Here we go again: a second Mother’s Day in lockdown.


I have learned from my past gifting mistakes; selecting new jewellery for her by online shopping is a fool’s game. Those online shops are crafty at hiding what is wrong with their product. I have quite frankly had enough of placing bets on whether that beautifully photographed rose gold necklace does, in fact, have a chain that doesn’t dangle at your ankles.


Settling for a box of chocolates is just as poor an option. I look towards my pile of festering Christmas presents, still waiting to be gifted for that little pocket of knowledge. Similarly, gifting a Day Out voucher does not work. I attempted that one last year and still owe my Mum an Afternoon Tea.


This Mother’s Day, I have learned. This time, I am giving her a unique present like no other; I am gifting my Mother with the past.


“How?” I hear you cry.


Well, my dear, by converting my cherished childhood camcorder tapes to digital.


All through my childhood, I had a camera pointed towards me. My mum loved to document my world: the woeful dance routines to Atomic Kitten; declaring I had “gone blind!” after rubbing sun cream in my eyes; the disastrous September morning when I decided to give myself a fringe to impress the boys at school. My mum documented it all (much to my dismay).


Every memory recorded on that hugely intimidating camera is special. Unfortunately, they are all imprisoned inside those tiny plastic tapes, and we do not have the tape player to access them. Hours of cherished footage lost to changes in technology.


So, I decided to do some research and found that all was not lost in the world! I could watch these videos again, and even better, I could gift these beloved videos to my mum. I found there are companies that will transfer your video files and preserve them in a variety of modern digital formats.


How Do I Digitise My Memories?


Digital Converters is the most popular and reliable tape digitisation service in the UK. The website is simple to use, and they give you the option of transferring your videos onto DVD, a memory stick or cloud download.


Personally, I recommend choosing a cloud download to ensure your mum will receive the videos on the day. Since we’ll still be in lockdown, choosing to save your videos on the cloud means you have the versatility of sending them over email or text. This option has been beneficial for me because I have not seen my own family for nearly 6 months – hence the heap of Christmas chocolates wallowing away.


After placing my order, I chose which videos I wanted to have converted for my mum. It was a blessing in disguise because I could pick which parts of my childhood I wanted my mum to remember. Finally, I am ridding myself of that terrible wonky fringe haunting my memories! Likewise, you can skip all those hours of footage of your siblings and savour the ones of yourself prancing around as a child. A beautiful keepsake for your mother!


Are all your childhood videos trapped in your parents’ attic?


Stop typing that message to your Dad begging him to sneak those tapes past your mum! You can now give the responsibility of converting the tapes to your mother. Digital Converters have solved all your gift-giving crises with their new gift card option!


Gift cards allow the giftee to choose which memories they would like to keep. No more worrying about your mum asking why you converted the video where she is downing a glass of wine whilst your childhood-self swans around the kitchen.


Besides, if you have left your Mother’s Day present really late, then the gift card is the perfect option. When digitising your old tapes, the one downside is the amount of time it takes to parcel up your media and send it off to be converted. Digital Converter’s gift card can be ordered and sent to your mum on the day via post or email. No more I.O.U’s!


To begin digitising your childhood videos or to buy a gift card, follow the links here:


Videotape Transfer

Camcorder tapes to digital

Gift Voucher