UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
24 December 1981 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 24 December 1981 was a Thursday.
- Kent Music Report No. 1
- The Kent Music Report No. 1 was “Down Under” by Men at Work.
- Top Film of 1981
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1981 was Raiders of the Lost Ark.
- Best-Selling Vehicle of 1981
- Australia's top-selling new vehicle in 1981 was the Holden Commodore.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 24 December is Capricorn.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 24 December 1981 fell in the Year of the Rooster.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 24 December 1981 was Waning Crescent.
On this day: 24 December
- 1968 Apollo program: The crew of Apollo 8 enters into orbit around the Moon, becoming the first humans to do so. They performed ten lunar orbits, took the Earthrise photograph, broadcast live TV pictures, and read the first ten verses of Genesis.
- 1969 Nigerian troops capture Umuahia, the Biafran capital.
- 1973 District of Columbia Home Rule Act is passed, allowing residents of Washington, D.C. to elect their own local government.
- 1974 Cyclone Tracy devastates Darwin, Australia.
- 1979 The first Ariane 1 rocket is launched from ELA-1 at the Guiana Space Centre.
Famous people born on 24 December
- Howard Hughes, American businessman, engineer, and pilot (1905–1976)
- Ed Miliband, British politician, Foreign Secretary (born 1969)
- Empress Elisabeth of Austria (1837–1898)
- Davante Adams, American football player (born 1992)
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Events of 1981 in Australia
A selection from Wikipedia's '1981 in Australia'. Not a complete list.
- 30 January – Sir Harry Gibbs is announced as the next Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia in the wake of Sir Garfield Barwick's resignation.
- 10 February – Townsville International Airport opens in Townsville
- 19 March – The South Australian Parliament passes the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act 1981.
Life in Australia in 1981
Prime Minister
Malcolm Fraser
Monarch
Queen Elizabeth II
Petrol (per litre)
$0.34
Loaf of Bread
$0.65
Average House
$50,000
Weekly Wage
$250.00
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Famous Faces Born in the 1980s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Chris Hemsworth11 August 1983ActorView their day →Delta Goodrem9 November 1984Singer & songwriterView their day →Ruby Rose20 March 1986Actor & modelView their day →Sam Reid19 February 1987ActorView their day →Rebel Wilson2 March 1980Actress & writerView their day →Teresa Palmer26 February 1986Actress & modelView their day →Alexander Volkanovski29 September 1988Mixed martial artist & kickboxerView their day →Abbie Cornish7 August 1982ActressView their day →Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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