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December 21st, 1980

December 21st, 1980, was a Sunday. It was Day 356 of 1980. The decade was the Eighties.

42 years, 5 months, and 6 days have passed since December 21st, 1980.

The zodiac star sign for this date is Sagittarius.

Birthdays

Born on December 21st, 1980.

People who were born on this exact date.

Song charts

Top songs.

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on December 21st, 1980.

  • United States: Lady - Kenny Rogers
  • United Kingdom: Starting Over - John Lennon

The Billboard Hot 100 on December 21st, 1980.

A list of songs that were dominating the music charts on this date:

  • Lady - Kenny Rogers
  • More Than I Can Say - Leo Sayer
  • (Just Like) Starting Over - John Lennon
  • Love On The Rocks - Neil Diamond
  • Master Blaster (Jammin') - Stevie Wonder
Play the top singles from the year 1980.
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1980. Take a trip back to the days of Kool & The Gang, ABBA, Air Supply, Blondie and Queen.
Stir Crazy

Top movie.

The top movie on this date was "Stir Crazy".

Take me back to December 21st, 1980!

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is December 21st, 1980, and it's a Sunday. Anyone born today will have the star sign Sagittarius. People are currently enjoying their weekend. However, because it's a Sunday, some are dreading the week ahead.

Christmas Day of 1980 is fast approaching and the excitement is building. Department stores are thronged with Christmas shoppers. In America, the song Lady by Kenny Rogers is at the top of the singles charts. Over in the UK, Starting Over by John Lennon is the number-one hit song.

Jimmy Carter is the President of the United States, and the movie Stir Crazy is at the top of the box office. Margaret Thatcher is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. On television, people are watching popular shows such as "Charlie's Angels", "Taxi", "WKRP in Cincinnati", and "The Facts of Life".

Because it's 1980, the radio stations are being dominated by artists such as Pink Floyd, Barbra Streisand, John Lennon, Lipps Inc, Diana Ross, Blondie and Kenny Rogers. In fashion, women are wearing jelly shoes, turtleneck sweaters, loose high-waist pants, crop tops, and puffer jackets lined with fur. Meanwhile, men have been ditching the disco look of the 1970s in favor of athletic clothing such as tracksuits and sports jerseys. The "preppy" look has also been making a comeback. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Bob Marley, Terry Fox, Adam Walsh, and Bill Shankly would all still be alive.

People are playing video games such as "Space Invaders", "Lunar Lander", "Asteroids", and "Galaxian". Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Captain Kangaroo", "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids", "Mork & Mindy", and "Casper and the Angels". Children are playing with toys such as Lite-Brite, Simon (memory game), Speak & Spell, and Fischer Price cassette player.

News

News topics, nostalgic fads, and pop culture events.

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on December 21st, 1980.

  • Christmas 1980 is days away.

    Christmas 1980 is days away.

    Christmas 1980 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.

  • Iran-Iraq War.

    Iran-Iraq War.

    Between September 1980 and August 1988, an armed conflict was being fought between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Iraqi Republic.

  • 1980 in music.

    1980 in music.

    Popular music artists in 1980 included Blondie, Pink Floyd, Billy Joel, Olivia Newton-John, Michael Jackson, Captain & Tennille, Queen, Paul McCartney and Lipps Inc.

  • Who were the best NBA players in 1980?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1980?

    The best NBA players in 1980 were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius Erving, Larry Bird, George Gervin and Paul Westphal.

  • Early 1980s fashion.

    Early 1980s fashion.

    The early 1980s saw a minimalist approach to fashion, with some trends carrying over from the late 1970s. Sweaters, fur-lined puffer jackets, tunics, ripped jeans, leotards, velour tracksuits, tube tops, knee-length skirts, high-waisted pants, and embroidered jeans were all popular. The colors during the early 1980s were subdued, quiet, and basic. Varying shades of brown, tan, and orange were in fashion.

  • 1980 in movies.

    1980 in movies.

    Movies released in 1980 included The Empire Strikes Back, 9 to 5, Friday the 13th, Stir Crazy, Airplane!, Any Which Way You Can, Caddyshack, Private Benjamin, Coal Miner's Daughter, Smokey and the Bandit II, The Blue Lagoon, The Blues Brothers, The Shining and The Fog.

  • Best soccer players.

    Best soccer players.

