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December 17, 1997

December 17, 1997, was a Wednesday. It was 27 years and 6 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 17, 1997:

  • United States: "Candle In The Wind 1997" by Elton John
  • United Kingdom: "Teletubbies Say Eh-oh" by Teletubbies

The Billboard Hot 100 on December 17, 1997

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • Candle In The Wind 1997/Something About The Way You Look Tonight - Elton John
  • How Do I Live - LeAnn Rimes
  • You Make Me Wanna... - Usher
  • My Body - LSG
  • Feel So Good - Mase
Play the top singles from 1997
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1997. Take a trip back to the days of the Backstreet Boys, Hanson, Dario G, The Prodigy and Daft Punk.
Scream 2

Top movie

The movie "Scream 2" was at the top of the box office on this day.

Facts

This date occurred 9,868 days ago. Approximately 329 months have passed. It was the 351st day of 1997, in week 51. The decade was the nineties. The end of 1997 was just 14 days away. People who were born on December 17, 1997, are now 27 years old and belong to the Gen-Z generation. We have gone through approximately 110 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to December 17, 1997

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is December 17, 1997, 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 1997 is in full swing. People are putting up their decorations and festive songs are playing on the radio. In America, the song "Candle In The Wind 1997" by Elton John is at the top of the singles charts, while "Teletubbies Say Eh-oh" by Teletubbies is the number-one song in the UK. Bill Clinton is the President of the United States, and the movie Scream 2 is at the top of the box office.

Tony Blair is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. On television, people are watching popular shows such as "Frasier", "Father Ted", "King of the Hill", and "Stargate SG-1". A new form of communication called "text messaging" is starting to become more widespread. However, it can only be done if both the sender and the receiver are on the same cell network.

Meanwhile, a global system called "the Internet" is also starting to take off. Each day, more and more people are learning how to send emails and browse "websites" on the World Wide Web by connecting their IBM computers to noisy dial-up modems. The CD is quickly becoming the dominant format for music, and people are buying portable players such as the "Discman". Consequently, sales of cassette tapes are continuing to decline. In fashion, bright and metallic colors are all the rage—a big change from the darker "grunge" colors of the early 1990s. Women are wearing maxi skirts, bell bottoms, knee boots, crop tops, tube tops, slip dresses, maxi coats, and platform shoes. Meanwhile, a lot of men have ditched their grunge and skater clothes in favor of a "dress casual" look. They are also beginning to cut their hair shorter.

It's 1997, so radio stations are being dominated by the likes of Toni Braxton, the Spice Girls, Puff Daddy, No Doubt, Hanson and Elton John. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Sonny Bono, Fat Pat, Rob Pilatus, and Frank Sinatra would all still be alive. People are playing video games such as "The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall", "Super Mario 64", "Diablo", and "Grand Theft Auto".

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Postman Pat", "The Simpsons", "7th Heaven", and "City Guys". Children are playing with toys such as Dear Diary, Styrofoam plane gliders, Street Sharks Action Figures, and the Nintendo 64.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on December 17, 1997, will have the star sign Sagittarius.
  • Zodiac Element: Fire.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1997 was the year of the Ox (Yin Wood).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 1.
  • Native American Zodiac: December 17, 1997 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, 1997.

  • Christmas 1997.

    Christmas 1997

    The Christmas period of 1997 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.
  • Ask Jeeves.

    Ask Jeeves

    Internet users were using a search engine called "Ask Jeeves".
  • Shawn Colvin - "Sunny Came Home"

    Shawn Colvin - "Sunny Came Home"

    The song "Sunny Came Home" by Shawn Colvin went on to win a Grammy for 1997's Record of the Year.
  • 1997 in music.

    1997 in music

    Popular music artists in 1997 included the Spice Girls, Jewel, Puff Daddy, Monica, Mark Morrison, Hanson, Meredith Brooks, Backstreet Boys, LeAnn Rimes, Usher, Elton John, and Boyz II Men.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1997?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1997?

    In 1997, the best NBA players were Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, Grant Hill, Hakeem Olajuwon, Tim Hardaway, Scottie Pippen, Glen Rice, Patrick Ewing, Gary Payton, Mitch Richmond, Anthony Mason, Vin Baker, Shaquille O'Neal, John Stockton and Penny Hardaway.
  • Andrew Grove.

    Andrew Grove

    The chairman and CEO of Intel, Andrew Grove, was named Time Person of the Year in 1997.
  • Late 1990s Fashion.

