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Free printable kitTurning 42 in 2026

Born in 1984: fun facts, prices and a free printable 42nd birthday party kit

Someone you know turns 42 in 2026. This is the year they arrived, from the first Macintosh to the Los Angeles Olympics, with a free printable party kit to go with it.

By InviteBird

Published

Reviewed

16 min read

The short answer

In 1984 Los Angeles hosted the Summer Olympics, where Carl Lewis won four gold medals and Mary Lou Retton took the all-around title. Apple launched the Macintosh and ran its "1984" Super Bowl ad, Ghostbusters and Gremlins opened on the same June day, Discovery made its first flight and Ronald Reagan won a second term.

Get the free printable kit
Born in 1984 lettered in dark green among cartoon icons of a desktop computer with a mouse, a cassette tape with headphones, a winner's medal on a ribbon and a birthday cake
Digital illustration. Born in 1984, with a compact computer, a cassette tape with headphones, a winner's medal and a birthday cake.

Anyone born in 1984 arrived in a year of firsts. Apple put a mouse-driven Macintosh on desks, Los Angeles threw an Olympic Games that turned a profit and Tetris was created in the Soviet Union.

Below you will find the headlines of 1984, everyday prices, notable birthdays and the films, songs, shows and gadgets people talked about. Party ideas come last, followed by a free 1984 trivia-and-games kit you can print once you sign in.

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What’s in the free printable Born in 1984 party kit?

27 printable pages in 3 PDFs for the 42nd birthday party: 12 games, a host guide with every answer, and table cards. Print it at home, hand out pens and let the stories start.

Free printable PDFs with an InviteBird account: 3 files, each in US Letter and A4.

A look inside the kit

  • Game 1: Meet & mingle bingo

  • Game 2: The 1984 headline quiz

  • Game 3: What did it cost in 1984?

  • Game 4: The 1984 birthday club

  • Game 5: Movies & music of 1984

  • Game 7: Timeline shuffle

  • The host guide: every answer, explained

  • Table cards: the 1984 history card, welcome sign and place cards

How do you play the 42nd birthday party games in the kit?

Here is what each game asks of your guests, how to play it and why it lands, so you can pick the ones that suit your crowd before you print.

  1. Meet & mingle bingo

    Find a guest for every square. The perfect icebreaker.

    Players
    Everyone, on their own
    Time
    10 to 15 minutes
    In the kit
    Page 3

    You need

    • One card per guest
    • Pens

    How to play

    1. Hand everyone a card and a pen as they arrive.
    2. Mingle! When a guest fits a square, ask them to sign their name in it.
    3. Each guest can sign your card only once. The guest of honor may sign twice.
    4. First to fill a row, column or diagonal calls "Bingo!" and the host checks the names.

    Why it’s fun: Strangers become friends in minutes, and everyone ends up swapping stories about the guest of honor.

    The 1984 twist: The 1984 card has squares like “Can name a hit song from 1984” and “Has seen the movie Ghostbusters”.

  2. The 1984 headline quiz

    Ten questions about the year it all began.

    Players
    Teams of 2 to 6
    Time
    10 minutes
    In the kit
    Page 4

    You need

    • One sheet per team
    • Pens

    How to play

    1. Split into teams and pick a team name.
    2. Read each question aloud, or let teams work through the sheet at their own pace.
    3. Fill in one bubble per question. Changed your mind? Cross it out clearly.
    4. Swap sheets to mark them: one point per right answer. Answers are in the host guide.

    Why it’s fun: Big moments from 1984, with answers that spark "I remember that!" stories.

    Play it on this page, no sign-in

  3. What did it cost in 1984?

    Everyday prices from 1984: guess what they cost.

    Players
    Teams or solo
    Time
    10 minutes
    In the kit
    Page 5

    You need

    • One sheet per team
    • Pens

    How to play

    1. Every price is a real 1984 figure; the host guide says where each one comes from.
    2. Write your best guess in dollars and cents on each tag.
    3. The host reveals the real prices one at a time, for maximum gasps.
    4. The closest guess on each tag wins a point. For extra drama, play closest without going over.

