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December 17, 1986

December 17, 1986, was a Wednesday. It was 37 years, 11 months, and 4 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Sagittarius.

On This Day

What happened on this date?

Notable events that occurred on December 17, 1986:

  • US Marine Eugene Hasenfus is pardoned and released by the Nicaraguan government.
Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on December 17, 1986:

  • United States: "Walk Like An Egyptian" by The Bangles
  • United Kingdom: "Caravan Of Love" by Housemartins

The Billboard Hot 100 on December 17, 1986

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • The Way It Is - Bruce Hornsby & The Range
  • Walk Like An Egyptian - The Bangles
  • Hip To Be Square - Huey Lewis & The News
  • The Next Time I Fall - Peter Cetera With Amy Grant
  • Everybody Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung
Play the top singles from 1986
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1986. Take a trip back to the days of Lionel Richie, Genesis, Bon Jovi, Berlin and Madonna.
Star Trek IV

Top movie

The movie "Star Trek IV" was at the top of the box office on this day.

Facts

This date occurred 13,854 days ago. Approximately 462 months have passed. It was the 351st day of 1986, in week 51. The decade was the eighties. The end of 1986 was just 14 days away. People who were born on December 17, 1986, are now 37 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. We have gone through approximately 154 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to December 17, 1986

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is December 17, 1986, 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 1986 is in full swing. People are putting up their decorations and festive songs are playing on the radio. In America, the song "Walk Like An Egyptian" by The Bangles is at the top of the singles charts, while "Caravan Of Love" by Housemartins is the number-one song in the UK. Ronald Reagan is the President of the United States, and the movie Star Trek IV 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 "Last of the Summer Wine", "The Facts of Life", "Only Fools and Horses", and "The A-Team". In fashion, women are wearing sweater dresses, short skirts, small shoulder pads, animal print, long full wool coats, and bulky sweaters. Meanwhile, men are wearing tracksuits, sweatshirts, Nike Air Jordan shoes, and denim.

Because it's 1986, the radio stations are being dominated by the likes of Falco, Madonna, the Pet Shop Boys, Berlin, Whitney Houston, Dionne and Huey Lewis and the News. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Liberace, Andy Warhol, Fred Astaire, and Scott La Rock would all still be alive. People are playing video games such as "Space Invaders", "Asteroids", "Missile Command", and "Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar".

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Heathcliff", "The Cosby Show", "ThunderCats", and "The New Adventures of Jonny Quest". Children are playing with toys such as Cabbage Patch Kids, Screwball Scramble, Fischer Price cassette player, and Space Lego.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on December 17, 1986, will have the star sign Sagittarius.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1986 was the year of the Tiger (Yang Fire).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 8.
  • Native American Zodiac: December 17, 1986 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, 1986.

  • Christmas 1986.

    Christmas 1986

    The Christmas period of 1986 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.
  • The Iran-Contra affair.

    The Iran-Contra affair

    News of the Iran-Contra affair began to break at the start of November 1986.
  • People are buying waterbeds.

    People are buying waterbeds

    Waterbeds became a huge fad during the late 1980s. Although they were invented in the 1970s, they didn't reach their heyday until the 1980s. In 1986 and 1987, nearly a quarter of all beds sold were filled with water.
  • 1986 in music.

    1986 in music

    Popular music artists in 1986 included Dionne Warwick, Lionel Richie, Klymaxx, Patti LaBelle, Whitney Houston, Survivor, Mr. Mister, Robert Palmer and Atlantic Starr.
  • VCRs have become a common household item.

    VCRs have become a common household item

    VCRs became a common household item in the mid-1980s. By that stage, prices had started to drop. This device gave people the ability to play VCR tapes and record TV programs and movies.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1986?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1986?

    The best NBA players in 1986 were Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Dominique Wilkins, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Isiah Thomas.
  • 1986 in movies.

    1986 in movies

    Movies released in 1986 included Top Gun, Crocodile Dundee, Stand by Me, The Karate Kid Part II, Platoon, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, The Fly, Back to School, Aliens, The Golden Child, An American Tail, Ruthless People and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
  • Best soccer players in the world.

    Best soccer players in the world

    In 1986, the best soccer players were Igor Belanov, Diego Maradona, Gary Lineker, Emilio Butragueño, Manuel Amoros, Preben Elkjær Larsen, Ian Rush, Oleksandr Zavarov, Helmuth Duckadam, Marco van Basten and Alessandro Altobelli.
  • Platoon.

    Platoon

    The war film "Platoon" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1986.
  • Corazon Aquino.

    Corazon Aquino

    Corazon Aquino was named Time Person of the Year in 1986 for her role in the People Power Revolution in the Philippines.
  • Dionne Warwick - "That's What Friends Are For"

    Dionne Warwick - "That's What Friends Are For"

    "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick would go on to win a Grammy for 1986's Song of the Year.
  • The Nintendo Entertainment System.

    The Nintendo Entertainment System

    During the second half of the 1980s, the Nintendo Entertainment System became one of the most popular video game consoles in the world. Releases for the NES included Duck Hunt, The Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario Bros.
  • Mid 1980s fashion.

