Can You Get VHS Tapes Digitised Before Christmas? Realistic Timings, Rush Processing and Gift Options
Maria C 
Yes, but only with priority processing. You can get VHS tapes digitised before Christmas if you choose priority processing at checkout, confirm the current priority time with us, and send the Memory Box back the week it arrives. Standard processing takes around 9–10 weeks once your box is back and paid for. If you're ordering in November, that runs into January. If the date is the whole point, give an EachMoment gift card on the day instead.
Key takeaways
- Standard processing takes around 9–10 weeks, counted from the day your payment clears once your box is back with us.
- Priority processing moves an order to the front of the queue; you select this at checkout and confirm the time before relying on it.
- The Memory Box arrives 1 to 3 days after ordering, and a tracked courier collects it directly from your door.
- Output options include a private Cloud Album, USB Classic, USB Premium in a gift box, or a DVD set.
- An EachMoment gift card provides a guaranteed physical present for 25 December, allowing the recipient to digitise their tapes in the new year.
If the tapes matter, the safer route is to send them to our lab for a professional VHS transfer rather than run them in an old VCR in a rush.
How long VHS digitisation really takes in the run-up to Christmas
The calendar decides your options. Standard processing requires around 9–10 weeks, counted from the day your payment clears once your box is back with us. Times shift with demand. You can verify the current turnaround times on our website.
Order today, and the Memory Box arrives within 1 to 3 days. You fill it, and our tracked courier collects it from the door. It arrives back with us around mid-November. Add 9–10 weeks of standard processing and the finished files land in mid-to-late January. Standard processing ordered now does not arrive before Christmas. Working backwards, standard processing needed the box back and paid for by around mid-October to ensure delivery before 25 December.
From November onwards, getting the tapes back before Christmas depends on priority processing. We don't publish a fixed priority time because it moves with demand, so confirm it at checkout or ask us before you rely on it. The earlier the box is back, the better your outcome. Post the box back the same week it arrives. Do not wait to find more tapes.
| Step | What happens | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Order | The empty Memory Box is dispatched to your address. | 1 to 3 days |
| 2. Pack and return | You fill the box. A tracked courier collects it from your door. | Dependent on you (do this same week) |
| 3. Standard Processing | Inspection, cleaning, digitisation, and output creation at our lab. | Around 9–10 weeks from payment clearance |
| 4. Return delivery | The digital outputs and originals come back by tracked courier. | Tracked courier back to you |
Your four options before 25 December
| Option | What drives the cost | Main risk | When the family can watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard processing ordered now | Number of tapes | Misses Christmas completely | Mid-to-late January |
| Priority processing | Number of tapes plus the priority option | Box returned late, or a priority time that doesn't fit | Before Christmas only if the confirmed priority time fits |
| Gift card on the day | Chosen gift amount | No transfer to watch on the day itself | In the new year |
| DIY capture stick at home | Capture stick plus a working VCR | An unserviced VCR can chew a fragile tape | Days, at real-time capture speed |
Standard processing ordered now
You choose standard processing today. The empty Memory Box arrives at your door. You pack the tapes, and a tracked courier collects the box. The box arrives at our European lab. We inspect, clean, and digitise the tapes. Standard processing takes around 9–10 weeks from the day your payment clears. The output arrives in mid-to-late January. You miss Christmas day viewing entirely. This option suits families planning a viewing party in the new year.
Priority processing
Priority processing exists to solve tight deadlines. It moves an order to the front of the queue. Select priority at checkout, or contact us, and confirm the current priority time before you count on it for Christmas. Order straight away, pack the box the day it arrives and book the tracked courier that week. If the confirmed time leaves room before 25 December, the family can open the private Cloud Album on the smart TV on Christmas Day.
Gift card on the day, transfer in the new year
This is the guaranteed-on-the-day route. You buy a gift card. You give the card on 25 December. The digitisation happens in the new year with no deadline pressure. The recipient orders their Memory Box whenever they are ready. They pay the difference if they send more tapes. Nobody has to race the calendar.
DIY capture stick at home
A USB capture stick from the high street gets you a file within days. Real-time capture means a 3-hour tape takes 3 hours to capture. You must monitor the screen for the entire duration. This involves the risk of running a fragile tape in an unserviced old VCR. Dirt and mechanical faults in old machines snap tapes. You spend hours of personal time managing cables and software.