    In 1980, the best soccer players were Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Bernd Schuster, Michel Platini, Wilfried Van Moer, Jan Ceulemans, Horst Hrubesch, Herbert Prohaska, Hansi Müller, Liam Brady, Manfred Kaltz and Erwin Vandenbergh.

  • Ordinary People.

    Ordinary People.

    The film "Ordinary People" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1980.

  • Ronald Reagan.

    Ronald Reagan.

    Ronald Reagan was named the Time Person of the Year in 1980 after he defeated incumbent President Jimmy Carter in the 1980 United States presidential election.

  • Christopher Cross - "Sailing"

    Christopher Cross - "Sailing"

    The song "Sailing" by Christopher Cross won a Grammy for 1980's Song of the Year.

  • Computers are replacing typewriters.

    Computers are replacing typewriters.

    Desktop computers were beginning to replace typewriters in offices.

  • TV remotes.

    TV remotes.

    Although TV remotes existed, many homes didn't have one. Infrared technology was still relatively new.

  • The Atari 2600.

    The Atari 2600.

    The Atari 2600 was the dominant video game system.

  • The Iran hostage crisis.

    The Iran hostage crisis.

    The Iran hostage crisis was ongoing. Between November 4th, 1979, and January 20th, 1981, 52 American diplomats and citizens were held hostage in Iran. The hostages were taken into captivity after a group of Iranian college students stormed the US embassy in Tehran.

  • The Atlanta murders of 1979–1981.

    The Atlanta murders of 1979–1981.

    During this time, the Atlanta murders of 1979–1981 were taking place. At least 28 children and young adults were murdered before Wayne Williams was eventually arrested and convicted.

  • The Walkman.

    The Walkman.

    In the late 1970s and 1980s, portable cassette players such as the "Sony Walkman" were becoming more common.

  • Wallpaper.

    Wallpaper.

    Wallpaper was extremely common in people's homes throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It wasn't until the mid-late 1980s that "modernism" started to creep in.

Information

Facts.

Basic facts and information about this date:

  • This date fell on a weekend.
  • 42 years, 5 months, and 6 days have passed since December 21st, 1980.
  • Week Number: This date occurred during Week 51 of 1980.
  • Leap Year: 1980 was a leap year, which means that it contained 366 days instead of 365 (with an extra day in February).
  • Age: People born on December 21st, 1980, are now 42 years old.
  • Generation: People born in 1980 belong to the Generation Y (Millennial) generation.
  • Unix Timestamp: The Unix Timestamp for this date is 346204800.

Personality traits.

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on December 21st, 1980.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

Around this time.

News stories, pop culture trends, and other events that happened around December 21st, 1980.

  • November 21st, 1980: 85 people are killed when a fire breaks out at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
  • November 21st, 1980: Roughly 90 million American viewers tune in to watch the Dallas episode "Who Done It".
  • November 23rd, 1980: Over 2,000 people are killed after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake strikes the Irpinia region of Italy.
  • November 25th, 1980: "No Más Fight": Sugar Ray Leonard defeats Roberto Durán after he turns around and quits in the 8th round.
  • December 2nd, 1980: Four American missionaries are raped and murdered by members of the El Salvador National Guard.
  • December 4th, 1980: English rock band Led Zeppelin announce their break-up.
  • December 7th, 1980: American punk singer Darby Crash commits suicide.
  • December 8th, 1980: Beatles legend John Lennon is shot and killed outside of his New York apartment.
  • December 12th, 1980: Stir Crazy (1980) is released in cinemas.
  • December 12th, 1980: Technology company Apple makes its IPO on the US stock market at $22 per share.
  • December 16th, 1980: KFC founder Colonel Sanders passes away at the age of 90 after a short battle with leukemia.
  • December 17th, 1980: The comedy-action film Any Which Way You Can (1980), is released in cinemas.
  • December 18th, 1980: The former Premier of the Soviet Union, Alexei Kosygin, passes away at the age of 76.
  • December 19th, 1980: The film 9 to 5 (1980) is released in cinemas.
  • This date: December 21st, 1980
  • December 24th, 1980: Britain's Roswell: Multiple witnesses report seeing strange lights near the RAF Woodbridge station in Suffolk, England.
  • January 2nd, 1981: Serial killer Peter Sutcliffe (The Yorkshire Ripper) is arrested.
  • January 8th, 1981: UFO case: An unidentified flying object leaves physical evidence in a field outside of Trans-en-Provence in France.
  • January 16th, 1981: Irish civil rights leader Bernadette McAliskey is wounded after loyalist gunmen break into her home in Tyrone and shoot her.
  • January 19th, 1981: Iran hostage crisis: Iran and the United States reach a deal to release 52 American hostages after 14 months of captivity.
  • January 19th, 1981: 22-year-old American photographer Francesca Woodman commits suicide.
  • January 19th, 1981: Boxing legend Muhammad Ali talks a suicidal man down off a ledge in Los Angeles.
  • January 20th, 1981: Ronald Reagan is inaugurated as the 40th President of the United States.
  • January 20th, 1981: Iran releases 52 American hostages after 14 months of captivity.
Zodiac info