    Mid 1980s fashion

    Strappy sandals, Keds, kitten-heeled sandals, and pumps were popular footwear in the mid-80s. Fashion became more colorful during this period. Popular clothing included long wool coats, long and bulky sweaters, jumpsuits, large scarves, beanies, leather gloves, long flared skirts, slim miniskirts, slightly tapered pants, and stirrup pants.
  • The Commodore 64.

    The Commodore 64

    The Commodore 64 was dominating the home computer market.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on December 17, 1986.

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, 1986.

  • November 18, 1986: American model Gia Carangi passes away due to AIDS-related complications.
  • November 20, 1986: Soccer: Vinnie Jones joins Wimbledon.
  • November 21, 1986: The animated movie An American Tail (1986) is released.
  • November 22, 1986: Mike Tyson becomes the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history after he defeats Trevor Berbick with a second-round knockout.
  • November 26, 1986:
    • Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) is released.
    • Ukrainian-American John Demjanjuk goes on trial in Israel on charges of committing war crimes and being a Nazi camp guard.
    • US President Ronald Reagan announces the formation of a new commission to investigate the Iran-Contra affair.
  • November 29, 1986: Hollywood actor Cary Grant passes away at the age of 82.
  • December 14, 1986:
    • A concrete sarcophagus is placed over the fourth reactor in Chernobyl.
    • Football: Dennis Bergkamp makes his debut.
  • This date: December 17, 1986
  • December 19, 1986:
    • The movie Platoon (1986) is released.
    • Little Shop of Horrors (1986), starring Rick Moranis, is released in movie theaters.
  • December 31, 1986: 98 people lose their lives after three disgruntled employees set fire to the Dupont Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
  • January 1, 1987:
    • Vehicle registration plates in Ireland switch to the new YY–CC–SSSSSS format.
    • The halfpenny coin is abolished in Ireland.
  • January 4, 1987: 16 people are killed in the 1987 Maryland train collision.
  • January 8, 1987: The Dow Jones closes above 2,000 for the first time in history.

Mid-1980s fashion

Photographs of mid-1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Mid-1980s fashion

Television shows

TV series on December 17, 1986

People in December 1986 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from December 1986.

Matlock
Matlock
MacGyver
MacGyver
The Equalizer
The Equalizer
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls
Moonlighting
Moonlighting
Charles in Charge
Charles in Charge
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Miami Vice
Miami Vice
Who's the Boss?
Who's the Boss?
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Transformers
The Transformers
Punky Brewster
Punky Brewster

Cars in 1986

1986 saw the introduction of cars such as the Acura Legend, the Ford Taurus, the Nissan Pintara, the Mercury Sable, the Dodge Shadow, the Cadillac Allanté, and the Ford Festiva.

Cars in 1986.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in December 1986

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

Dennis the Menace
Dennis the Menace
ALF
ALF
The New Adventures of Jonny Quest
The New Adventures of Jonny Quest

Pound Puppies
Pound Puppies
Popples
Popples
The Real Ghostbusters
The Real Ghostbusters
SilverHawks
SilverHawks
The Flintstone Kids
The Flintstone Kids
Pingu
Pingu
Jem and the Holograms
Jem and the Holograms
Growing Pains
Growing Pains
Toys

Toys in 1986

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

Popples
Popples
Fluppy Dogs
Fluppy Dogs
Laser Tag
Laser Tag
The Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System
Teddy Ruxpin
Teddy Ruxpin
Sylvanian Families
Sylvanian Families
Mr Frosty
Mr Frosty
Garbage Pail Kids (trading cards)
Garbage Pail Kids (trading cards)
Pogo ball / Lolo ball
Pogo ball / Lolo ball
Transformers
Transformers
Pound Puppies
Pound Puppies
Turnin' Turbo Dashboard
Turnin' Turbo Dashboard
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in December 1986.

Paperboy 1986
Paperboy
The Legend of Zelda 1986
The Legend of Zelda
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar 1985
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
Boulder Dash 1985
Boulder Dash
Tetris 1984
Tetris
Duck Hunt 1984
Duck Hunt
Mario Bros. 1983
Mario Bros.
Donkey Kong 1981
Donkey Kong
Missile Command 1980
Missile Command
Pac-Man 1980
Pac-Man
Asteroids 1979
Asteroids
Space Invaders 1978
Space Invaders

Were you born on December 17, 1986?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1986.

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, 1992, 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 50 on this day in 1986.

Bill Pullman

Bill Pullman

Actor
Born on December 17, 1953
He turned 33 on this day in 1986.

Chuck Liddell

Chuck Liddell

MMA fighter
Born on December 17, 1969
He turned 17 on this day in 1986.

Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao

Boxer
Born on December 17, 1978
He turned 8 on this day in 1986.

Chelsea Manning

Chelsea Manning

Whistleblower
Born on December 17, 1987
She was born exactly one year after this date.

USA

US President

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on December 17, 1986.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Garret FitzGerald was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on December 17, 1986 was most likely conceived around March 26, 1986.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on December 17, 1986 is close to September 9, 1987.

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Stats for December 17, 1986

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about December 17, 1986:

  • 13,854 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,979 weeks have passed.
  • 1,196,985,600 seconds have passed since December 17, 1986.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,396,483,200 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 617,644,569,600 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 199,497,600 times.
  • You have taken approximately 102,940,762 steps. That's roughly 45,751 miles.
  • 14,363,827 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1986?

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