    Late 1990s Fashion

    Popular clothing items included pleather pants, high-waisted miniskirts, and halter tops. Metallic clothing became more prominent. Cargo pants and other military-inspired clothing also started to become more popular. Preppy looks became widespread among young men as brands such as "Old Navy" and "Abercrombie & Fitch" became more and more popular. The rave scene also inspired the comeback of more colors.
  • The Nintendo 64.

    The Nintendo 64

    The Nintendo 64 was competing with Sony's PlayStation console. Popular games included Mario Kart 64, GoldenEye 007, and Yoshi's Story.
  • 1997 in movies.

    1997 in movies

    Movies released in 1997 included Titanic, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Men in Black, Tomorrow Never Dies, Air Force One, Liar Liar, As Good as It Gets, The Fifth Element, The Full Monty, Starship Troopers, Good Will Hunting and Alien: Resurrection.
  • Teri Hatcher.

    Teri Hatcher

    American actress Teri Hatcher was listed as FHM's sexiest woman in 1997.
  • Best football players in 1997.

    Best football players in 1997

    In 1997, the best soccer players were Ronaldo, Predrag Mijatović, Zinedine Zidane, Dennis Bergkamp, Roberto Carlos, Andreas Möller, Raúl, Peter Schmeichel, Jürgen Kohler, Matthias Sammer and Christian Vieri.
  • Dancing baby.

    Dancing baby

    In 1997, a 3D animation of a dancing baby became one of the first viral videos. Over the course of the year, the animation appeared in commercials and sitcoms such as Ally McBeal.
  • Titanic.

    Titanic

    James Cameron's film "Titanic" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1997.
  • The Internet is still a novelty.

    The Internet is still a novelty

    Although the Internet existed, it was still something of a novelty in the late 1990s. Many people had to visit their local library just to "surf the web". Social media wasn't a thing yet, and most sites consisted of gaudy, static web pages.
  • Sony PlayStation.

    Sony PlayStation

    The Sony PlayStation (PS1) was released in September 1995. It was one of the best-selling video game consoles of the 1990s.
  • CDs have become the dominant music format.

    CDs have become the dominant music format

    By this stage, the CD had become the dominant music format. Consequently, sales of CD players and the "Discman" continued to increase. Meanwhile, people were beginning to replace their cassette players.
  • Kids are reading Goosebumps.

    Kids are reading Goosebumps

    Kids were reading Goosebumps, which was a series of children's horror books that were written by author R. L. Stine. The original series included books such as "Monster Blood", "Say Cheese and Die!" and "The Barking Ghost".
  • VCRs are common household items.

    VCRs are common household items

    Everyone was using VCRs to watch tapes of movies and TV shows. The device also gave people the ability to record programs and films onto a blank tape.
  • People are using pagers to communicate.

    People are using pagers to communicate

    Pagers achieved mainstream popularity during the 1990s. These small devices allowed the owner to receive messages. More often than not, the message was a short memo or a phone number that they were supposed to call back.
  • Wallpaper is beginning to go out of style.

    Wallpaper is beginning to go out of style

    By the 1990s, "modernism" was starting to heavily influence interior design trends. As a result, sales of wallpaper started to decline. Instead of using decorative wallpaper, people were beginning to opt for minimalist, painted walls.
  • The Scrunchie.

    The Scrunchie

    People are wearing an elastic hair tie called the "scrunchie".

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on December 17, 1997.

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, 1997.

  • November 17, 1997:
    • A rhythm video game called "PaRappa the Rapper" is released on the PlayStation.
    • English rave group the Prodigy release their single "Smack My Bitch Up".
  • November 20, 1997: It is reported that child pornography was found at the home of rock singer Gary Glitter.
  • November 22, 1997:
    • Boxing: George Foreman has his last fight in a loss against Shannon Briggs.
    • INXS singer Michael Hutchence commits suicide at the age of 37.
  • November 23, 1997: A four-month-old toddler called Sabrina Aisenberg goes missing from her crib in Valrico, Florida.
  • November 26, 1997: Alien: Resurrection (1997) is released.
  • December 1, 1997:
    • The song Teletubbies say "Eh-oh!" is released.
    • The song "Angels" is released by Robbie Williams.
    • Golden State Warriors player Latrell Sprewell attacks head coach P. J. Carlesimo during practice.
    • Three students are killed during a shooting at Heath High School in West Paducah, Kentucky.
  • December 8, 1997:
    • Jenny Shipley becomes the first female Prime Minister of New Zealand after replacing Jim Bolger as the leader of the National Party.
    • Canadian singer Celine Dion releases her soundtrack single "My Heart Will Go On".
  • December 12, 1997:
    • Scream 2 (1997) is released.
    • Autumn Jackson is found guilty of trying to extort money from comedian Bill Cosby and is sentenced to 26 months in federal prison.
  • This date: December 17, 1997
  • December 18, 1997: American actor and comedian Chris Farley dies from a drug overdose at the age of 33.
  • December 19, 1997: The movie Titanic (1997) is released in movie theaters.
  • December 23, 1997: Brazilian striker Ronaldo wins the 1997 Ballon d'Or.
  • December 24, 1997: Celine Dion releases her song "My Heart Will Go On".
  • December 25, 1997: Jackie Brown (1997) is released.
  • December 26, 1997: The movie "Spice World" is released.
  • December 27, 1997: Prominent Ulster loyalist Billy Wright is killed by INLA inmates in the Maze prison in Northern Ireland.
  • December 31, 1997: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett are married.
  • January 5, 1998: Former recording artist Sonny Bono dies from a skiing accident.
  • January 14, 1998: $1.6 million in cash is stolen in a bank robbery at the Bank of America in the World Trade Center.

