Over the last few days, I've been backing up all the grainy footage shot on our old Video-8 cassette tapes over to DVDs. Not an easy task considering there are more than 30 of them... each at least an hour and a half long. As a consequence, I've watched plenty of home videos.
My favourites are the Christmas ones, which has become a tradition in our household. Started in the same year we got the video camera, we've filmed every year without fail, usually beginning four days before Christmas and finishing up just before midnight on the day. The big highlight is when we gather around the tree in the morning to open presents. A fun affair for all its anticipated, hurried craziness.
Aside from the typical scenes of Christmas trees and Christmas Day fare, here are some of the things I've observed that invariably happens every year at ours:
- Candid (and usually stolen) shots of feet and toes, accompanied by my sister's behind-the-scene commentaries and giggles.
- Someone being grumpy for being woken up early (me).
- Waiting impatiently for Mum to get ready and join the rest of the family to open presents.
- Sister annoyingly sing-songing "Who wants to go first, my darling? Who wants to go first?" and screaming indiscriminately out of excitement.
- Brother chucking his opened boxes, ripped up wraps, and recycled ribbons at sister.
- Mum getting overly excited and doing some kind of a funky-arse chicken dance.
- And Dad getting shafted with his presents.
Definitely some unique and odd antics involved, sometimes embarrassing, but often fits-of-laughter inducing. I think what I've enjoyed the most seeing is the joy and happiness that were present on everyone's faces - happy, perfect little family vignettes. It's made me wish to go back and relive it, enough that I've gotten a real palpable sense of desperation for it... But then I realise that yearning for those days and feeling sad that things are no longer the way they were is simply futile, because a) I would always feel the same way any time I reminisce, and b) there's always going to be a chance to do it again anyway... like this coming Christmas, for example. So, I guess, the lesson that I took away from this experience, despite the clichéd nature of it, is to live and cherish the moment... And to always have a camcorder on hand.
Anyway, not sure if this is at all relevant or making sense to any of you guys out there but I thought I'd share one of the things that I truly appreciated while growing up.
5 comments:
well at least you will have your memories on DVD. i already have problems recalling what happened for many christmases in my childhood.
love and cherish those moments.
:) i can see Christmas at your house it would be fun :) i rememebr the decorations from last year...
Sweet childhood memories. We all have our own distinct reminiscences and sometimes we laugh and cry over the bittersweet symphonies.
(:
I'm sure you can do the same thing this Christmas. After all, impossible is nothing.
growing up and having a good childhood is definately one special memory to keep and cherish throughout life, your right about looking back at it and just laughing at it.
but i think every moment of life you share whether with family or friends and partner is always something to cherish and remember for the rest of our lives. it is also those memories that keeps us going and knowing that they are the ppl who have been there for you. well thats my opinion anyway
hope you having a good time watchin childhood memories!
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