    Why it’s fun: Everyone has an opinion about prices, and the real 1984 numbers always get a reaction.

  4. The 1984 birthday club

    Eight of these stars were born in 1984. Can you spot them?

    Players
    Teams or solo
    Time
    5 to 10 minutes
    In the kit
    Page 6

    You need

    • One sheet per team
    • Pens

    How to play

    1. Read each famous name.
    2. Decide whether they were born before 1984, in 1984, or after 1984.
    3. Fill in one bubble for each person.
    4. One point per right answer. Watch out for the close calls!

    Why it’s fun: Quick to play and full of surprises: it is hard to believe some of these stars share the guest of honor's birth year.

  5. Movies & music of 1984

    Match the films to their stars and the hits to their singers.

    Players
    Teams or solo
    Time
    10 minutes
    In the kit
    Page 7

    You need

    • One sheet per team
    • Pens

    How to play

    1. Match each film to a famous name from the box, writing the letter beside it.
    2. Do the same for each 1984 hit song and its artist.
    3. Each letter is used once per side.
    4. One point per match, plus a bonus point for naming the song that was No. 1 on Cash Box magazine's 1984 year-end chart.

    Why it’s fun: It turns into a sing-along. Play the songs as you reveal the answers.

  6. Before or after 1984?

    Toys, games and gadgets: did each arrive before or after 1984?

    Players
    Teams or solo
    Time
    5 to 10 minutes
    In the kit
    Page 8

    You need

    • One sheet per team
    • Pens

    How to play

    1. Read each milestone.
    2. Fill in the bubble on the left for before 1984, or on the right for after 1984.
    3. None of these happened in 1984 itself.
    4. One point per right answer. Some of them are very close calls!

    Why it’s fun: Everyone has a memory of these, and the close calls start friendly arguments.

  7. Timeline shuffle

    Put eight milestones in order around the 1984 card.

    Players
    Teams of 2 to 6
    Time
    10 minutes
    In the kit
    Page 9

    You need

    • One sheet per team
    • Scissors
    • A table to lay the cards on

    How to play

    1. Before the party, cut out one set of cards per team along the dashed lines.
    2. Each team lays the 1984 card in the middle of their table.
    3. Place the other eight cards in order from earliest to latest, around the 1984 card.
    4. The host reads out the right order: one point for each card in the right spot.

    Why it’s fun: Hands-on and loud: teams debate, shuffle and change their minds right up to the reveal.

  8. Who knows them best?

    How well do you really know the guest of honor?

    Players
    Teams or solo
    Time
    10 minutes
    In the kit
    Page 11

    You need

    • One sheet per team
    • Pens
    • The guest of honor's answers

    How to play

    1. Before the party, ask the guest of honor to answer the questions privately.
    2. Teams write down what they think the guest of honor said.
    3. The guest of honor reveals each answer, with the story behind it.
    4. One point per match. The host decides on close answers.

    Why it’s fun: The reveals are the best part: every answer comes with a story.

    The 1984 twist: Add a 1984 bonus question: which hit from that year would they pick as their theme song, “When Doves Cry” or “What's Love Got to Do with It”?

  9. Two truths & a tall tale

    Two true stories and one invention. Spot the tall tale.

    Players
    Everyone, on their own
    Time
    10 to 15 minutes
    In the kit
    Page 12

    You need

    • One slip per guest (two per sheet)
    • Pens

    How to play

    1. Write three short statements about yourself: two true, one made up.
    2. Fill in the bubble for your tall tale, then fold that corner over to hide it.
    3. Take turns reading your three statements aloud.
    4. Everyone guesses the tall tale. Fool the room and you win a point.

    Why it’s fun: Guests learn surprising things about each other, and the guest of honor's turn is always a highlight.

