These (16) Things Made It Awesome To Be A Kid in the 80s

[@MrTheSickOne]

Service Merchandise and Sears Winter catalogs, I'd stare for hours at the pages of toys and electronics

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

Omg. The catalogs. I can’t believe I forgot that.

[@ClaireLeslie-eu4tl]

Showbizzzzz

[@sandrafaith]

THE WISH BOOK!

[@jrebecca0195]

I would ogle all the Barbie merchandise in the Sears Wish Book.

[@juniorjames7076]

Consumers Showcase!! Do they have still have "showroom" stores?

[@Retospacemonkey]

THANK YOU!!!! Thank you for saying “Not blockbuster”!!!! I too was from a smaller Midwest town and I loved the mom and pop video stores! They knew you and the movies! When blockbuster finally came to town I walked in and noped right out! The video store I loved was the first in our town and he was still opened to watch blockbuster fall! Sadly, his family closed it after he passed away. Chains were not the same!

[@BigSerge542]

Our local video store was called Deluxe Video, and it was a one man operation. He knew all of the families in town, and watched all of us kids grow up. When we started getting a little older and going to the video store by ourselves, sometimes we'd get the raised eyebrow and he'd say, "do you parents know you're renting that?" lol

[@noldarandur]

​@@BigSerge542 I grew up in a mid sized city. We had Videotrend or you could hit up the video section in the supermarket.

[@moonfire41]

We had Hollywood Video in Idaho.

[@erinvendetti5812]

We had a “video world” where sometimes you waited like two months for one of the three copies of a movie to come back in. My jam

[@arealone9506]

We here in the Northside of Pittsburgh had Video Flicks. For $2.14 you could rent movies and NES games. If you asked for posters or the cardboard displays they would write your name on the back and when it's time was over you would get it for free. I got many posters and stand-ups this way. Which I wish I still had. Two that stand out in my mind where a huge Dr Giggles poster and the standup display for Terminator 2 of Arnold sitting on the Harley. That one I kept till it fell apart lol

[@repaircollc]

"We didn't know how good we had it", I couldn't agree more!

[@chuckadelphia4830]

I remember being heart broken when they pulled Punky Brewster off the air without any notice. My first lesson in life about how your favorite TV shows will not last forever.

[@Elsewhen404]

You're right, Natalie. The present era is the WORST!

[@666Brago]

Being an 80s baby myself, I miss those days.

[@patfrat666]

Well done, my GenX Sister. That wild kid freedom... and the video stores. Cheers.

[@JuanPablo-vz7xd]

Aaahh… that Wild Kid Freedom (shakes head) 😢

[@renessanceYT]

Speaking of McDonalds, we grew up with the best version of their french fries and nuggets. For a time, McDonalds in SoCal offered "Bucket o'fries" which was just their fries in a large drink cup, so you could put the fries in a cup holder in your car and eat while driving. What a time to be alive!

[@ConCarrington]

Back when they actually COOKED the fries

[@PapaEnoch052]

Do not forget about the orange drink that McDonalds had that has never once been reproduced today.

[@chivalryknight4]

National Lampoons Vacation and that song Holiday Road. So many memories. So very 80's.

[@Defenestrator1977]

Thank you very much, Natalie! I too grew up in a small, rural, Midwest, in Indiana; I was also born in 1977. Thanks for nailing it! I couldn't stop grinning like an idiot throughout the video. Growing up in the 80's was amazing! There were so many things to do and see... The world seemed limitless. Adulthood was kind of a letdown, but after a childhood in that era it was a tough act to follow. I look forward to watching more from you! Chris

[@Morzia]

They still have Scholastic Book Fairs. I dropped $30 for my youngest, lol!

[@ConCarrington]

I cost my parents a fortune on book fairs.

[@snackbarqueen]

OMG I LOVED Showbiz Pizza !!!! I was born in 1974 so I’m a few years older than you and everything that you mention in these videos I can 10000 % relate to !!!! THIS WAS MY CHILDHOOD 🥰🫶🏻🥰🫶🏻 THE 80’s WAS THE BEST DECADE TO GROW UP IN EVER !!! I wish that my kids and grandkids could experience it ❤

[@juliuschatman5119]

School lunch pizza‼💪🏿😂💯❤ 80s&90s,Yaaaaay!

