Top 25 Things We Wish
Would Make a Comeback

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  Ahh, Those Were the Days ...

  Remember when opening a toy package just meant opening the box lid and didn't require power tools? How about phone booths where people had their conversations in private?
  
  Click through our gallery as we count down WalletPop.com's list of the top 25 things that they wish would make a comeback. Some of their picks have virtually disappeared, while others may still be around but are becoming more and more rare.
  
  · Post: Comeback You're Hoping For?
  
  
  First Up: No. 25 - Grape Nehi Soda

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• Grape Nehi

  Dr. Pepper Snapple Group

  No. 25: Grape Nehi Soda

  Grape Nehi has sadly disappeared from shelves of American grocery stores. Since the mid-1920s, it was iconic of rural America, the America of ice-chest coolers where bib-overalled farmers parched from the fields dropped a couple of pennies on the counter and fished an ice-cold Nehi from the icy water depths. Nehi changed its name to reflect the popularity of its premier brand, RC Cola, many years ago. Grape Nehi is still available from HometownFavorites.com, but unless they deliver it in its own floor cooler, it just won't taste the same.
  · More on Grape Nehi
  
  Next: No. 24 - H&G Magazine

• House & Garden Magazine

  Mary Altaffer, AP

  No. 24:
  House & Garden Magazine

  The magazine was launched in 1901 and was transformed into one of the first publications about interior design. While it went through several rough spots, even closing down for a few years in the 1990s, it was still always at the top of the list of venerable magazine titles. The magazine's departure in December 2007 didn't sit well with its loyal readers', and they've been clamoring to get the stylish title back since. We're certainly eager to see its return.
  · See Why Mag Was Discontinued
  
  
  Next: No. 23 - Missing Vowels

• cell message missing vowels

  Ian Waldie, Getty Images

  No. 23: The Use of Vowels

  Ive 2 ADmre a gNR8N dat hs lrnD 2 liv w/o vowels. Textglish is so much more efficient, allowing the young to increase the speed of their communications while keeping anyone over 30 from understanding them. Nonetheless, we have a soft spot in our hearts for vowels, probably because we labored so long to learn them. (By the way, that first sentence is "I have to admire a generation that has learned to live without vowels.")
  · More on Texting Trend
  
  
  Next: No. 22 - Lard

• pastries made with lard

  No. 22: Lard in Pastry

  As WalletPop's Sarah Gilbert puts it, "My mother made pie crusts with lard when I was a girl, and I grew up with the firm belief that there was no better part of the pie than the crust. Pie experts know that lard 'makes the flakiest, most flavorful crust known to man.' It's due to the chemistry of lard's lipids, which form unusually large crystals." Worried about lard's unhealthy reputation? You shouldn't be eating enough pie so that it's an enormous portion of your diet, anyway.
  · More on Why We Love Lard
  
  
  Next: No. 21 - HoJo's

• Howard Johnsons

  Mario Tama, Getty Images

  No. 21: Howard Johnson's

  It's hard to pinpoint exactly what made it so special, and everyone will have their own reasons for being nostalgic for the restaurant, which got into the hotel business in 1954. Other than its orange roof, it wasn't flashy. It was very predictable, and that's what a lot of people liked about it. Nothing changed, and that's how you wanted it. Not that Howard Johnson's is gone. But, no offense to the new owners, it's not what it used to be. In 1979, the original Howard Johnson's Company was sold. Today, its hotels are owned by Wyndham Worldwide.
  · More on HoJo's
  
  Next: No. 20 - Vent Windows

• vent windows

  Gabriel Bouys, AFP/Getty Images

  No. 20: Vent Windows

  Blogger Josh Smith says, "While riding around with my dad as a youngster, the vent windows in his Jeep were part of the enjoyable experience. I remember using the vent windows not only on summer fishing trips but also during cold winter snow plowing expeditions. Unfortunately they have disappeared from cars and trucks for the most part since those days of my youth. This development means that, until I have the luxury of restoring an older vehicle or automakers go far enough retro, I won't be able to enjoy vent windows in a vehicle I own."
  · See an Odd Perk of Vents
  
  Next: No. 19 - Zonkers

• Screaming Yellow Zonkers

  ConAgra Foods

  No. 19:
  Screaming Yellow Zonkers

  It's all in the marketing. Or was. The snack was born in the 1960s with an irreverent name and kept that theme in some of the most imaginative packaging in snack food history. Zonkers boxes might have an explanation on the bottom on how to determine that this side was, in fact, the bottom. Top-notch illustrators were also hired to keep the containers fresh and eye-catching. Eventually, however, trendy becomes tired, and the treat was retired in 2007.
  · What About the Taste?
  
