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December 21, 1956

December 21, 1956, was a Friday. It was 67 years, 3 months, and 25 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Sagittarius.

Music charts

Top song: December 21, 1956

The best-selling single on December 21, 1956 was "Singing the Blues" by Guy Mitchell.

Play the top singles from 1956
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1956. Take a trip back to the days of Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Kay Starr and The Platters.

Facts

This date occurred 24,588 days ago. Approximately 820 months have passed. It was the 356th day of 1956, in week 51. The decade was the fifties. The start of 1957 was just 10 days away. People who were born on December 21, 1956, are now 67 years old and belong to the Baby Boomer generation. 1956 was a leap year, which means that it had an extra day in February. 273 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to December 21, 1956

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is December 21, 1956, and it's a Friday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Sagittarius. Many people have "that Friday feeling" and are looking forward to the weekend.

Christmas Day of 1956 is fast approaching and the excitement is building. Department stores are packed with Christmas shoppers, and people are meeting up with friends that they haven't seen in a while. In music, the song "Singing the Blues" by Guy Mitchell is the best-selling record at the moment. Dwight David Eisenhower is the President of the United States, and Sir Anthony Eden is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

On television, people are watching popular shows such as "The Jack Benny Program", "I Love Lucy", "Gunsmoke", and "Fury". In fashion, women are sporting chemise dresses, sheaths, sack dresses and straight-cut suits. Short boxy jackets and shift dresses are also beginning to become popular. Meanwhile, a lot of men are sporting a "Teddy Boy" style that involves leather jackets, greased-back hair, extremely narrow trousers and velvet-collared jackets. Men are also wearing formal suits as daywear. Tailfins on cars are extremely popular at the moment. The design looks futuristic, almost like a rocket or the twin rudders on the back of an airplane.

It's 1956, so radio stations and jukeboxes are playing songs from singers such as Elvis Presley, Nelson Riddle, The Platters, Gogi Grant, Les Baxter, Doris Day, Dean Martin and Kay Starr. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Humphrey Bogart would be still alive. Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Tom and Jerry", "Lassie", "The Mickey Mouse Club", and "Heckle and Jeckle".

Children are playing with toys such as Tiny Tears (doll), Roy Rogers Plastic Figures, Matchbox toy cars, and Play-Doh.

News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on December 21, 1956.

  • Christmas 1956 is days away.

    Christmas 1956 is days away

    Christmas 1956 was just days away. The decorations were up, festive music was playing on the radio, people were buying last-minute presents for their loved ones, and stores were packed with shoppers. Schools, colleges, and non-retail businesses were also beginning to close for the holiday season.
  • Movies from 1956.

    Movies from 1956

    The most popular movies in 1956 were The Ten Commandments, Around the World in 80 Days, Giant, Seven Wonders of the World, The King and I, Trapeze and War and Peace.
  • 1956 in music.

    1956 in music

    The radio stations in 1956 were dominated by artists such as Elvis Presley, Nelson Riddle, The Platters, Gogi Grant, Les Baxter, Doris Day, Dean Martin and Kay Starr.
  • The Hungarian freedom fighter.

    The Hungarian freedom fighter

    "The Hungarian freedom fighter" was named as the Time Person of the Year in 1956. This followed the Hungarian Revolution in October and November.
  • Tailfins on cars.

    Tailfins on cars

    Tailfins on cars were a popular style around this time. The design looked futuristic, almost like the twin rudders on the back of an airplane.
  • Rock and roll.

    Rock and roll

    In the mid-1950s, a new music genre called "Rock and Roll" began to take off.
  • Panty raids are all the rage on college campuses.

    Panty raids are all the rage on college campuses

    Panty raids were a popular college prank at the time. Large groups of male students would "raid" the living quarters of their female counterparts and then steal their underwear as proof that the raid had been successful. These raids took place during a time when colleges had curfews and men were forbidden from entering female dormitories.
  • Poodle skirts are a thing.

    Poodle skirts are a thing

    Women and young girls were wearing wide, unrestricted felt skirts called "poodle skirts." These were solid-colored skirts that had a design or a logo. In many cases, the design was an image of a poodle or a cat.
  • Greasers.

    Greasers

    A youth subculture called "greasers" emerged during the 1950s and early 1960s. The style included greased-back hairstyles, work pants, and denim or leather jackets.
  • The Jukebox.

    The Jukebox

    The jukebox was at the height of its popularity. Teenagers and young adults would often hang out at local restaurants and diners and listen to the latest songs.
  • Men are getting "DA haircuts".

    Men are getting "DA haircuts"

    The "DA haircut" was extremely popular among men. The cut consisted of a combed-back hairstyle that was parted down the middle at the back. "DA" stood for "Duck's Ass," which is what many people liked to call the style.
  • Sock hops.

    Sock hops

    Sock hops were informal dance events for teenagers. The name originated from the fact that many of these dances required participants to remove their shoes. This is because sock hops were often held in high school gymnasiums, and the organizers didn't want scuff marks on the floors.
  • Capitalism vs Communism.

    Capitalism vs Communism

    The ideological clash between capitalism and communism heated up during the 1950s. It was during this period that a "Cold War" started between the United States and the Soviet Union. In the US, there were fears that Soviet spies had infiltrated all parts of society, including Hollywood.
  • The economy is booming.

    The economy is booming

    The world was recovering from World War II. Many countries witnessed an economic boom during this decade. Unemployment was low, consumerism increased, mortgages were cheap, and governments started to invest in infrastructure such as highways. For many, this was the "golden age" of the economy.
  • Rotary phones.

    Rotary phones

    Almost everyone had rotary phones in the 1950s. However, the heavier metal dial components were being phased out and replaced with plastic.
  • More and more people are buying television sets.