[@robertfrancois6064]

Yuck I went to school in a poor district with mostly minorities back in the eighties and it was always chicken chow main or Spanish rice again with chicken

[@ConCarrington]

@@robertfrancois6064 EWWWWW That's worse than mystery meat day

[@RandomDude19868]

Loved the Electric Company theme song; there were so many great TV themes like BJ and the Bear, CHiPs, Laverne and Shirley, and Dukes of Hazzard

[@missladyanonymity]

I had no business watching USA UP all night.

[@JuanPablo-vz7xd]

😁

[@VigilanceFilms]

I grew up in small town Iowa. I was shocked at how many of these things I had forgotten! Great Video time capsule!

[@averagecarpentryskills7148]

I'm glad I'm a Xennial. Best of both worlds of 80s and 90s and early to mid 00s.

[@lilbrittle77]

1977 born! Small town Michigan raised! You crushed this list! nodding and smiling through the whole thing! Thank you for giving me something to consume that actually makes one feel good!

[@shannon_w.]

I do have to say that I had a pretty good idea of how great it was to be a kid in the 80s. I just kinda felt it as I got older and older. I went kicking and screaming into adulthood. I was never one of those kids who couldn't wait to grow up. Listen, I by NO MEANS had a perfect childhood, far from it! But, especially knowing what I know now, I would take one of the worst days, being an 80s kid to one of the best days being a kid now any day of the week!!!!

[@aseygirl9295]

Scholastic Book Fairs were the BEST! I was born in 1977 too and all these brought back such amazing memories - thank you!!

[@KevinPayton-fq8gd]

I loved the Book Fairs. I bought a few books, including Michael Jackson's biography from 1984. It was a paperback book and a lot of kids bought that.

[@TLovly77]

I absolutely loved the book fairs too and it helped cultivate my love of reading. I’m also a 77’ baby, I loved growing up in the 80s❤

[@BigSerge542]

I brought lunch to school every day in my Garfield lunch box, except for Friday, which was pizza day. It was the best! (I went to private school, so meals weren't automatically provided to every student, but we still had pizza Friday if Mom and Dad would send a couple bucks with us.)

[@albertusmagnus6606]

Awesome and well made video! This brought back a lot of good memories. I was born in 1972 so I had just missed the Book-It program but I so looked forward to ordering those books and magazines from Scholastic! Man I almost forgot about 3-2-1 Contact! I loved Fairy Tale Theater too - my Dad had gotten us cable when it premiered so I got to watch it on Showtime. I lived within walking distance of a cool small video rental store and thankfully, no Blockbuster, at least for a while! The freedom we had as kids to explore the neighborhood, settle our differences, and learn lessons on our own was so special and precious.

[@kandr4439]

Your videos are such a welcome treat... I was a small town kiddo born in 75. I loved every second of it. Everything from the small town parades, Main Street sidewalk sales, mom & pop video stores, and the prime time sitcoms... It was the best of times!!!

[@steveclark4544]

Scholastic Book Fairs: went to Catholic grammar school in NYC from 76-84. Never had any in school “fairs”. They passed out the flyers and we had about a week to hand in our orders and money and then it was 3-4 weeks until the books came in.

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

Yes! One of the schools I went to did it that way. Scholastic always found a way to get their stuff in our hands lol.

[@IK_4]

Yes!! Today's Special. A lot of people don't remember that show when I mention it. Thanks.

[@JuanPablo-vz7xd]

Can’t believe they mentioned Today’s Special

[@erinmalone2669]

I loved that show. I have a KZbin playlist, called “childhood,” that has theme songs and Todays Special was definitely on the list

[@carissaa8411]

OMG the Faerie Tale Theater videos! I loved those! RIP Shelley Duvall 😢❤

[@fireresq7]

I’m from Miami and everything you said is exactly the same experiences I Had! The number one thing was the freedom we had having a bicycle was like having a car. Just the track going to our destination was fun in itself because we were learning directions and how to get there and get lost all along the way!!

[@JoshC1977]

Toys from the 80s were pretty dang iconic as well. From the 2nd-gen GI Joe (the smaller figures), to Transformers, He-Man, TMNT, Cabbage Patch Kids, My Little Pony (I can go on), so many iconic (and well-loved brands) got their starts in the 80s. (Could be an interesting video topic as well....)