How to give digitised VHS as a Christmas present
A physical present under the tree matters on Christmas morning. When standard processing times push delivery into January, the EachMoment gift card is the dependable option. You purchase the exact amount you want to gift. The recipient uses it to fund their own Memory Box order.
- £50
- £75 (covers at least 5 tapes)
- £100 (covers at least 6 tapes, most given)
- £150 (covers at least 10 tapes)
We post a real card to your address. You place it inside a Christmas card you write yourself. If you order close to the day, we email the card instead. We do this right up to Christmas Eve. The recipient orders their box whenever they are ready, even in the new year, and can pay the difference if they send more items.
If your confirmed priority time means the transfer finishes before Christmas, you can wrap something physical. The USB Premium in a gift box provides an excellent physical present. The USB drive sits in a presentation box, ready to hand over on the day.
A Christmas-deadline checklist
- Count your tapes: Establish exactly how many tapes you have. This determines your base cost and ensures you order the correct initial package.
- Check for mould and snapped tape: Inspect the reels through the clear plastic windows. Look for white dust (mould) or broken tape. Inspection, cleaning and repair are included in our service. Mould treatment and repairs to snapped tape cost a small extra charge per item, shown before paying.
- Label your tapes: Write clear, brief titles on sticky labels. Apply these to the plastic casing. Do not cover the tape reels. Clear labels translate into clear digital file names.
- Choose priority at checkout and confirm time: Standard processing will not arrive before Christmas. Select the priority option and confirm the current time with us before assuming a Christmas delivery.
- Return the box the same week: Do not wait to find more tapes. Post the box back the same week it arrives. Every day counts.
- Choose Cloud Album for instant sharing: Select the private Cloud Album output. You watch on a phone, tablet, laptop or smart TV. You share a private link with relatives across the country instantly on Christmas morning.
What it costs
Pricing for VHS starts from £14.99 per tape at the standard price. Volume discounts reward larger collections. Volume discounts start at orders over £75, which triggers a 10% reduction. These discounts reach 33% off at £1,000 or more. We offer an early-bird 10% off if the box is returned within about 21 days. You view the full price list on our website to calculate your exact order. Not sure the tapes are worth it? Read our guide on what to do with old VHS tapes.
Our service includes inspection, cleaning and repair. Mould treatment and repairs to snapped tape cost a small extra charge per item. We show this charge to you before you pay for the final processing. If a tape turns out to be blank, we refund that item.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get VHS tapes digitised before Christmas?
Yes, but only with priority processing. Standard processing takes around 9–10 weeks from payment clearance once your box is back with us. Standard processing ordered in November misses Christmas. Choose priority at checkout and confirm the current priority time. If you need a guarantee, buy a gift card for Christmas Day.
How long does VHS to digital take in the UK?
Standard processing takes around 9–10 weeks, counted from the day your payment clears once your box is back with us. The Memory Box arrives 1 to 3 days after ordering. A tracked courier collects the box and brings everything back. Priority processing moves your order to the front of the queue.
Is there a rush VHS digitisation service?
Yes, priority processing exists. It moves an order to the front of the queue at our lab. You select priority at checkout. Confirm the current priority time before relying on it for Christmas. Return the Memory Box the same week it arrives so you don't lose any time.
What is the last date to send VHS tapes for Christmas?
Standard processing requires the box back and paid for by around mid-October. From November, only priority processing can get you there, and only if the confirmed time fits. There is no single published deadline date. You select priority at checkout and confirm the current priority time. Return the Memory Box immediately without waiting to find more tapes.
Can I buy VHS digitisation as a gift?
Yes, we offer gift amounts of £50, £75, £100, and £150. A real card is posted inside a Christmas card you write yourself. If you order close to the day, it is emailed instead, right up to Christmas Eve. The recipient orders their box in the new year.
Is it safe to post VHS tapes?
Yes. A tracked courier collects the Memory Box from your door. The originals come back by tracked courier alongside your digital outputs. We have handled over 500,000 items and score 4.7 out of 5 from more than 12,000 customer surveys. Every item is barcoded and tracked.
Want the tapes digitised in time for Christmas?
Order a Memory Box today, pick priority at checkout and post it back the week it arrives. Short on time? Give a gift card on the day instead.
Start your VHS order →