Born in 2008
Turns 18 in 2026 · 18th birthday gifts
18th birthday gifts for someone born in 2008
2008 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 2008 · Canada
A little history to go with their gift.
Michael Phelps won eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. Android arrived on a phone, while Coldplay reached its first UK singles number one with Viva la Vida. The first Android phone was the T-Mobile G1.
What happened in 2008?
Beijing staged a global Olympic spectacle
China staged its first Summer Olympics with a lavish opening ceremony and record levels of construction and security. The Games ran through August 2008 and closed with China topping the gold medal table.
U.S. House of Representatives / Congress.gov · World Athletics
Michael Phelps won eight Olympic gold medals
Phelps broke Mark Spitz's long-standing record for the most gold medals won at a single Olympics. His eight wins in Beijing made him the most decorated swimmer of his generation.
Associated Press via The Spokesman-Review · Los Angeles Times
Economists dated the U.S. recession to December 2007
On December 1, 2008, the National Bureau of Economic Research said the U.S. recession had begun in December 2007.
National Bureau of Economic Research · The Washington Post, by Renae Merle
Barack Obama won the U.S. presidential election
Barack Obama won the November 4 presidential election, defeating John McCain; the official Electoral College count was 365 to 173.
Firsts and new ideas
The Large Hadron Collider switched on beneath Europe
CERN's underground accelerator near Geneva began operating after decades of construction, aiming to recreate conditions from moments after the Big Bang. A technical fault shut it down again just days after this first successful test.
Phoenix landed on Mars
NASA's Phoenix probe touched down near the Martian north pole and confirmed the presence of water ice just beneath the surface. It operated for several months before the Martian winter cut off its solar power.
Number ones and music in 2008
Chart positions belong to the country and chart named in each record.
In Rainbows reaches No. 1 on Canada’s album chart
In Rainbows by Radiohead reached No. 1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart in Canada in January 2008.
Juno reaches No. 1 on Canada’s album chart
Juno by Soundtrack reached No. 1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart in Canada in February 2008.
Prices and everyday money in 2008
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 |
|---|---|---|
| bacon | $8.9 | 1 kg Statistics Canada |
| butter | $4.25 | 454 g Statistics Canada |
| coffee | $12.93 | 1 kg Statistics Canada |
| eggs | $2.57 | dozen Statistics Canada |
Planning the birthday
Someone born in 2008 turns 18 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.
See milestone birthdays this year