Born in 1979
Turns 47 in 2026
Gifts for someone born in 1979
1979 Front PageTheir name. The news from their year.Unframed from $51.50Add their name
Their birth chartThe sky as astrology reads it, cast for one birth.Unframed from $51.50
The Years We Were BornThe whole family, together in years.Unframed from $51.50
Our Story timelineTheir life, told in your words.Unframed from $51.50
Front Page: New Zealand 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 1979 · New Zealand
A little history to go with their gift.
Sony’s Walkman made private, portable listening a new everyday possibility, while the World Health Organization certified smallpox eradication. Alien brought a tense new vision of science fiction to film audiences. These records link consumer technology, public health and popular culture in 1979.
What happened in 1979?
Smallpox was declared eradicated
Eradication showed what vaccination, surveillance, international cooperation, and local health workers could achieve together.
Voyager revealed Jupiter in new detail
The encounter turned planetary science into a visual public experience and expanded the imagination of the outer Solar System.
West Indies retained the Cricket World Cup
West Indies defeated England at Lord’s to retain the Cricket World Cup they had first won in 1975.
International Cricket Council · International Cricket Council
Firsts and new ideas
The Walkman takes music on the move
Sony put its first Walkman cassette player on sale in Japan on July 1, 1979. The small stereo made portable, personal listening a consumer.
Ariane opened Europe’s route to orbit
The successful launch established a European rocket family intended to place communications and scientific payloads into orbit.
Number ones and music in 1979
Chart positions belong to the country and chart named in each record.
Singer Aaliyah is born in Brooklyn
Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born in Brooklyn, New York, and later became an influential R&B singer.
Christopher Cross launches his solo career
Christopher Cross released his self-titled debut album in 1979, featuring four Top 20 hits.
Prices and everyday money in 1979
New Zealand figures in the money of the time. Units and sources matter: these are not today's prices.
| Item or measure | Then | Unit and source |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | $0.10 | 600ml Statistics New Zealand |
| Bread, white | $0.40 | 750g Statistics New Zealand |
| Average weekly wage | $157 | per week Manatū Taonga — Ministry for Culture and Heritage (NZHistory) |
| Postage stamp, face denomination (Queen Elizabeth II provisional overprint) | 14c | one stamp NZ Post Collectables |
Planning the birthday
Someone born in 1979 turns 47 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