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December 31, 1986 New Year's Eve

December 31, 1986, was a Wednesday. It was 37 years, 11 months, and 30 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Capricorn.

On This Day

Events

Notable events that occurred on December 31, 1986:

  • 98 people lose their lives after three disgruntled employees set fire to the Dupont Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Song charts

Popular songs

On December 31, 1986, the following songs were at the top of the music charts in the USA and the UK:

  • United States: "Walk Like An Egyptian" by The Bangles
  • United Kingdom: "Reet Petite" by Jackie Wilson

The music charts on December 31, 1986

The following songs were dominating the Billboard Hot 100 chart:

  • Walk Like An Egyptian - The Bangles
  • Everybody Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung
  • Notorious - Duran Duran
  • Shake You Down - Gregory Abbott
  • The Way It Is - Bruce Hornsby & The Range
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.
The Golden Child

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "The Golden Child".

Facts

New Year's Eve 1986 occurred 13,879 days ago. Approximately 463 months have passed. It was the 365th day of 1986, in week 01. The decade was the eighties. It was the last day of the year. People who were born on December 31, 1986, are now 37 years old and belong to the Millennial generation. 154 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Comments

Discussion about this date:

affectionate_comma

This was the day of the Dupont Plaza Hotel arson in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I remember seeing this as a segment on Rescue 911 as a youngster.
Posted on Dec 26, 2021 21:37


Submit a comment

Take me back to December 31, 1986

Let's go back to the eighties.

The date is December 31, 1986, and it's a Wednesday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Capricorn. It is "Hump Day", so many are beginning to think about the weekend ahead.

It's New Year's Eve, and everyone is wondering what the year 1987 will bring. In America, the song "Walk Like An Egyptian" by The Bangles is at the top of the singles charts, while "Reet Petite" by Jackie Wilson is the number-one song in the UK. Ronald Reagan is the President of the United States, and the movie The Golden Child 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 "The Love Boat", "The Facts of Life", "Family Ties", and "MacGyver". 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 "Donkey Kong", "Tetris", "Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar", and "Paperboy".

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "The Bugs Bunny Show", "Inspector Gadget", "The Flintstone Kids", and "The Real Ghostbusters". Children are playing with toys such as the Easy-Bake Oven, the Big Wheel (tricycle), Space Lego, and Sylvanian Families.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on December 31, 1986, will have the star sign Capricorn.
  • Zodiac Element: Earth.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1986 was the year of the Tiger (Yang Fire).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 4.
  • Native American Zodiac: December 31, 1986 falls under the Goose.
  • 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 31, 1986.

  • 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 31, 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 31, 1986.

  • December 14, 1986:
    • A concrete sarcophagus is placed over the fourth reactor in Chernobyl.
    • Football: Dennis Bergkamp makes his debut.
  • December 17, 1986: US Marine Eugene Hasenfus is pardoned and released by the Nicaraguan government.
  • December 19, 1986:
    • The movie Platoon (1986) is released.
    • Little Shop of Horrors (1986), starring Rick Moranis, is released in movie theaters.
  • This date: December 31, 1986
  • 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.
  • January 18, 1987: Soccer: Scottish defender Steve Clarke signs for Chelsea.
  • January 25, 1987: Super Bowl XXI: The New York Giants defeat the Denver Broncos by 39-20 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
  • January 27, 1987: Soccer: John Aldridge signs for Liverpool.

Mid-1980s fashion

Photographs of mid-1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Mid-1980s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in December 1986

In December 1986, TV audiences were watching the following 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

If you were a kid on December 31, 1986, then you were probably watching the following cartoons and TV shows:

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

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

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 31, 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 31, 1992, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on December 31.

Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins

Actor
Born on December 31, 1937
He turned 49 on this day in 1986.

Alex Ferguson

Alex Ferguson

Soccer manager
Born on December 31, 1941
He turned 45 on this day in 1986.

John Denver

John Denver

American singer Deceased
Born on December 31, 1943
He turned 43 on this day in 1986.

Val Kilmer

Val Kilmer

Actor
Born on December 31, 1959
He turned 27 on this day in 1986.

John Allen Muhammad

John Allen Muhammad

Convicted murderer Deceased
Born on December 31, 1960
He turned 26 on this day in 1986.

Psy

Psy

South Korean singer
Born on December 31, 1977
He turned 9 on this day in 1986.

Donald Trump Jr.

Donald Trump Jr.

American businessman
Born on December 31, 1977
He turned 9 on this day in 1986.

Hunter Schafer

Hunter Schafer

Actress
Born on December 31, 1998
She was born exactly 12 years after this date.

Holidays

Holidays

National holidays and famous events that fall on December 31:

USA

US President

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on December 31, 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 31, 1986 was most likely conceived around April 9, 1986.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on December 31, 1986 is close to September 23, 1987.

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Stats for December 31, 1986

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about December 31, 1986:

  • 13,879 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,982 weeks have passed.
  • 1,199,145,600 seconds have passed since December 31, 1986.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,399,003,200 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 618,759,129,600 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 199,857,600 times.
  • You have taken approximately 103,126,522 steps. That's roughly 45,834 miles.
  • 14,389,747 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1986?

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