoiding twenty-something activities like clubbing to stay in by a wood-burning fire (or store-bought candle).

Here's what to know about "grandmacore" and why young people are embracing hobbies nostalgic for a simpler, slower time.

What is 'grandmacore'?

"Grandmacore" is an aesthetic inspired by the home, fashion and lifestyle of a traditional grandmother. Grandmacore is typically cozy, whimsical and full of nostalgia. Think homemade cookies, an unfinished quilt by the sewing machine and homemade dresses.

Hannah Arnold is the owner of Sherwood Forest Creations, an embroidery business she manages from a shed in her Michigan backyard. Last summer, she posted a video working in her shed on her embroidery, which she called a "granny" hobby. Arnold said she received mixed reactions due to her use of the word, "granny."

Barbiecore? Cottagecore? What does 'core' mean in slang and why can't we stop using it

"I had a lot of people ... offended by the use of the term 'granny hobbies.' I think with people who are a little bit more chronically online, (they) know that that is a term of endearment," Arnold said. "'Granny hobbies' is a good thing. It's warm. It's cozy. It makes you think of your grandma. It makes you feel happy. Not like a, 'only little old ladies kind of do this' thing. It's ... not a negative term."

In many ways, grandmacore can be related to the trad wife and homesteading trends that have become popular in recent years, in which women (and their families) choose to live more "traditional" lives. Where they differ, however, is their extensity. Whereas a homesteader may live off the grid, a trad wife may carry more Christian conservative values, women interested in "granny" hobbies may just enjoy a night in crocheting after a typical 9 to 5.

Remembering fond memories

For many, picking up "granny" hobbies helps recall memories of their own grandmothers.

"Growing up, my grandma was truly my best friend," Vaughn said. "I spent every moment I could with her and my papaw (grandpa)."

Allie Gardner, 26, is a self-identified "serial hobbyist" who enjoys sewing, baking, gardening and woodworking, which she calls her "grandpa" hobby. Memories with her 90-year-old grandma, who she called an "original crafting icon," and 91-year-old "Poppop" are weaved into each.

Even at a young age, Gardner was interested in these hobbies, joining a weekly sewing club with her mom and sister and attending Wilton baking classes at her local Michael's Craft Store in elementary school.

"I vividly remember going ... and being the only one under 40," Gardner said of the baking classes.

Slowing down

Arnold, 38, picked up embroidery for the first time in 2019. She was working as a part-time physical therapist, while raising a two year old.

"I felt like I had no hobbies," she said. "My husband has a really rich hobby life ? hunting, fishing, woodworking, that sort of thing. I felt like I didn't have anything like that, so I was just kind of praying for a creative outlet, something to kind of dive into for myself and embroidery just popped into my head."

Arnold didn't know anyone who embroidered, so she went to her local craft store, spent about $15 on beginner supplies and got started. She began posting her finished work on social media and quickly received positive feedback.

A year later, in 2020, Arnold was on maternity leave with her second child when she was laid off. She was making some side money selling her embroidered pieces online and she said it felt like the "perfect opportunity" to try managing a crafting business more seriously.

Throughout the pandemic, Arnold taught embroidery classes via Zoom, while continuing to take commissions. Fast forward five years and Arnold said she makes more money today through her embroidery business than she would if she were working as a full-time physical therapist.

Though her "granny" hobby is now her full-time job, Arnold said she thinks young people are drawn to these hobbies because they allow for a breather.

"I think part of it is ... the desire to kind of find some slowness in your day, versus the constant (fast)-paced rat race of what we were kind of taught was what we should be doing," Arnold said. "I feel like Millennials and Gen Z are kind of being like, 'Wait, I don't want to work, work, work ... my whole life and then find time for these hobbies. I want to integrate them into my life now, so I can enjoy them throughout my lifetime, not only when I'm old and gray."

Editor's note: This story was updated to add a photo and correct the spelling of a name.

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Grandmacore': Here's who's embracing the latest lifestyle trend