  
  Next: No. 18 - Train Travel

• train travel

  No. 18: Train Travel

  There's something romantic about train travel. Is it the memories of the model train running on tracks around the Christmas tree? Maybe it's the names of the trains, like the Silver Meteor which has run from New York to Miami since 1939. The sound of the wheels on the tracks, the blur as the country slides by outside the window of the dining car, appeals to us. Travel by rail was at its peak in the 19th and early 20th centuries and it's just possible that it can make a comeback.
  · More on Train Travel
  
  Next: No. 17 - Harry Potter

• Harry Potter fan

  Stephen Chernin, Getty Images

  No. 17: New 'Potter' Books

  After seven books, there will be no further Harry Potter Books by J.K. Rowling. Blogger and 'Potter' fan, Bruce Watson, had this to say, "Although I'd gladly buy 'Harry Potter and the Thinning Hair' or even 'Harry Potter and the Vaguely Disconcerting Polyps,' I know that anything beyond this point will definitely be jumping the shark. For better or worse, Harry Potter is finished as a primary character; his story is done. On the other hand, I still have some hope for his kids, particularly Albus Severus Potter."
  · What to Do Without Potter?
  
  
  Next: No. 16 - Chrome

• chrome bumper

  Matt Cardy, Getty Images

  No. 16: Chromed Metal

  Blogger Gary Sattler reports that he's noticed in the last year that chrome is being used a bit more on new cars than it has been over most of the last decade. Thin silver strips around windows and doors have reappeared and you'll see occasional chrome door handles. But these little baubles can hardly hold a candle to the vehicle dressings of years past. Those huge shining bumpers and personality-providing grilles, lights and mirrors shall likely never be seen again on new cars, except as expensive after-market add-ons.
  · More Chrome Longings
  
  Next: No. 15 - Wiggly Salad

• gelatin salad

  No. 15: Gelatin Salad

  For years, Tom Barlow couldn't bring himself to take a scoop of this then common side dish, in which cucumbers, celery and carrots float in a horseradish-tainted green gelatin, much less garnish it with a dollop of mayonnaise. But finally, he gave it a try. To his surprise; he liked it. And just as quickly, it disappeared from the buffet tables. Like bell bottoms and Madras plaid, the JELL-O salad had suddenly been declared passe, replaced with ethnic dishes or nouveau veggies like the jicama.
  · Does Green JELL-O a Salad Make?
  
  Next: No. 14 - Drive-Ins

• drive-in theater

  J. Richards, AFP/Getty Images

  No. 14: Drive-in Theaters

  The very first drive-in theater opened on Tuesday, June 6, 1933, showing the movie 'Wife Beware.' By the end of the decade, 18 drive-in theaters were in operation in the U.S.. By 1958, nearly 5,000 drive-in theaters were in their twilight entertainment glory. As of 2007, sadly, that number had dwindled down to only 405, according to Drive-ins.com.
  · More on Dreamy Drive-Ins
  
  Next: No. 13 - Gas Attendants

• gas attendants

  Jose F. Moreno, AP

  No. 13: Gas Attendants

  A state law enacted in 1949 bans self-service gas stations in New Jersey. According to Infoplease, Oregon is the only other state with such a law, purportedly enacted to prevent accidents. We realize that these are antiquated laws and the 48 other states seem to be getting along fine with self-serve gas stations, but we have to admit that we really miss full-service gas stations.
  · More on Gas Service
  
  Next: No. 12 - Milkshakes

• milkshake

  No. 12: Milkshakes With Milk

  Unfortunately, today's milkshake is barely recognizable compared to those of the middle of the century. Most come from McDonald's, Wendy's or Starbucks where they are all individually "branded" to make it clear that milk is a minor player. (Think Frosty & Frappuccino.) Instead they are full of nonfat milk solids, corn syrup solids, guar gum, dextrose, cellulose gum, and vanillan. Give us simple ice cream, a handful of berries or a teaspoonful of vanilla, and a nice pull from the milk machine. Now that is a milkshake.
  · More on Shakes of Old
  
  Next: No. 11 - 45 rpms

• record album

  No. 11: 45 rpm Vinyl Records

  You may well wonder, especially if you're under the age of 30, why anyone would want the 45's to come back. We do think we have one good argument. Buying a 45 was a special experience. You had to go out and physically get the record. Sure, it sounds corny, but when you had to make an effort to go get your music, there was something kind of special about it. Yeah, we've downloaded music, but it does lose something when you can just download a song, listen to it, and four minutes later be onto something else in your life.
  · More on the Magic of 45s
  
  Next: No. 10 - 'Fried' Apple Pie

• McDonalds apple pie

  McDonald's

  No. 10: McD's 'Fried' Pie

  Anyone who grew up in the '70s will remember the fried apple pie with a tear in their eye that crunchy, processed pastry crust. Alas, we have only memories. McDonald's fazed out these bad boys in favor of the ostensibly more healthy "baked" apple pie sometime around 1992. That didn't sit well with the treat's many fans, however. One fellow did his homework and found out some good news: Apparently, there are still a few places where you can find a fried version.
  · More on 'Fried' vs. 'Baked'
  
