Rewinding Memories: The Nostalgia of VHS Tapes

It’s the mid-80s and I remember Dad trying to pull something from the VHS. When was it exactly? That’s the funny thing about memories, they can often be more like a dream that sits a little outside of yourself.

While I can’t pinpoint the exact time, I can remember where we were. I can see the TV and VHS, which sat on the unit, with an actual record player and stereo under the stairs. Whoa.

Just to stop and recollect for a second. There were some fond memories there. My dad was a shift worker, and there were weekends when I’d wake up early to watch cartoons, but if Dad had just got home, we’d first watch some old TV shows like the original Star Trek or Doctor Who. They were good moments.

But Chris, weren’t we talking about VHS? Yes, but sometimes you’d just watch a show and have no need to tape it, and then other times you’d be heading out and desperately hoping you’d set the correct time and not mixed up AM and PM!

Like I was saying, I can’t remember the exact time Dad was pulling something out of the VHS. However, the fact that we were in a certain townhouse narrows things down a bit. That means I was likely in early primary school. I don’t think I would have been much older than six. Yet we were somewhere else then, so my best guess suggests I might’ve been seven. Memories are funny like that.

Recently, I asked Hope Drive if they currently own any VHS videos. What about you? Do you have any memories of the good old VHS (or Beta if you were that household)?

If so, what’s on them and do you even watch them? Was it something you recorded on a camera, like a wedding, birthday, or maybe one amazing Christmas? Or perhaps you recorded a favourite movie, TV show, big sporting event, or a favourite sermon on TV?

Listeners called and texted in to share their personal stories about the tapes they treasure to this day.

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Rowena reflected on the video of her 21st birthday, which her daughter had digitised, saying she had “created a video of my 21st… it’s a long time ago, but it was a classic to see the footage. It’s very retro.”

Linnet texted in not much longer after that, saying: “What do I still have on VHS tapes? My wedding video. 30 years old. Too precious to part with. Yes, I’ve converted it to digital but cannot get myself to get rid of the original.”

Just as I thought we were done and ready to move to something else on Hope Drive, Russell called in and said he’s got “some significant ones I’ve always meant to put onto CD or something, or make digital. We borrowed a video camera, and so it’s been recorded on videotape, and we don’t have a camera to even look at it yet. And that is the opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympics. We’re in the stadium.”

That took me back, so I asked Russell how they found themselves there. It turns out Russell was “fortunate enough to win four tickets to the opening ceremony and, yeah, just invited a couple of friends and had a blast.”

That reminds me of old holiday recordings our family made.

We never owned a camera, but I recall we borrowed one from a family friend one time and recorded bits of our holiday.

Funny how I only remember that now. Memories are funny like that.

In fact, now I remember what my dad was pulling from the VHS player when I was roughly seven. It was a piece of bread! I don’t know why I thought it was a toaster. I’m guessing seven-year-old me wanted to see toast on the TV, or maybe I wanted to watch a cooking show. Considering the era, maybe it was Come and Get It with Peter Russell Clarke.

Listen to more everyday stories, reflections and conversations that connect with real life on Hope Drive.

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