[@DGsKattKatt]

Oh our toys were so much better!!!! 💜💚🩷

[@Myselph-move]

Good job with this video. Some kids had different social, and/or personal differences. However you did a great job showing things that permeated pop culture across lines.

[@kbramlett6877]

Charles Entertainment Cheese (a.k.a. Chuck E., Cheese) was founded by the same guy who founded Atari, Nolan Bushnell. I read in a book that Nolan said, "I may have founded Atari, but the rat made me rich." Anyway, I grew up in Jacksonville, FL. and we had both, but I never knew what happened to Showbiz. It wasn't until later on in life that I read that Showbiz was not doing well financially and since the atmosphere was generally the same, Chuck bought Showbiz outright. How about having to use Rabbit Ears and connecting them to the UHF and VHF screws on the back of the TV. One thing I hated about TV shows in the 80s was the dreaded phrase at the end of your favorite show "To Be Continued." I never knew if I was going to be able to watch part two the following week. You mentioned road trips. You ask kids today what a road map is, and they will look at you like you have bugs crawling out of your ears. If you had car trouble while on a road trip, you had to walk to the next exit for help at a "Service Station" that actually just sold gas and had a mechanic on duty 90% of all things purchased was done with cash. Now, I have 2 years on you and while I am sitting here listening to you talk about growing up in the 80s does only one thing for me....makes me FEEL OLD. Gee, Thanks (with a sarcastic tone)

[@JuanPablo-vz7xd]

You left out two very important things. 1: that service station closed, like the entire rest of the world back then, an 9pm, 10 if you were super lucky and it was almost the 90s!

[@btetschner]

A+ video! LOVE IT! Thank you so much for making the video!

[@Mom2my4blessings]

I grew up in a small town in the northeast. I remember needing patience to watch the next segment of a tv show. Now you can just binge watch a whole series in one afternoon. Plus they were popular because everyone was watching the same shows. I used to talk about them with friends in school. Yes I remember Friday pizza day! I liked playing outside with my friends. I didn’t have to plan a play date unless my friend had to be driven to my house or vice versa. In 5th grade I used to ride a free bus in my town and meet my best friend at a shopping center and spent the afternoon there, just her and I. Now that would never happen. I was a latchkey kid and I don’t know if that’s acceptable anymore. Thank you for memories of my childhood. I was born in 1976 and am a year older than you are.

[@pauliewogmastercertifiedli535]

Remember being in 6th grade and Monday morning we would talk about Saturday night tv. Love Boat, then Fantasy Island and if you had nice parents that let you stay up late, it was capped off with Saturday night live.

[@mojojoejoe1983]

Does anyone remember the David Copperfield specials on CBS? I used to look forward to every November in the 80's and 90's to what Copperfield would do next. Making the Statue of Liberty Disappear, Walking through the great wall of China, and my favorite flying.

[@TLovly77]

I remember, so awesome!

[@WillNolte]

I experienced a lot of this but I didn't spend my younger years in a small town. As you know I was born in 1980. I grew up in the San Fernando Valley, which yes, it is a suburb of Los Angeles, but LA in the 80s was different. I lived only a few blocks from my elementary school and that school really celebrated the holidays. I moved to a small town in Arizona in 93 (right after the LA Riots), which allowed me to experience small town life, but it was hard leaving the circle of friends I grew up with at 13 years old. Oh and I grew up with Chuck E Cheese instead of Showbiz. Another great video, though! Thank you for the trips down memory lane!

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

I knew this video would be skewed to small town life. I tried to include things that kids in the cities and suburbs could relate to. When I think of the Los Angeles suburbs in the 80s, I think of karate kid 😂😂

[@WillNolte]

@@mysocalledgenxlife you really aren't that far off (with Karate Kid). That move captured LA life pretty well.

[@brenthays6539]

There’s a lot I miss about my small town eighties life, but I have to say the technology would be hard to give up. Carrying my entire album collection in a little glass slab the size of a cassette tape? Being able to watch anything I wanted when I wanted? Having access to an endless firehose of information? 1984 me would have thought that was magic. And I would love to see the look on my 15 year old face when I said we used all of this glorious technology to watch cat videos and porn.

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

@@brenthays6539 yeah the modern tech is cool. Like if we could have access to it a couple days a week, instead of all the time, I could make that compromise. 😎 I think the constant online/social media stuff has really damaged kids and childhood.

