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December 17, 1952

December 17, 1952, was a Wednesday. It was 71 years, 10 months, and 29 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Sagittarius.

Music charts

Top song: December 17, 1952

The best-selling single on December 17, 1952 was "Why Don't You Believe Me?" by Joni James.

Play the top singles from 1952
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1952. Take a trip back to the days of Kay Starr, Jo Stafford, Patti Page and Joni James.

Facts

This date occurred 26,266 days ago. Approximately 876 months have passed. It was the 352nd day of 1952, in week 51. The decade was the fifties. The end of 1952 was just 14 days away. People who were born on December 17, 1952, are now 71 years old and belong to the Baby Boomer generation. 1952 was a leap year, which means that it had an extra day in February. We have gone through approximately 292 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to December 17, 1952

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is December 17, 1952, and it's a Wednesday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Sagittarius. It is "Hump Day", so many are beginning to think about the weekend ahead.

The Christmas season of 1952 is in full swing. People are putting up their decorations and festive songs are playing on the radio. In music, the song "Why Don't You Believe Me?" by Joni James is the best-selling record at the moment. Harry S. Truman is the President of the United States, and Winston Churchill is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

On television, people are watching popular shows such as "The Ed Sullivan Show", "The Lone Ranger", "The Colgate Comedy Hour", and "Beulah". In fashion, women are sporting the popular "The New Look" by Christian Dior. This formal style includes rounded shoulders, a full-skirted silhouette and a tight waist. Meanwhile, men are beginning to follow a new "Teddy Boy" trend that involves greased-back hair, extremely narrow trousers and velvet-collared jackets. In Asia, the Korean War is raging on between South Korea and North Korea.

Because it's 1952, radio stations and jukeboxes are playing songs from singers such as Leroy Anderson, Kay Starr, Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads, Jo Stafford, Vera Lynn, Al Martino, Rosemary Clooney, Eddie Fisher and Patti Page. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Hank Williams would be still alive. Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Looney Tunes", "Tom and Jerry", "Crusader Rabbit", and "Adventures of Superman".

Children are playing with toys such as Dimestore soldiers, Spinning Tops, Tiny Tears (doll), and Mr. Potato Head.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on December 17, 1952, will have the star sign Sagittarius.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1952 was the year of the Dragon (Yang Earth).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 1.
  • Native American Zodiac: December 17, 1952 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.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on December 17, 1952.

  • Christmas 1952.

    Christmas 1952

    The Christmas period of 1952 was in full swing by this stage. The decorations were up, festive music was playing on the radio, people were feeling stressed, retail stores were filled with shoppers, and everyone was making plans for the big day.
  • 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.
  • Movies from 1952.

    Movies from 1952

    The most popular movies of 1952 included the likes of The Greatest Show on Earth, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, Hans Christian Andersen, Ivanhoe, Sailor Beware, Moulin Rouge, Jumping Jacks and The Quiet Man.
  • 1952 in music.

    1952 in music

    The radio stations in 1952 were dominated by artists such as Leroy Anderson, Kay Starr, Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads, Jo Stafford, Vera Lynn, Al Martino, Rosemary Clooney, Eddie Fisher and Patti Page.
  • Elizabeth II.

    Elizabeth II

    Queen Elizabeth II was named Time Person of the Year in 1952. This followed her succession to the throne after the death of her father, King George VI, in February 1952.
  • 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.
  • The Korean War.

    The Korean War

    During this time, the Korean War was being fought between South Korea and North Korea.
  • 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%.
  • Polio cases are high.

    Polio cases are high

    Cases of Polio were particularly high, and outbreaks were common. In the United States, the disease peaked in 1952, with nearly 60,000 cases and 3,145 deaths. It wasn't until 1955 that a national immunization program started and cases began to drop.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on December 17, 1952.

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 17, 1952.

  • December 1, 1952: The New York Daily News reports that former soldier Christine Jorgensen is the first person in the United States to undergo a sex change.
  • December 5, 1952: The Great Smog of London begins after airborne pollutants form a thick layer of smog over the city.
  • December 9, 1952: The Great Smog of London lifts after five days.
  • December 11, 1952: Derek Bentley is sentenced to death after being found guilty of the murder of Police Constable Sidney Miles in London, England.
  • This date: December 17, 1952
  • December 20, 1952: 87 people die when a military transport aircraft crashes near Moses Lake in Washington.
  • December 25, 1952: Queen Elizabeth makes her first Christmas speech.
  • December 28, 1952: NFL: The Detroit Lions defeat the Cleveland Browns 17-7 to win the 1952 NFL Championship Game.
  • January 1, 1953: Singer Hank Williams dies from heart failure at the age of 29.
  • January 7, 1953: US President Harry Truman announces that the country has developed the first hydrogen bomb.
  • January 14, 1953: Marshal Josip Broz Tito becomes the new President of Yugoslavia.
  • January 15, 1953: East Germany's first Minister of Foreign Affairs, Georg Dertinger, is arrested on espionage charges.

1950s fashion

Photographs of 1950s fashion and hairstyles.

1950s fashion

Television shows

TV series on December 17, 1952

People in December 1952 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from December 1952.

I Married Joan
I Married Joan
Our Miss Brooks
Our Miss Brooks
My Little Margie
My Little Margie
The Roy Rogers Show
The Roy Rogers Show
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy
Sky King
Sky King
Racket Squad
Racket Squad
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
Beulah
Beulah
The Colgate Comedy Hour
The Colgate Comedy Hour

Cars in 1952

1952 saw the introduction of cars such as the Datsun DC-3, the Lincoln Capri, the Hudson Wasp, the Škoda 1200, the Ford F-Series (second generation), and the Wolseley 4/44.

Cars in 1952.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in December 1952

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

Adventures of Superman
Adventures of Superman
Crusader Rabbit
Crusader Rabbit
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry

Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Toys

Toys in 1952

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

Mr. Potato Head
Mr. Potato Head
Feed the Elephant
Feed the Elephant
Pitchin' Pal
Pitchin' Pal
Colorforms
Colorforms
Butch the Pup Toy
Butch the Pup Toy
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
Tonka trucks
Tonka trucks
Dimestore soldiers
Dimestore soldiers

Were you born on December 17, 1952?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1952.

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 17, 1958, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on December 17.

Pope Francis

Pope Francis

Pope
Born on December 17, 1936
He turned 16 on this day in 1952.

Bill Pullman

Bill Pullman

Actor
Born on December 17, 1953
He was born exactly one year after this date.

Chuck Liddell

Chuck Liddell

MMA fighter
Born on December 17, 1969
He was born exactly 17 years after this date.

Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao

Boxer
Born on December 17, 1978
He was born exactly 26 years after this date.

Chelsea Manning

Chelsea Manning

Whistleblower
Born on December 17, 1987
She was born exactly 35 years after this date.

USA

US President

Harry S. Truman was the President of the United States on December 17, 1952.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Éamon de Valera was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on December 17, 1952 was most likely conceived around March 26, 1952.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on December 17, 1952 is close to September 9, 1953.

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Stats for December 17, 1952

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about December 17, 1952:

  • 26,266 days have passed since this date.
  • 3,752 weeks have passed.
  • 2,269,382,400 seconds have passed since December 17, 1952.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,647,612,800 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 1,171,001,318,400 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 378,230,400 times.
  • You have taken approximately 195,166,886 steps. That's roughly 86,741 miles.
  • 27,232,589 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1952?

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