    The 1984 twist: Guests may swap one statement for a fact from 1984, like “Apple's big commercial” (January 22), and the room decides whether it really happened that year.

  10. Toasts & memory prompts

    Twelve prompts that turn shy guests into storytellers.

    Players
    Everyone
    Time
    Any time, 10 minutes or more
    In the kit
    Page 13

    You need

    • One sheet, cut into cards
    • A bowl or hat

    How to play

    1. Cut the cards apart along the dashed lines and put them in a bowl.
    2. When it is time for toasts, pass the bowl around.
    3. Draw a card and finish the sentence, out loud, to the guest of honor.
    4. Raise a glass after each one. No points, just good stories.

    Why it’s fun: Nobody has to prepare a speech, yet everyone ends up saying something lovely.

    The 1984 twist: One card is all 1984: “If a 1984 headline announced your arrival, it would say…”

  11. Wishes for the next chapter

    A keepsake card for every guest to fill in.

    Players
    Everyone
    Time
    Any time
    In the kit
    Page 14

    You need

    • One card per guest (two per sheet)
    • Pens
    • A box or envelope to collect them

    How to play

    1. Cut each sheet in half along the dashed line.
    2. Put the cards out on a table with pens, or hand them out at the start.
    3. Guests write a wish, a memory and their name.
    4. Collect them in a box for the guest of honor to read later.

    Why it’s fun: The one thing from the party the guest of honor will keep for years.

    The 1984 twist: Set the 1984 history card beside the wish box, so guests can tie a wish to a moment like “Ghostbusters and Gremlins open” (June 8).

Can you beat the 1984 headline quiz?

This is game 2 from the kit, playable right here with no sign-in. Tap an answer to see whether you got it, and why. At the party, teams play it on paper and the host guide holds the answers.

  1. Which city hosted the 1984 Summer Olympics?

  2. How many gold medals did Carl Lewis win at the 1984 Olympics?

  3. Which gymnast scored a perfect 10 on vault to win the 1984 Olympic all-around?

  4. Which computer did Apple launch in 1984 at a price of $2,500?

  5. Which team won Super Bowl XVIII in January 1984?

  6. Which space shuttle made its very first flight on August 30, 1984?

  7. Which film topped Box Office Mojo's 1984 calendar-year box office chart?

  8. Which film won the Oscar for Best Picture for 1984 releases?

  9. What was the No. 1 single of 1984 on Cash Box magazine's year-end chart?

  10. Which team did the Detroit Tigers beat in the 1984 World Series?

10 questions about 1984. Tap an answer to check it.

How do you run the kit at a 42nd birthday party?

Example: a 90-minute 42nd birthday party for 16 guests, born-in-1984 style, in four teams of four. Swap games in or out to suit your crowd; the host guide has every answer.

Before the party, print

  • 16 bingo cards, one per guest
  • 4 copies each of the headline quiz, the price game, the birthday club, Movies & music and Before or after
  • 4 timeline sheets, cut into cards
  • 8 two-truths sheets and 8 wish-card sheets (two per sheet)
  • The toast prompts, the scorecard and the host guide
  • The table cards: the 1984 history card, the welcome sign and four sheets of place cards
  1. 0:00
    Guests arrive: Meet & mingle bingo

    Hand each guest a bingo card and a pen at the door, so the mingling starts before the coats are off.

  2. 0:15
    Welcome and teams

    Say a few words about the guest of honor, then split the room into four teams of four, mixing generations.

  3. 0:20
    Round one: The 1984 headline quiz and What did it cost in 1984?

    Read the quiz aloud, then reveal the real prices one at a time and let the gasps do the work.

  4. 0:40
    Round two: The 1984 birthday club and Movies & music of 1984

    Play a few seconds of each song while teams match the hits to their singers.

  5. 0:55
    Cake break: The 1984 word search and Wishes for the next chapter

    Leave the word search and the wish cards on the tables while everyone eats.

  6. 1:05
    Round three: Before or after 1984? and Timeline shuffle

    Hand each team its set of timeline cards and give them five minutes to argue.