    More and more people are buying television sets

    More and more households were buying TV sets. In 1950, 20% of homes had a television. By the end of the decade, that figure had risen to 90%.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on December 21, 1956.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

News stories, pop culture trends, and other events that happened around December 21, 1956.

  • November 22, 1956: The 1956 Summer Olympics begin in Melbourne, Australia.
  • November 24, 1956: The Western film "Giant" is released in movie theaters.
  • November 26, 1956: The first episode of the American game show "The Price Is Right" is aired on NBC.
  • November 29, 1956: The comedy film "The Teahouse of the August Moon" is released.
  • December 4, 1956: Million Dollar Quartet: An impromptu recording session takes place between Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins at the Sun Record Studios in Memphis, Tennessee.
  • December 12, 1956: The UN Security Council accepts Japan's membership application to the United Nations.
  • This date: December 21, 1956
  • December 30, 1956: NFL: The New York Giants defeat the Chicago Bears by 47-7 to win the 1956 NFL Championship Game.
  • January 9, 1957: Anthony Eden resigns as the UK Prime Minister.
  • January 10, 1957: Harold Macmillan becomes the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
  • January 14, 1957: Actor Humphrey Bogart passes away from esophageal cancer at the age of 57.
Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on December 21, 1956, will have the star sign Sagittarius.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1956 was the year of the Monkey (Yang Water).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 9.
  • Native American Zodiac: December 21, 1956 falls under the Owl.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of December will have the birthstones Tanzanite, Zircon and Turquoise.
  • Birth flower (December): The Narcissus and the Holly.

1950s fashion

Photographs of 1950s fashion and hairstyles.

1950s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in December 1956

People in December 1956 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from December 1956.

Fury
Fury
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke
Annie Oakley
Annie Oakley
The Danny Thomas Show
The Danny Thomas Show
The Roy Rogers Show
The Roy Rogers Show
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy
Sky King
Sky King
The Jack Benny Program
The Jack Benny Program
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
You Bet Your Life
You Bet Your Life
What's My Line?
What's My Line?
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger

Cars in 1956

1956 saw the introduction of cars such as the 1957 Chevrolet, the Mercedes-Benz W105, the Studebaker Hawk, the Volvo Amazon, the Continental Mark II, and the Ford F-Series (third generation).

Cars in 1956.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in December 1956

Children and teenagers were watching the following cartoons and TV series:

Heckle and Jeckle
Heckle and Jeckle
The Gerald McBoing-Boing Show
The Gerald McBoing-Boing Show
The Gumby Show
The Gumby Show

Mighty Mouse Playhouse
Mighty Mouse Playhouse
Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo
The Mickey Mouse Club
The Mickey Mouse Club
Adventures of Pow Wow
Adventures of Pow Wow
Father Knows Best
Father Knows Best
Lassie
Lassie
Winky Dink and You
Winky Dink and You
Adventures of Superman
Adventures of Superman
Toys

Toys in 1956

If you were a child on this date, then you may have had some of the following toys:

Wooly Willy
Wooly Willy
Play-Doh
Play-Doh
Matchbox toy cars
Matchbox toy cars
Roy Rogers Plastic Figures
Roy Rogers Plastic Figures
Mr. Potato Head
Mr. Potato Head
Feed the Elephant
Feed the Elephant
Colorforms
Colorforms
BAS-KET Miniature Basketball
BAS-KET Miniature Basketball
Tiny Tears (doll)
Tiny Tears (doll)
Spinning Tops
Spinning Tops
Toy Guns
Toy Guns
Foto-Electric Baseball
Foto-Electric Baseball

Were you born on December 21, 1956?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1956.

This is because humans find it difficult to retrieve memories of their early childhood.

If you are looking for some childhood nostalgia, then you should check out December 21, 1962, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on December 21.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda

Actress
Born on December 21, 1937
She turned 19 on this day in 1956.

Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa

Musician Deceased
Born on December 21, 1940
He turned 16 on this day in 1956.

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson

Actor
Born on December 21, 1948
He turned 8 on this day in 1956.

Jane Kaczmarek

Jane Kaczmarek

Actress
Born on December 21, 1955
She turned 1 on this day in 1956.

Ray Romano

Ray Romano

Actor
Born on December 21, 1957
He was born exactly one year after this date.

Kiefer Sutherland

Kiefer Sutherland

Actor
Born on December 21, 1966
He was born exactly 10 years after this date.

Emmanuel Macron

Emmanuel Macron

French president
Born on December 21, 1977
He was born exactly 21 years after this date.

The King of Random

The King of Random

Youtube personality Deceased
Born on December 21, 1980
He was born exactly 24 years after this date.

Steven Yeun

Steven Yeun

Actor
Born on December 21, 1983
He was born exactly 27 years after this date.

Kaitlyn Dever

Kaitlyn Dever

Actress
Born on December 21, 1996
She was born exactly 40 years after this date.

Ben Chilwell

Ben Chilwell

Soccer player
Born on December 21, 1996
He was born exactly 40 years after this date.

USA

US President

Dwight David Eisenhower was the President of the United States on December 21, 1956.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Sir Anthony Eden was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

John A. Costello was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on December 21, 1956 was most likely conceived around March 30, 1956.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on December 21, 1956 is close to September 13, 1957.

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Stats for December 21, 1956

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about December 21, 1956:

  • 24,588 days have passed since this date.
  • 3,512 weeks have passed.
  • 2,124,399,600 seconds have passed since December 21, 1956.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,478,466,200 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 1,096,190,193,600 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 354,066,600 times.
  • You have taken approximately 182,698,366 steps. That's roughly 81,199 miles.
  • 25,492,795 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1956?

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