[@Elsewhen404]

@@mysocalledgenxlife No kidding! It makes me glad I was growing up before the Internet came into public use!

[@odizm5196]

the Harlem Globetrotters and BIGFOOT MOSTER JAM were the big events that every kid needed to experience (which i was never able to do) also had a choice of Movie night in - door theater or Drive - in theater

[@acsaudiodramas]

That was a wonderful travel back in time.❤ Sure, it was a little - or a little more - different all over the world, but 4 things were like that for Gen X everywhere: 1) Freedom and adventure. Kids were out in the sun or the rain or snow, climbed trees, rode their bikes ran and fell and had a great time. 2) TV being a big thing and there were episodes kids and people would talk about for the whole week. 3) the great family trips. You had not to travel far, but there was just more excitement. 4) the best of all- the more valuable friendships with actual quality time spent together physically, without phones and computers. My best friend was born in East Germany (the former DDR) in 1970. Despite all restrictions she enjoyed her carefree childhood to the fullest. I just spent my kindergarden years in the 80s but still loved it and will be forever greatful for it.

[@craiglavoie7193]

I loved growing up in 70s and 80s I was always on my bike I watched all my favorite shows after school special time for me.

[@arnieslab]

The mom and pop video stores were the best. Where I live it was Tip-Top Video. They had the biggest selection of horror and B-movies I’ve ever seen and I watched them all lol.

[@jrebecca0195]

I had a McDonald's birthday party when I turned 7 duirng the late 70's. I still have fond memories of it. ❤

[@williamstaples7205]

I graduated in 84. A lot of these things you're showing wasn't a thing for me I was working at 13. I was born in 66. I remember some of what your content presented. Riding bikes, kick ball, Dodge ball, monkey bars ..of course. Evel kenivel was my idol. And we had erector sets and an etch a sketch, spirograph's..,.. Things that worked your mind and hands. I guess I'm old 🤔 But the kids now will never understand. Good luck on your channel. Good content 👍

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

Thanks for your comment. I was born in 77, and I’ve learned while working on this channel that there are some big differences between 60s born Xers and 70s born Xers! I plan to do a couple of videos about that next year.

[@CallousCoder]

One thing is missing, live music, live bands! There used to be bands playing everywhere from Thursday to Sunday. I actually had a autumn-winter Sunday residency at the local Italian restaurant, whose owner would sing and I would play 😅and on Thursday the band and I had a metal set on the “weed boat”. Yeah it was a boat on which weed was legally sold and smoked; and ironically the only place I didn’t smoke 😂 On Friday and Saturday we usually had some festival gig during the festival season or we would throw massive parties (that was the mid 90s tough) in my friend’s church. He lived in an old church and all the pews were gone and it basically became a recording studio. So all the “rival” bands would also show up, we’d play music, drink, do the pharmaceuticals. It was “the thing “ Ian’s biweekly party. Anybody who was in a band knew where to go after their gig.

[@renessanceYT]

I grew up in Southern California, and we had a video rental chain called the Wherehouse. "Where? The Wherehouse!"

[@WillNolte]

@@renessanceYT the Wherehouse was awesome.

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

I had a Wherehouse clip and somehow it got cut! 😬

[@vbrown6445]

Yes, I remember the Wherehouse! Every weekend, my best friend and I would rent one horror movie (there were so many fantastic horror movies during that time) and one other video, like Fairytale Theatre to help us not have nightmares from the horror movie. LOL! We'd have the best time.

[@erinmalone2669]

I loved Wherehouse! If you lost a tape it would have set the parents back $100. Late fees sucked. I loved looking through the records ours had, too

[@SuperMarioBrosIII]

@@mysocalledgenxlife School pizza in the 80's at least for me wasn't that great LOL! Domino's or Pizza Hut! Now you are talking!🍕🏫🤔🙋

[@RacerX-]

Another perfect list, The only one I didn't have around here in SF Bay area was Showbiz at least in my immediate area. I don't remember it at all. We had a Chuck E Cheese and a decent arcade that had pretty bad pizza. I don't know how small your town was growing up, but mine was about 35k in the 80s. 18k when I was born and since I still live here it is now about 77k which feels like waaay too many people. But still it feels like you were describing my exact childhood. Pretty Awesome. And double props for mentioning Atari and Commodore! Thanks!