  7. 1:20
    All about them: Who knows them best? and Two truths & a tall tale

    Reveal the guest of honor's private answers, then let them read their two truths last.

  8. 1:30
    Toasts and winners: Toasts & memory prompts

    Pass the bowl of toast prompts, add up the scorecard and crown the winning team.

What happened in 1984?

The biggest events of 1984, each with the source it comes from.

A cartoon timeline of 1984: a compact computer with a mouse, a space shuttle on a launch pad, an Olympic torch above a stadium, a gymnast on a vault and a baseball over a ballpark
Digital illustration. 1984 in five moments: the Macintosh, Discovery's first flight, the Los Angeles Olympics, a perfect 10 on vault and the Tigers' World Series.
  1. January 22

    Apple's "1984" ad airs during the Super Bowl

    Ridley Scott directed Apple's one-minute commercial for the Macintosh, which aired during Super Bowl XVIII. It cost at least $300,000 and aired nationally just once.

    Source: Computer History Museum: Timeline of Computer History, 1984
  2. February 3-11

    A spacewalk with no tether

    On shuttle mission STS-41B, astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert Stewart performed the first untethered spacewalk, flying with a Manned Maneuvering Unit. The shuttle then made the first landing at Kennedy Space Center.

    Source: NASA: STS-41B
  3. February 8-19

    Winter Olympics in Sarajevo

    Sarajevo hosted 1,272 athletes from 49 nations. Britain's Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean skated to Ravel's Bolero and earned 12 perfect 6.0 scores out of 18.

    Source: Canadian Olympic Committee: Sarajevo 1984
  4. May 23

    Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom opens

    The adventure sequel came out in theaters on May 23. It went on to win the Oscar for Best Visual Effects and ranked No. 2 on Box Office Mojo's 1984 calendar-year chart.

    Source: Box Office Mojo: Domestic Box Office For 1984
  5. June 8

    Ghostbusters and Gremlins open the same day

    Both films arrived on June 8. By Box Office Mojo's 1984 chart, Ghostbusters earned $220.9 million that year, the most of any film, and Gremlins finished third with $148.2 million.

    Source: Box Office Mojo: Domestic Box Office For 1984
  6. July 28-August 12

    The Los Angeles Summer Olympics

    A record 140 countries sent 6,829 athletes to Los Angeles. The Games were the first since 1896 run without government funding, and they finished with a profit of $223 million.

    Source: Canadian Olympic Committee: Los Angeles 1984
  7. August 30

    Discovery flies for the first time

    Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off on its maiden flight and landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California on September 5. Judith Resnik was among its six crew members.

    Source: NASA: STS-41D
  8. September

    Miami Vice debuts on NBC

    The police drama began in September with Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas. Its music-video look, with rock songs and a synthesizer score by Jan Hammer, earned it the nickname "MTV cops."

    Source: Television Academy Foundation, The Interviews: Miami Vice
  9. October 5

    A shuttle crew of seven, with two women

    Challenger's mission STS-41G carried the largest shuttle crew yet and was the first with two women aboard, Sally Ride and Kathryn Sullivan. Sullivan became the first American woman to walk in space during the flight.

    Source: NASA: STS-41G
  10. October 14

    The Tigers win the World Series

    Detroit beat the San Diego Padres 8-4 in Game 5 at Tiger Stadium, taking the Series four games to one.

    Source: Baseball Almanac: 1984 World Series
  11. November 6

    Reagan is reelected

    President Ronald Reagan won a second term, defeating Democratic challenger Walter Mondale.

    Source: Miller Center (University of Virginia): Ronald Reagan, Key Events
  12. December 5

    Beverly Hills Cop opens

    Paramount's Beverly Hills Cop arrived in theaters on December 5. It went on to gross $234.8 million domestically, according to Box Office Mojo.

    Source: Box Office Mojo: Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

How much did things cost in 1984?