  Next: No. 9 - Cursive

• cursive writing on grocery list

  No. 9: Cursive Writing

  Elegant handwriting elevates one's thoughts from the mundane to the sublime. In correspondence, it suggests a degree of attentiveness and respect that a "Wassup" text message can't match. On a more practical level, a person who has mastered well-written script is able to take faster, more comprehensive notes.
  · More on the Art of Writing
  
  Next: No. 8 - Full-Size Spare

• full-size spare tire

  Rick Williams, AP

  No. 8: Full-Size Spare Tire

  There was a time not so long ago when all automobiles were outfitted to carry full-sized spare tires. As the automobile import age overtook us and cars were made smaller to facilitate profitable international shipment, everything became much smaller, including the spare tire.
  · An Ode to the Full-Size Spare
  
  Next: No. 7 - Day Games

• baseball game

  Julie Jacobson, AP

  No. 7: Day Games During Baseball Playoffs

  The day game has virtually disappeared in the baseball playoffs, and is indeed extinct in the World Series -- all in the name of extracting the most advertising revenue from television. According to Wikipedia, the last outdoor World Series game to be played in the afternoon -- East Coast time -- was game five of the 1984 World Series between the Tigers and the Padres, and in 1987 the final World Series day game was played in Minnesota's Metrodome. We say, bring 'em back!
  · More on Day Games
  
  Next: No. 6 - Phone Booths

• phonebooth

  No. 6: Phone Booths

  Phone booths were great in their day. If you needed to make a phone call, and it was raining, for instance, you could jump in the phone booth and talk to your heart's content and your mouth grew weary -- or at least until you ran out of spare change. Then, of course, there was the simple idea of some privacy. You could talk inside a phone booth and not worry about anyone overhearing you -- except possibly the operator.
  · More on Phone Booths
  
  Next: No. 5 - Airplane Fun

• airport security

  Jeff Topping, Getty Images

  No. 5: Pleasurable Air Travel

  We're not suggesting that the security measures put into effect after 9/11 were unnecessary. We just remember that there was a day when traveling by air was a pleasure rather than an ordeal. Our goal should be to recapture those days, rather than accept that the current state of affairs is the best we can do.
  · What It Used to Be Like
  
  Next: No. 4 - Hydrox Cookies

• hyrdrox cookies

  Kellogg Company

  No. 4: Hydrox Cookies

  Hydrox wasn't just a knock-off. It was the original, started in 1908. Oreos didn't jump on the bandwagon till 1912. By the 1990s, Hydrox fell victim to corporate scheming. Keebler bought its maker, Sunshine Biscuits, then changed the name to Droxies. Then Kellogg's bought Keebler and in 2003 they quietly killed off Hydrox cookies. Loyal fans only learned the news when they realized the always difficult-to-find cookies had became impossible-to-find. Some complained; others petitioned; no one listened.
  · More on the Beloved Sandwich Cookie
  
  Next: No. 3 - Easy Packaging

• packaging

  Scott Olson, Getty Images

  No. 3:
  Easy-to-Open Packaging

  We miss the days when it was simple to open a new package, like an album wrapped in plastic so thin we could puncture it with our nails -- as opposed to shrink-wrapped CDs and DVDs. The editors at Consumer Reports seem to agree, since they started something called the Oyster Awards (named after the infamously difficult to open mollusk) in 2006, a "hard to open packaging hall of shame." Last year, top honors went to the Oral-b Sonic Complete Toothbrush Kit and the Bratz Sisterz doll.
  · More on Packaging Pet Peeves
  
  Next: No. 2 - The Lunch Counter

• lunch counter

  Mario Tama, Getty Images

  No. 2:
  In-Store Lunch Counters

  As kids, there was nothing quite like the thrill of the spontaneous grilled cheese or ice cream break at the lunch counter of the local drug store or five-and-dime. We'd place our own orders on the swiveling stools, watch the food prepared and joke with the friendly waitresses. To be sure, you can still eat at the counter of many a diner or family restaurant. However, we would argue, it's not quite as spontaneous and fun as the experience of eating at an in-store lunch counter.
  · Why Woolworth's Was Best
  
  Next: No. 1 - Missed Comic Strip

• Far Side creator

  AP

  No. 1: The Far Side

  For blogger Tom Barlow, the comics page of the newspaper lost interest for him on January 1, 1995. That was the day that Gary Larson, author of the single-panel strip The Far Side, put down his inking pen, leaving those devoted to his warped sense of humor bereft. He wonders how the next generation will learn the lessons taught by Larson's genius. That nature has a way of eventually evening up the score. That the different between looking ridiculous and suave is merely the point of view.
  · More on The Far Side
  
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