[@axiom.ai.obviousbattletank7139]

Love the Neil Diamond in the background. When this came on the radio in my mom's car, it was time to crank it up and sing with smiles on our faces. ❤😂

[@dhtsoaedsdhtnadi9575]

i'm a 76er in a rural town. i grew up in l.a. and can tell you parades were all but absent in the big cities. but you talk about "just not the same", here's my experience. visiting my rural grands for the summer, the sidewalks along the county fair parade route were lined 2 and 3 ranks deep with spectators. the color guard was on point, followed by the hs band absolutely rocking it. then came the grand marshal (usually the previous year's beauty pageant winner), the police chief in his squad car, and the fire chief in the classic fire engine with spot riding shotgun and barking his hellos. that front-end was followed by an array of elaborate floats and banners representing every local club you could imagine, along with the businesses sponsoring the fair and political candidates you could meet at the fairgrounds. mingled in with all the floats were classic cars and farm tractors. the rear was brought up by horse-drawn farm implements and the saddle club. everyone in the parade threw the spectators copious amounts of goodies ranging from a wide assortment of candy and bagged chips to emery boards and fridge magnets reminding people to vote for pat smith and buy your next car at henry's. nowadays, living in that same rural town i visited as a child, the spectators are small clusters scattered along the route. the parade consists of every city vehicle but the street sweeper and trash truck blaring a horn and/or chirping the siren, a couple of trailers with kids sitting on hay bales holding posterboard scrawled with something in marker that i usually can't read. are they 4h? ffa? who knows? the tractor club quit participating, giving the excuse that going that slow causes the tractor engines to overheat, even though tractors are designed to drag implements at a walking pace without overheating. and instead of classic cars, we get whatever random set of wheels, most bearing signs advertising a dozen or so candidates you can't meet. we still have the saddle club bringing up the rear, because horses aren't particular about where they dump their spent fuel pellets, but the saddle club any more amounts to about 4 or 5 horses at most. and of those participants throwing any kind of goodies, about half will begrudgingly toss a couple of mini tootsie rolls or a single dum-dum. there is no color guard, just the occasional american flag somehow mounted on one of the random vehicles. the only time you see the hs band is for the homecoming parade. the band teacher is responsible for teaching them to play and march as a cohesive unit. band teacher fails. all that to say, you're right. parades are not the same, and it's not the psychology of adults that have been there done that compared to a kid taking it all in with wide-eyed wonder. and it's not because we're comparing distorted childhood memories to our adult reality. parades aren't the same because, at least in my town, the position of "parade coordinator" is vacant, because most participants don't want to take direction, because taking direction means making a certain amount of effort to present something worth taking in. so instead of something on par with that annual january parade in pasadena, we get the electric department's grimy bucket truck and whatever beater driven by anyone willing to pay the $5 entry fee.

[@starlight9804]

I doubt the band teacher was given the time or resources to succeed.

[@dhtsoaedsdhtnadi9575]

@@starlight9804 including the student effort.

[@jrebecca0195]

I twirled a baton in a baton twirling corp from ages 10-13 during the early-mid 80's. Your footage of parades reminded me of all the parades in which I participated. It was fun except on extremely hot days.

[@pauliewogmastercertifiedli535]

Me too

[@thehulk8537]

I was also established in 1977 and from a small town. So glad I found your channel!!! Thank you!

[@Darthhusker]

Great video! I grew up in a similar sized town in Nebraska and this all applies (pizza, pizza). Yes, technology began to enhance our lives without ruling our lives. How could you forget to add the theme from the Greatest American Hero?

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

Believe it or not…That was a huge error on my part and I do apologize.

[@mitologijaiokultizam7608]

Hi Natalie, thanks for an awesome video. My mom is a gen X-er, and I'm a late Millennial. And she often talks to me about things from her childhood, (many of them mentioned in your video) so much, and with such a passion, that I got a "second hand" nostalgia about it, and I'm often regretful that I didn't have a chance to experience it. Don't get me wrong, I also love many great things that I've got to grow up with, and experience during my childhood, but the way she, and now you here in this video are talking about some interesting and wonderful stuff from your time as a kid, it really makes me nostalgic. So thanks again for a wonderful video, I loved it so much. You're amazing story teller, and please continue to make some more similar videos. Greetings, much love, respect, support, and all the best wishes, from Serbia, southeast Europe! Igor.🙋🥰🌹🤩🇷🇸❤️🇺🇲🥂🌄

[@ondreacounts2556]

My favorite mini-series was & still is John Jake's North and South starring Patrick Swayze, Leslie Ann Down, David Carridene, Johnny Cash, & so many more class A stars.