Horoscope, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Zodiac and birthstone information.

NEW! Check out our personality summary image for this birth date.

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on December 21st, 1980, will have the star sign Sagittarius.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1980 was the year of the Monkey (Yang Water).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 6.
  • Native American Zodiac: December 21st, 1980 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.

Photos of early 1980s fashion.

Photographs of early 1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Photos of early 1980s fashion.

Television shows

TV shows in 1980.

Television shows that people were watching in December 1980.

TV shows from December, 1980.

Magnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I.
Starring Tom Selleck as Private Investigator Thomas Magnum.

Knots Landing
Knots Landing
American soap opera.

Archie Bunker's Place
Archie Bunker's Place
Sitcom starring Carroll O'Connor.

Trapper John, M.D.
Trapper John, M.D.
Medical drama.

Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart
TV show about a couple who moonlight as detectives.

The Facts of Life
The Facts of Life
Sitcom about a girls boarding school in Peekskill, New York. Starring Charlotte Rae as housemother Edna Garrett.

The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard
American television series.

WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati
Sitcom about staff members who work at a radio station in Cincinnati.

Taxi
Taxi
American sitcom starring Andy Kaufman and Danny DeVito.

Dallas
Dallas
Soap opera.

The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk
Starring Lou Ferrigno.

The Love Boat
The Love Boat
Television series that was set on a cruise ship. Starring Gavin MacLeod as Captain Merrill Stubing.

Chips
Chips
TV show about two California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers called Jon Baker and Frank "Ponch" Poncherello.

Soap
Soap
Comedy series / satire about soap operas. Starring Billy Crystal as Jodie Dallas.

Eight Is Enough
Eight Is Enough
Television series about the "Bradford brood" and their father.

Three's Company
Three's Company
Sitcom about two girls and their male room mate.

Quincy, M.E.
Quincy, M.E.
TV show about a Los Angeles County medical examiner called Dr. Quincy.

Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels
TV show about three female police academy-trained private detectives.

Laverne & Shirley
Laverne & Shirley
Series about two roommates called Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney.

Barney Miller
Barney Miller
Sitcom about a police station in New York City. Starring Hal Linden as Captain Bernard "Barney" Miller.

The Jeffersons
The Jeffersons
TV show about an African- American couple that have moved into an upscale high-rise building.

Little House on the Prairie
Little House on the Prairie
TV show that was set in the 1870s.

Happy Days
Happy Days
TV show that is set in the 1950s / 1960s in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Last of the Summer Wine
Last of the Summer Wine
British sitcom about three senior citizens in the Yorkshire Dales.

M*A*S*H
M*A*S*H
TV series about an American military medical unit during the Korean War.

The Waltons
The Waltons
TV series about a family living in rural Virginia during the Great Depression.

The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies
British comedy sketch show starring Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett.

Cars in 1980.

1980 saw the introduction of cars such as the Audi Coupé, the Dodge Mirada, the North American variant of the Ford Escort, the Fiat Panda, the Nissan Leopard and the Lincoln Town Car.

Cars in 1980.

Children TV shows

Kids' TV shows on December 21st, 1980.

Cartoons and TV shows that children and teenagers were watching on this day in 1980.

Thundarr the Barbarian
Thundarr the Barbarian

Cockleshell Bay
Cockleshell Bay

The New Adventures of Flash Gordon
The New Adventures of Flash Gordon

Rickety Rocket
Rickety Rocket

Diff'rent Strokes
Diff'rent Strokes

Mork & Mindy
Mork & Mindy

Battle of the Planets
Battle of the Planets

The All New Popeye Hour
The All New Popeye Hour

Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels
Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels

The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show

Happy Days
Happy Days

Schoolhouse Rock!
Schoolhouse Rock!

Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids

Sesame Street
Sesame Street

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

The Bugs Bunny Show
The Bugs Bunny Show

Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo

Toys

Popular toys and games in 1980.

Toys and games that were popular on this date in 1980.

Space Lego
Space Lego

Fischer Price cassette player
Fischer Price cassette player

Monchhichi / Chicaboo
Monchhichi / Chicaboo

Rubik's Cube
Rubik's Cube

Strawberry Shortcake dolls
Strawberry Shortcake dolls

The Big Wheel (tricycle)
The Big Wheel (tricycle)

Intellivision (games console)
Intellivision (games console)

The Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine
The Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine

Screwball Scramble
Screwball Scramble

Cabbage Patch Kids
Cabbage Patch Kids

Speak & Spell
Speak & Spell

Simon (memory game)
Simon (memory game)

Hungry Hungry Hippos
Hungry Hungry Hippos

Water Ring Toss
Water Ring Toss

The Atari 2600
The Atari 2600

Star Wars action figures
Star Wars action figures

Lego Technic
Lego Technic

Micronauts
Micronauts

Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons

Magna Doodle
Magna Doodle

Big Jim (action figure)
Big Jim (action figure)

VertiBird (toy helicopter)
VertiBird (toy helicopter)

Lite-Brite
Lite-Brite

Operation
Operation

Video games

Video games.

Popular video games that people were playing in December of 1980.

Missile Command 1980
Missile Command
Arcade game developed by Atari.

Pac-Man 1980
Pac-Man
Maze arcade game.

Galaxian 1980
Galaxian
Fixed shooter arcade game.

Asteroids 1979
Asteroids
Space-themed shooter arcade game.

Lunar Lander 1979
Lunar Lander
In which the player controls a lunar landing module.

Space Invaders 1978
Space Invaders
Shooter arcade game.

Breakout 1976
Breakout
Arcade game published by Atari.

Were you born on this date?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1980.

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 21st, 1986, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays.

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

Jane Fonda

Actress.
Born on December 21st, 1937
She turned 43 on this day in 1980.

Frank Zappa

Musician. Deceased
Born on December 21st, 1940
He turned 40 on this day in 1980.

Samuel L. Jackson

Actor.
Born on December 21st, 1948
He turned 32 on this day in 1980.

Jane Kaczmarek

Actress.
Born on December 21st, 1955
She turned 25 on this day in 1980.

Ray Romano

Actor.
Born on December 21st, 1957
He turned 23 on this day in 1980.

Kiefer Sutherland

Actor.
Born on December 21st, 1966
He turned 14 on this day in 1980.

Emmanuel Macron

French president.
Born on December 21st, 1977
He turned 3 on this day in 1980.

Steven Yeun

Actor.
Born on December 21st, 1983
He was born exactly 3 years after this date.

Ben Chilwell

Soccer player.
Born on December 21st, 1996
He was born exactly 16 years after this date.

USA

US President.

Jimmy Carter was the President of the United States on December 21st, 1980.

UK

UK Prime Minister.

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach.

Charles Haughey was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates.

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on December 21st, 1980 was most likely conceived around March 30th, 1980.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on December 21st, 1980 is close to September 13th, 1981.

Post a comment about this date.

Have something to say about this date? Was it your birthday? Or perhaps you have a memory of it?

All comments are moderated before they are published. We may edit comments to correct misspellings and grammar. We may also remove or redact personal information.

How old was I?

Find out what your age was on December 21st, 1980, by entering your DOB below.
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Stats for December 21st, 1980

Time difference & statistics.

Here are some fun statistics about December 21st, 1980.

  • A total of 15,498 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,214 weeks have passed.
  • 1,339,023,600 seconds have passed since the December 21st, 1980.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beated approximately 1,562,194,200 times.
  • Since December 21st, 1980, the Earth has travelled approximately 690,936,177,600 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 223,170,600 times.
  • If you were born on this day, you have taken approximately 115,156,030 steps. That's about 51,180 miles!
  • Since this date, 16,068,283 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere!
  • How many years ago was 1980?

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