Born in 1980
Turns 46 in 2026
Gifts for someone born in 1980
1980 Front PageTheir name. The news from their year.Unframed from $36.50Add their name
Their birth chartThe sky as astrology reads it, cast for one birth.Unframed from $36.50
The Years We Were BornThe whole family, together in years.Unframed from $36.50
Our Story timelineTheir life, told in your words.Unframed from $36.50
Front Page: Canada edition. The year is filled in; add their name in the editor. “Your name” is a placeholder. Light news is selected. A new keepsake, not an original newspaper.
BACK TO 1980 · Canada
A little history to go with their gift.
Pac-Man helped video games become familiar popular culture, and The Empire Strikes Back expanded the Star Wars story on screen. At Wimbledon, Björn Borg and John McEnroe met in a memorable final. Games, cinema and sport each supplied a lasting image of 1980.
What happened in 1980?
Ronald Reagan wins the 1980 presidential election
Voters chose Ronald Reagan in the national presidential election on November 4, 1980.
National Archives and Records Administration · Federal Election Commission
Solidarity turned a strike into a movement
Solidarity became a new model of organised civil resistance and a crucial force in the Cold War’s final decade.
Voyager 1 made its Saturn flyby
On November 12, Voyager 1 made its closest approach to Saturn, extending its tour of the outer planets.
Lake Placid staged a winter shock
The Winter Olympics opened February 13, 1980, at Lake Placid, where the United States hockey team later stunned the Soviet Union.
Firsts and new ideas
Cosmos premieres on public television
Carl Sagan's Cosmos: A Personal Voyage premiered on PBS on September 28, 1980.
Rubik’s Cube made space visible in your hands
Its simple-looking form hid a difficult spatial problem, making play, frustration, and problem-solving part of everyday technology culture.
Number ones and music in 1980
Chart positions belong to the country and chart named in each record.
AC/DC begins a hard rock comeback
AC/DC released Back in Black in the United States and United Kingdom, introducing Brian Johnson as the band's new lead singer.
Lennon and Ono record a shared return
John Lennon and Yoko Ono released Double Fantasy in November 1980, ending Lennon's long break from recording.
Prices and everyday money in 1980
Canada figures in the money of the time. Units and sources matter: these are not today's prices.
| Item or measure | Then | Unit and source |
|---|---|---|
| Regular unleaded gasoline, full service | $0.268 | 1 litre Statistics Canada |
| Regular unleaded gasoline, full service | $0.26899999999999996 | 1 litre Statistics Canada |
| Regular unleaded gasoline, full service | $0.276 | 1 litre Statistics Canada |
| Regular unleaded gasoline, full service | $0.27699999999999997 | 1 litre Statistics Canada |
Planning the birthday
Someone born in 1980 turns 46 in 2026. Before their birthday they are one year younger. Choose the birth year for the print; add the full date in the editor if you know it.
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