[@xStarlitBreathX]

I love that you used the music from the Crayon-Making video that always aired on vintage Sesame Street. ❤

[@pauliewogmastercertifiedli535]

Be home before street lights come on.....I love your videos! Just found you a few days ago and I am really struggling not to watch them all at once. Try to save it for before bedtime. They make me so happy.

[@radfordkelly]

I grew up in Ireland but I totally agree about the tv shows, book fairs and coming together for things. Holidays were a huge thing too. I loved my walkman. lol

[@radfordkelly]

I used to love renting He-man and She-Ra movie and the Care Bear movies. I actually worked in a video store when I left school. I actually worked there for two separate stints too. I loved it. One of them closed down due to lack of business.

[@kelseynelson7809]

The shout out to Shelly Duvall's Faerie Tale Theater was awesome ❤ all 23 episodes are on KZbin and I recommend 💯

[@newcreatureinchrist5087]

When I was in Elementary School (78-85) pizza day was only like once a month. But by the time I was in High School, we had Pizza Day every Friday. The B lunch line was always pork tenderloin sandwiches or fish sandwiches during Lent.

[@sarahbrown2789]

I grew up in a small midwestern town. We all went as a family to buy our first vcr from the local tv store. They had a section of the store just for video rentals. We didn't get an actual video store until the 90s.

[@TLovly77]

Ahhh.. burning your legs on the hot metal slide in the summer sun, good times❤.. I love your vids, I feel like I’m reminiscing with an old friend. I was also born in 77’ and grew up in a metropolitan area in the Midwest but I can relate to all you mentioned including the holiday celebrations. It was so great growing up during that time period.

[@charleslongwell645]

Great video! So, much nostalgia I miss those days. One thing you touched I was how family oriented things were back then. Television especially designed programming for the entire family to watch during prime time. I knew Double Dare was on Nickelodeon I just didn't know it started there. I grew up in a small town as well smaller than yours actually. I grew up in the Catskill mountains in NY my town had only about 5,000 people. We didn't get Nickelodeon until the late 80s. So I was introduced to Double Dare on FOX actually at the time it was WNYW NY. Double Dare aired in the afternoons during the after school cartoon block. My sister and I would watch and then use stuff from around the house to make our own physical challenges.

[@DavidMastruserio]

Everything you mentioned is absolutely spot on, without exception! I am an avid reader to this date because of the book it program. Also an avid pizza consumer. Loved every minute!

[@TinaB.-fr1hl]

We never had a Blockbuster. Our video store was fashioned from an old laudromat and it was one of the best parts of the weekend.

[@alexandergonzie1200]

Man, Saturday Mornings were sacred to us in those days, then later in the day we'd rent movies at one of those indie video rental stores. And I remember fondly climbing into one of those Officer Big Mac cages and sliding down a Hamburglar slide in McDonald's.

[@Dan97LHS]

We had Valley Video in our hometown in Monrovia, Maryland. Growing up in the 80s was awesome!

[@Zekesquad]

80s music was so much better than today. 🎵🎶

[@lizd.8655]

What an awesome list! The book fair is an experience that will never be replicated, I found my favorite version of Beauty and the Beast at a book fair: "Beauty" by Robin McKinley

[@IncogN3gro907]

I have finally found the KZbin channel I will never unsubscribe from. You've unlocked core memories.

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

Welcome!!!

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

Welcome!!!

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

Welcome!!!

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

Welcome!!!

[@IncogN3gro907]

@mysocalledgenxlife being born in early 1977, I relate to ALL of this content. Thank you!

[@tweetygirl818]

I saw on the news yesterday that they are bringing cassette players back. I can't wait. I hope they have the double one in purple.

[@snackbarqueen]

I remember seeing Sesame Street live and of course The Harlem Globetrotters !!!! And watching Sha Na Na ! Loved me so Bowser !

