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December 21, 1968

December 21, 1968, was a Saturday. It was 55 years, 3 months, and 30 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Sagittarius.

Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on December 21, 1968:

  • United States: "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye
  • United Kingdom: "Lily The Pink" by Scaffold

The Billboard Hot 100 on December 21, 1968

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
  • Love Child - Diana Ross & The Supremes
  • For Once In My Life - Stevie Wonder
  • Abraham, Martin And John - Dion
  • Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell
Play the top singles from 1968
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1968. Take a trip back to the days of The The Beatles, Otis Redding, Cliff Richard, Louis Armstrong and The Rascals.
Funny Girl

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "Funny Girl".

Facts

This date occurred 20,209 days ago. Approximately 674 months have passed. It was the 356th day of 1968, in week 51. The decade was the swinging sixties. The start of 1969 was just 10 days away. People who were born on December 21, 1968, are now 55 years old and belong to the Generation X generation. 1968 was a leap year, which means that it had an extra day in February. 225 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to December 21, 1968

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is December 21, 1968, and it's a Saturday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Sagittarius. The work week is over and Saturday has finally come, so people are spending time with their kids, going to bars, attending dances, shopping, and watching sports.

Christmas Day of 1968 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 America, the song "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye is at the top of the singles charts, while "Lily The Pink" by Scaffold is the number-one song in the UK. Lyndon Baines Johnson is the President of the United States, and the movie Funny Girl is at the top of the box office.

Harold Wilson is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. On television, people are watching popular shows such as "Steptoe and Son", "Gilligan's Island", "I Dream of Jeannie", and "Here's Lucy". In fashion, a new "hippie subculture" has emerged, bringing with it laid-back Bohemian styles. Frayed bell-bottom jeans, Jesus sandals, crushed velvet suits, and bright tie-dye t-shirts are all popular items of clothing at the moment.

It's 1968, so radio stations are playing hit songs from artists such as The Beatles, Louis Armstrong, Otis Redding, The Rolling Stones, Bobby Goldsboro and Marvin Gaye. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Judy Garland, Brian Jones, and Sharon Tate would all still be alive. Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Lassie", "My Three Sons", "Milton the Monster", and "The Herculoids".

Children are playing with toys such as G.I. Joe: America's Movable Fighting Man, Motorific (slot car toys), Scalextric, and Twister mat.

News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on December 21, 1968.

  • Christmas 1968 is days away.

    Christmas 1968 is days away

    Christmas 1968 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.
  • The Volkswagen Beetle.

    The Volkswagen Beetle

    The Volkswagen Beetle was one of the most common cars on the road. Sales of the vehicle increased following the release of the 1968 film The Love Bug (and its subsequent spin-offs).
  • The Vietnam War is becoming costly.

    The Vietnam War is becoming costly

    In 1968, US troop numbers in Vietnam reached their peak. An estimated 536,100 service personnel were now stationed in the country. This was the deadliest and most expensive year for the American military in Vietnam. In 1968 alone, an estimated 16,592 US soldiers lost their lives. By this time, most Americans believed that military involvement in Vietnam was a mistake.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1968?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1968?

    The best NBA players in 1968 were Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Jerry Lucas, Dave Bing and Oscar Robertson.
  • Who were the best football players?

    Who were the best football players?

    In 1968, the best soccer players were George Best, Bobby Charlton, Dragan Džajić, Franz Beckenbauer, Giacinto Facchetti, Luigi Riva, Amancio Amaro, Eusébio, Gianni Rivera, Jimmy Greaves and Pirri.
  • Oliver!

    Oliver!

    "Oliver!" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1968.
  • O. C. Smith - "Little Green Apples"

    O. C. Smith - "Little Green Apples"

    "Little Green Apples" by O. C. Smith won a Grammy for 1968's Song of the Year.
  • 1968 in music.

    1968 in music

    The Billboard Charts in 1968 were dominated by the likes of Paul Mauriat, Otis Redding, Bobby Goldsboro, The Beatles, The Rascals and Herb Alpert.
  • 1968 in movies.

    1968 in movies

    Movies released in 1968 included 2001: A Space Odyssey, Funny Girl, The Love Bug, The Odd Couple, Bullitt, Romeo and Juliet, Oliver!, Coogan's Bluff, Rosemary's Baby, Planet of the Apes, Night of the Living Dead and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
  • The Apollo 8 astronauts.

    The Apollo 8 astronauts

    "The Apollo 8 astronauts" were named Time Person of the Year in 1968 after they became the first humans to successfully leave low Earth orbit.
  • The Hippie movement.

    The Hippie movement

    The hippie counterculture reached its peak during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The movement, which sprung up in opposition to the Vietnam War, was centered around peace, psychedelic music, sexual liberation, bright colors, and drugs such as LSD and marijuana.
  • Lava lamps are all the rage.

    Lava lamps are all the rage

    Sales of lava lamps increased in the late 1960s. It wasn't until the second half of the 1970s that they started to go out of fashion.
  • The afro hairstyle is at its peak in popularity.

    The afro hairstyle is at its peak in popularity

    The afro hairstyle took off during the 1960s and early 1970s. Public figures such as Angela Davis, Pam Grier, Jimi Hendrix, and the Jackson 5 were among those who sported the style.
  • Color TV.

    Color TV

    Although color television was rising in popularity, black-and-white TV sets were still the most popular.
  • The push-button telephone.

