They're B-a-a-a-ck….

Ah, the holidays…Traditions, family gatherings, decorations, delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen; laughter, gifts galore and, in our house, an excuse to drag out old photo albums for the annual family resemblance checks.

Frankly, I think this particular “tradition” of ours is just another ploy by my kids to mercilessly ridicule the fashion, style and decor that was in vogue just a few short decades ago.

One particular target of their mockery has always been velour — more specifically, my loden green velour sweat suit, the evidence of which lives on in myriad photos. The mere sight of those '70s snapshots drives my kids to fits of hysteria.

Then, of course, there are the orange plaid bell-bottoms I used to wear with a light gold, nylon, turtleneck tunic. “I can't believe you wore that,” one of them will manage to articulate between spasms of laughter.

Photos of the family gathered around a birthday cake in our kitchen (circa the U.S. bicentennial), however, elicit the heartiest snickering. “Where's Alice?” one of them will inevitably roar, referring to the indomitable sage masquerading as a housekeeper on their once-favorite TV show, The Brady Bunch.

Oh, sure, they laugh now. But back in the day, these same mocking children were absolutely thrilled that we had a Brady Bunch kitchen, resplendent in orange Formica countertops, harvest gold appliances, a faux brick wall and gold paneling.

This year, however, I don't think anyone will be laughing too hard at those old photos. There's been some “mellowing” going on in the family — along with significant style shifts.

A few weeks ago, during an anniversary celebration for a family member, I noticed that my granddaughters were actually wearing velour dresses. Not only that, my son's fiancée sported bell-bottomed trousers. And two — not one, but two — of the guys at the party wore retro orange shirts. To top it all off, one of the gifts for the anniversary couple: a coppery piece of serveware. What's next, a set of avocado coasters?

It's a good possibility.

According to our annual Trends and Forecasts Survey, we can look forward to a revival and renewal of colors and styles that we loved before. Because Boomers and their offspring have the deepest pockets these days, the industry will be targeting these groups especially with updated and enhanced versions of retro and vintage looks.

You know what they say: What goes around comes around. And here it comes!