[@juniorjames7076]

Ice Capades with the Flintstones in Madison Square Garden (with Peggy Fleming!)

[@craigfarnam4527]

You are right... we just thought things would be better.... we were wrong... the 80s were the best

[@jomoore9505]

Born in ‘75, in Indiana growing up still On point!!! Omg yes!! We still had cooks in the kitchen growing up so food was just REAL food! Pizza, or chicken, mashed potatoes. You knew your lunch matrons, and these were Aunties that could cook! And those playgrounds, whooo lol 😂 Let’s not forget we had the best recipe for MOST food at any restaurant now. Now everything tastes so chemically made, it’s not the same! And finally our town had Celebration Station. It lived long enough for even my kids to have parties there. Ahhh nostalgia ❤

[@wellIdiditagain]

I miss book it!!!!!!! My daughter a millennial did this too, she is a teacher & she got her local pizza but to do this for the school she taught @ a couple years ago.

[@piper_lori-williams-tudhope]

I love your channel! I was born 1973. I miss this time really bad. Punky Brewster, and Fairytale Theater was my favorite too! I grew up in South Florida, Palm Beach Co. My class and I watched the space shuttle challenger explode. It was so traumatizing. I was a Mall rat, and latchkey kid. 💝 Great memories. Your Chanel hits all the feels my friend. 🤩

[@Crazysongparodies669]

I agree with everything you said in this and all your videos! Your channel is awesome, keep up the good work!

[@LadyHawke78]

12:23 - CORE MEMORY UNLOCKED. I knew exactly what this music was from when I heard the opening notes. Long live the Crayola Factory!

[@Imaminimonstertruck]

Is it possible that you can make a video about the negative of the 80s? There are a ton of positive videos about the 80s but very little of the negative of the 80s. No this is not a form of disrespect. I just personally think this would be a very interesting topic.

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

I definitely have skeptical videos. Not many but a few. There are more coming too. The fun nostalgia is growing my channel quickly, but it won’t always be sunshine and roses. I promise to do more videos about things I question and want to revisit as an adult.

[@RebecaLawrence-w6e]

I was born in the 80's. I spent part of my childhood in the 90's too. Knight Rider was the tv show. Spending time with friends. The video store was fun. I had fun at the movies. Childhood memories.

[@MarcusBumgardner-d4e]

I made a memory picture with all my old video rental membership cards. Have 16 in it. Have had offers to buy but won't sell. 1978 Xer here.

[@ericcolon8561]

The feeling of walking into any arcade. The clothes styles. Saturdays at the mall. BMX Bikes ! Metal shirts , jeans , tenna shoes , leather jackets. VANS , checkerboard. Breakdancing. ATARI.

[@thechicagobox]

The 80’s, from a Midwest kids perspective, was the American dream realized. You’re definitely on it though, and I agree that it’s a totally new world out there today. Things have always changed, but they kept some semblance of balance. That balance has been gone since around the end of the 00’s. If I had a time machine, I’d go back to the late 70’s or early 80’s just to get that feeling back. For better or worse.

[@josephgodwin4434]

I so appreciate this content!

[@KidsOntheGoFun]

The Scholastic Book Faire still exists just as you remember it on this video. In fact I made a brief video with footage of it on my channel. Our elementary school does it every year and it's still awesome!

[@ondreacounts2556]

I was born in 1972 & lived in a town that had a population of 3,000. Best decade EVER!

[@johncollins1884]

@mysocalledgenxlife Natalie, a wonderful presentation. I legitimately had chills of nostalgia during the theme song portion of the presentation. - Thank you.

[@jenniferbaumgarden9293]

Alan Thicke actually wrote many of the beloved tv themesongs of the 80s, including Different Strokes, I think.

[@pauliewogmastercertifiedli535]

Facts of life theme

[@RandomDude19868]

There was a free book give-away program in school called RIF (Reading is Fundamental) in the 2nd and 3rd grade. Does that still exist? Also, there were some great kids books like the Chronicles of Prydain, the Great Brain, Left Handed Shortstop, Summer of the Monkeys, etc.

[@COMPFUNK2]

I remember the Scholastic book flyers, but I don’t remember anyactual fairs. I do remember being excited about getting the flyers though, so I could order the latest edition of Hot Dog magazine.

