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10 Scottish 1980s household objects you would have had growing up
The 1980s really weren’t all that long ago, but those who grew up in Scotland at the time will know that it feels like forever.
In the grand scheme of things, 40 years is no time at all. However, looking back at photos taken during the decade, it is clear that things were very different.
From the fashion to the television shows and movies that were popular at the time, it is funny to think about how much has changed since the 1980s. At the end of the day, though, the best way to learn about what life was really like back then is to look at the everyday objects and products people used.
The Daily Record has journeyed back to the 1980s to put together a list of some of the items and appliances you would have been likely to come across in a typical Scottish home. From bulky hi-fi systems to Care Bears, they are all certainly a blast from the past.
Whether you remember the 1980s in Scotland like it was yesterday, or weren’t around to see the decade for yourself and are keen to learn more, you are sure to get a kick out of this list. It might even make you appreciate the conveniences of modern life a bit more.
Here are 10 household objects you would likely have found in a Scottish home in the 1980s.
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Back in the 1980s, Scots didn’t have a phone in their pocket that could give them limitless information through Google or Wikipedia. Instead, if you wanted to learn about something, odds are you would need to delve into your set of encyclopaedias — usually broken up alphabetically.
(Image: Fyletto / Getty Images)If you grew up in a Scottish household in the 1980s or 1990s, this ugly tower of plastic will no doubt look familiar. It is hard to believe that hi-fi systems like these, which let you play everything from vinyl to cassette tapes, were once considered top-of-the-line and futuristic.
(Image: Oisacc, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)Speaking of cassettes. It is easy to take for granted how effortless it is for us to access music on the go in 2024, but in the 1980s Scots counted themselves lucky if they had a Walkman to jam out to their favourite tunes. They devices were bulky and heavy, but they got the job done.
(Image: Carl Court/Getty Images)Care Bears were among the many toys that were on a lot of Christmas lists in Scotland throughout the 1980s. By the middle of the decade, these cute and colourful bears were a full-fledged phenomenon with their own TV show — and it’s not hard to see why. As a bonus, fellow 1980s icon Alf can be seen on the right-hand side of this photo.
(Image: John Ewing/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)Obviously, plenty of Scots still wear glasses in 2024. However, most look a fair bit different to the ones that were in style back in the 1980s. While those massive lenses and thick frames are considered uncool by today’s standards, they were quite the trend at the time. Pictured here are husband-and-wife fashion designers David and Marion Donaldson at their factory in Glasgow.
If you were a kid growing up in the 1980s, it’s a fair bet that you had at least a couple of issues of The Beano around the house. The anthology comic magazine, created by Scots publishing company DC Thomson, delighted untold numbers of Scottish kids with its comic strips and irreverent humour. Pictured is writer, broadcaster, journalist, comic artist, and historian Denis Gifford enjoying an issue in 1980.
(Image: Stuart Clarke/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)These days, watching any movie you can possibly think of is as simple as finding it on Netflix or downloading it from Amazon. Scots in the 1980s weren’t so lucky, as if they wanted to watch a movie at home they would need the VHS tape from their local video store.
(Image: Jackie Greene/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)Long before central heating was the norm, gas fires like the one pictured were a godsend. If you were really lucky, you would even have had a ‘living flame’ gas fire — which was considered absolutely state-of-the-art at the time. For many Scots, nothing will bring them back to their childhood quite like the sight of one of these.
(Image: Teesside Archive/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)In 2024, the majority of us set our alarms on our phones. These can be somewhat unreliable, though, so maybe it is time we go back to the dedicated alarm clocks of the 1980s. These bulky devices certainly weren’t the prettiest, but they could get you out of bed that’s for sure.
(Image: ideabug / Getty Images)Like Care Bears, Cabbage Patch Kids were all the rage in 1980s. These toys — considered cute or horrifying depending on who you ask — included adoption papers from Babyland General Hospital, as well as a unique name and birthday. You can actually still pick them up to this day if you’re feeling nostalgic.
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