Late 1990s fashion

Photographs of late 1990s fashion and hairstyles.

Late 1990s fashion

Television shows

TV series on December 17, 1997

People in December 1997 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from December 1997.

Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1
Oz
Oz
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
King of the Hill
King of the Hill
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
7th Heaven
7th Heaven
3rd Rock from the Sun
3rd Rock from the Sun
JAG
JAG
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess
Father Ted
Father Ted

Cars in 1997

1997 saw the introduction of cars such as the Saab 9-5, the Toyota Avensis, the Toyota Prius, the Lincoln Navigator, the Honda Accord, and the Chevrolet Corvette (C5).

Cars in 1997.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in December 1997

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

Bear in the Big Blue House
Bear in the Big Blue House
Men in Black: The Series
Men in Black: The Series
Teen Angel
Teen Angel

Mummies Alive!
Mummies Alive!
Caillou
Caillou
Recess
Recess
City Guys
City Guys
USA High
USA High
Cow And Chicken
Cow And Chicken
The Angry Beavers
The Angry Beavers
Smart Guy
Smart Guy
Toys

Toys in 1997

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

Spice Girls dolls
Spice Girls dolls
The Pokémon Trading Card Game
The Pokémon Trading Card Game
Bop It
Bop It
Car City Carpet
Car City Carpet
The Nintendo 64
The Nintendo 64
The Tamagotchi
The Tamagotchi
Tyco Rebound RC Car
Tyco Rebound RC Car
Street Sharks Action Figures
Street Sharks Action Figures
The PlayStation (PS1)
The PlayStation (PS1)
The Sega Saturn
The Sega Saturn
Styrofoam plane gliders
Styrofoam plane gliders
Fisher-Price Great Adventures Castle
Fisher-Price Great Adventures Castle
Video games

Video games

Popular video games that people were playing in December 1997.

Diddy Kong Racing 1997
Diddy Kong Racing
FIFA: Road to World Cup 98 1997
FIFA: Road to World Cup 98
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back 1997
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Age of Empires 1997
Age of Empires
Grand Theft Auto 1997
Grand Theft Auto
Fallout 1997
Fallout
PaRappa the Rapper 1997
PaRappa the Rapper
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee 1997
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
GoldenEye 007 1997
GoldenEye 007
Porsche Challenge 1997
Porsche Challenge
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire 1997
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Star Fox 64 1997
Star Fox 64

Were you born on December 17, 1997?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1997.

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, 2003, 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 61 on this day in 1997.

Bill Pullman

Bill Pullman

Actor
Born on December 17, 1953
He turned 44 on this day in 1997.

Chuck Liddell

Chuck Liddell

MMA fighter
Born on December 17, 1969
He turned 28 on this day in 1997.

Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao

Boxer
Born on December 17, 1978
He turned 19 on this day in 1997.

Chelsea Manning

Chelsea Manning

Whistleblower
Born on December 17, 1987
She turned 10 on this day in 1997.

USA

US President

Bill Clinton was the President of the United States on December 17, 1997.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Tony Blair was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Bertie Ahern was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on December 17, 1997 was most likely conceived around March 26, 1997.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on December 17, 1997 is close to September 9, 1998.

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Stats for December 17, 1997

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about December 17, 1997:

  • 9,868 days have passed since this date.
  • 1,409 weeks have passed.
  • 852,595,200 seconds have passed since December 17, 1997.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 994,694,400 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 439,939,123,200 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 142,099,200 times.
  • You have taken approximately 73,323,187 steps. That's roughly 32,588 miles.
  • 10,231,142 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1997?

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