[@colinroberts2060]

Though I wasn't born until 1997, I do have some degree of resonance towards the footage around 15:35, as you can still find that sort of thing today. Even if it is somewhat difficult to find where I live in New York.

[@IncogN3gro907]

You mentioned the "Disney Clamshell"! Oh, the memories!

[@axiom.ai.obviousbattletank7139]

Those stickers felt so cool on my bookit button.

[@jimmymelendez1836]

Geez, what a great time to be alive. The 80s timepereod never felt so good.

[@MarcusBumgardner-d4e]

The McDonald's playgrounds hit different back then literally hit LOL

[@Juana-v7n]

I was also born in 77 and from a village. We would rent videos from a Tru- Value or the local pharmacy we had no fast food restaurant wear i lived so we had to drive 30 mins to the next town to go out to eat, shop, or get groceries.

[@btetschner]

My experience is very similar (being born in a Midwest town in 1979), so cool!

[@baghead777]

I was more of a Chuck E. Cheese guy and thanks for the Rita Moreno Electric Company opening......

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

I knew I would hear from the Chuck E Cheese people! lol. And I totally cheated with the Electric Company, since it was 70s. But they aired reruns in the 80s 😊

[@baghead777]

@@mysocalledgenxlife I didn't even know The Electric Company was from the 70's but I'm a little bit older than you... Maybe I saw it in the 70s.

[@Elsewhen404]

@@baghead777 The Electric Company had been produced by the Children's Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) for PBS member stations from 1971 to 1977. After production ceased in April 1977, reruns of the last two seasons continued on most PBS member stations into October 1985. (The last two seasons had an A (Season Five) and B (Season Six) in the show numbers.) I swear Rita Moreno could have easily passed for Robert Plant's vocal double in Led Zeppelin with that "Hey you guys!" tagline yell of hers.

[@sandrafaith]

Firmly in the GenX bracket (b. 1970), that montage at the beginning really hit me in the feels. Scholastic Book Fair, aw, man. (I don't think Book It was a thing when I was in grade school in the '70s) (I always thought it was said like "ex--ennial"--TIL)

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

Book it is definitely a xennial thing since it started in 85. I’ve heard it pronounced ex-ennial too. That’s probably the right way to say it. My phonics training won’t let me 😂😂.

[@SuperMarioBrosIII]

@@mysocalledgenxlife The Knight Rider theme was inspired by melody from 1876 that was in the public domain at the time the theme was composed 1982! And now you know Natalie. 🤗🚗🎹📻

[@axiom.ai.obviousbattletank7139]

Mcdonalds birthday parties were epic! 😂😂 awe a nostalgiac memory. If I got all good stickers I got to watch the A-team.

[@robertk1049]

Best school day ever - getting my first Lamborghini Countach poster at the book fair.

[@mikescully6972]

I remember when we got our first VCR, my step dad and his uncle were watching a western, his uncle was an older man from the sticks , my step dad told him I’m recording this western, and his uncle got excited, and said, you mean this thing is recording and us talking to!?

[@TheTheoTherone]

Well done! As a fellow 77 baby, gotta say you nailed this! Would love to see your take on being in high school circa 91 to 95! Also, i know this is a nostalgia channel, but how are my fellow xenials doing staring down that barrel of the turning 50 shotgun?

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

I will definitely do an early 90s high school video at some point. Literally the last class without internet access at school. They built the computer lab my senior year, got rid of the electric typewriters, and hooked up dial up internet access. Which could only be accessed in physics class because the teacher was a big part of getting it all set up. It’s so crazy to think about.

[@mysocalledgenxlife]

And we’re not gonna talk about 50! Not yet! Lol.

[@woobiefuntime]

​@@mysocalledgenxlife we just hooked up the net when I got there . I was looking up jack handey quotes at school

[@Elsewhen404]

@@mysocalledgenxlife Right, not until 2027, Natalie.🙂

[@SuperMarioBrosIII]

@@mysocalledgenxlife How about the Stars On 45 and there Beetles hit medley released in 1982! The band is from Holland!🕺💃💽📻

[@alreadytired6515]

Video City rental in our town was the ‘cool’ place to get an after school job. I just ended up working at the mall because it was on bus route.😂

[@calsekhen163]

Met someone like u after I skipped school after some SAT thing or AP us history test because I was in DC and everyone came to DC lol