    The push-button telephone

    Push-button telephones were beginning to replace the older rotary-style landlines.
  • The miniskirt has taken over.

    The miniskirt has taken over

    In the mid-to-late 1960s, the miniskirt became a favored clothing item among women. The skirt countered the conservatism of the 1950s and early 1960s. As a result, many people at the time saw it as a rebellious fashion statement.
  • The Suzy Homemaker.

    The Suzy Homemaker

    A miniature oven called the "Suzy Homemaker" was a sought-after toy around this time.
  • Fast food is replacing diners and drive-ins.

    Fast food is replacing diners and drive-ins

    The fast food industry was steadily growing, much to the detriment of local diners and drive-in restaurants. Consequently, things such as jukeboxes and carhops also started to decline.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on December 21, 1968.

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, 1968.

  • November 22, 1968: One of television's first interracial kisses occurs when the Star Trek episode "Plato's Stepchildren" is aired.
  • December 10, 1968: The "300 million yen robbery" takes place in Tokyo, Japan.
  • December 20, 1968: The Zodiac Killer shoots high school students Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday in Benicia.
  • This date: December 21, 1968
  • December 23, 1968: North Korea releases 82 American sailors after 11 months of internment.
  • December 24, 1968: The crew of Apollo 8 become the first humans to orbit around the Moon.
  • January 12, 1969:
    • Super Bowl III: The New York Jets defeat the Baltimore Colts at the Miami Orange Bowl in Miami, Flordia.
    • Led Zeppelin release their first album.
  • January 14, 1969: Manchester United manager Matt Busby announces that he will retire at the end of the season.
  • January 18, 1969:
    • 38 people are killed when United Airlines Flight 266 crashes into Santa Monica Bay.
    • Actress Audrey Hepburn and Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti are married.
Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on December 21, 1968, will have the star sign Sagittarius.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1968 was the year of the Monkey (Yang Water).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 3.
  • Native American Zodiac: December 21, 1968 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.

1960s fashion

Photographs of 1960s fashion and hairstyles.

1960s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in December 1968

People in December 1968 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from December 1968.

Here's Lucy
Here's Lucy
Adam-12
Adam-12
Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O
Columbo
Columbo
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Dark Shadows
Dark Shadows
I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie
Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island
Steptoe and Son
Steptoe and Son
Bonanza
Bonanza
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke
What's My Line?
What's My Line?

Cars in 1968

1968 saw the introduction of cars such as the Audi 100, the Chevrolet Chevy Malibu, the Volkswagen Type 4, the BMW New Six, the Ford Torino, and the AMC Javelin.

Cars in 1968.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in December 1968

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

Joe 90
Joe 90
The Adventures of Gulliver
The Adventures of Gulliver
The Archie Show
The Archie Show

Wacky Races
Wacky Races
The Banana Splits
The Banana Splits
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Aquaman
Aquaman
The Herculoids
The Herculoids
Birdman and the Galaxy Trio
Birdman and the Galaxy Trio
Toys

Toys in 1968

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

Battleship (game)
Battleship (game)
Lite-Brite
Lite-Brite
Best of the West (action figures)
Best of the West (action figures)
Twister mat
Twister mat
Suzy Homemaker
Suzy Homemaker
Major Matt Mason (action figure)
Major Matt Mason (action figure)
Captain Action (action figure)
Captain Action (action figure)
Operation
Operation
Scalextric
Scalextric
Barrel of Monkeys
Barrel of Monkeys
Motorific (slot car toys)
Motorific (slot car toys)
Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots
Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots

Were you born on December 21, 1968?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1968.

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, 1974, 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 31 on this day in 1968.

Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa

Musician Deceased
Born on December 21, 1940
He turned 28 on this day in 1968.

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson

Actor
Born on December 21, 1948
He turned 20 on this day in 1968.

Jane Kaczmarek

Jane Kaczmarek

Actress
Born on December 21, 1955
She turned 13 on this day in 1968.

Ray Romano

Ray Romano

Actor
Born on December 21, 1957
He turned 11 on this day in 1968.

Kiefer Sutherland

Kiefer Sutherland

Actor
Born on December 21, 1966
He turned 2 on this day in 1968.

Emmanuel Macron

Emmanuel Macron

French president
Born on December 21, 1977
He was born exactly 9 years after this date.

The King of Random

The King of Random

Youtube personality Deceased
Born on December 21, 1980
He was born exactly 12 years after this date.

Steven Yeun

Steven Yeun

Actor
Born on December 21, 1983
He was born exactly 15 years after this date.

Kaitlyn Dever

Kaitlyn Dever

Actress
Born on December 21, 1996
She was born exactly 28 years after this date.

Ben Chilwell

Ben Chilwell

Soccer player
Born on December 21, 1996
He was born exactly 28 years after this date.

USA

US President

Lyndon Baines Johnson was the President of the United States on December 21, 1968.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Harold Wilson was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Jack Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on December 21, 1968 was most likely conceived around March 30, 1968.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on December 21, 1968 is close to September 13, 1969.

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Stats for December 21, 1968

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about December 21, 1968:

  • 20,209 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,887 weeks have passed.
  • 1,746,057,600 seconds have passed since December 21, 1968.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,037,067,200 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 900,965,721,600 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 291,009,600 times.
  • You have taken approximately 150,160,954 steps. That's roughly 66,738 miles.
  • 20,952,691 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1968?

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