A snapshot of the cost of living in 1984, from a stamp to a pound of coffee. Every price is a US figure from a government source, shown next to what that money is worth in September 2026.

Cartoon groceries from the 1980s on a table: a milk carton, a loaf of bread, a carton of eggs and a coffee can, with stamps, coins and a toy gas pump
Digital illustration. Milk, bread, eggs, coffee, stamps and gas: the everyday prices in the table below.
ItemPrice in 1984Worth todayGood to know
First-class stamp20¢$0.65Rate for the first ounce from November 1, 1981, until February 17, 1985. Source: USPS Postal History: Rates for Domestic Letters Since 1863
Federal minimum wage$3.35 an hour$10.87 an hourIn effect from January 1, 1981, until April 1, 1990. Source: U.S. Department of Labor: History of Federal Minimum Wage Rates Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, 1938-2009
Gallon of regular gas$1.13 (leaded), $1.21 (unleaded)$3.67 (leaded), $3.92 (unleaded)Average US retail price for the year: 112.9 and 121.2 cents. Source: EIA Annual Energy Review, Table 5.24: Retail Motor Gasoline and On-Highway Diesel Fuel Prices, 1949-2011
Loaf of white bread (1 lb)54¢$1.75US city average for 1984, the mean of twelve monthly averages (54.1 cents). Source: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Bureau of Labor Statistics data): Average Price: Bread, White, Pan (Cost per Pound/453.6 Grams) in U.S. City Average, 1984 monthly values
Half gallon of milk$1.13$3.67Fresh whole milk. US city average for 1984, the mean of twelve monthly averages (112.7 cents). Source: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Bureau of Labor Statistics data): Average Price: Milk, Fresh, Whole, Fortified, per One-Half Gallon (1.9 Liters) in U.S. City Average, 1984 monthly values
Dozen large eggs$1.00$3.24Grade A. The 1984 average hid a big drop: the monthly average fell from $1.32 in February to 82¢ in November. Source: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Bureau of Labor Statistics data): Average Price: Eggs, Grade A, Large (Cost per Dozen) in U.S. City Average, 1984 monthly values
Pound of ground beef$1.29$4.18100% beef. US city average for 1984, the mean of twelve monthly averages (128.7 cents). Source: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Bureau of Labor Statistics data): Average Price: Ground Beef, 100% Beef (Cost per Pound/453.6 Grams) in U.S. City Average, 1984 monthly values
Pound of sliced bacon$1.86$6.03US city average for 1984, the mean of twelve monthly averages (185.7 cents). Source: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Bureau of Labor Statistics data): Average Price: Bacon, Sliced (Cost per Pound/453.6 Grams) in U.S. City Average, 1984 monthly values
Pound of whole chicken81¢$2.63Fresh, whole. US city average for 1984, the mean of twelve monthly averages (81.0 cents). Source: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Bureau of Labor Statistics data): Average Price: Chicken, Fresh, Whole (Cost per Pound/453.6 Grams) in U.S. City Average, 1984 monthly values
Pound of coffee$2.58$8.37Ground roast. US city average for 1984, the mean of twelve monthly averages (257.8 cents). Source: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Bureau of Labor Statistics data): Average Price: Coffee, 100%, Ground Roast, All Sizes (Cost per Pound/453.6 Grams) in U.S. City Average, 1984 monthly values
Median price of a new house$79,900$259,200Median sales price of new houses sold in the US in 1984, up from $75,300 in 1983. Source: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Census Bureau and HUD data): Median Sales Price for New Houses Sold in the United States

Worth today: each 1984 price scaled up by the rise in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U, U.S. city average, all items) from its 1984 average to September 2026, the newest month published. It shows what that money is worth now, not what the item costs today. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U (series CUUR0000SA0), via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (CPIAUCNS).

What was popular in 1984?

Cartoon high-top sneakers, a boom box, a VHS tape, a pair of jelly sandals, a denim jacket covered in pins and a movie ticket
Digital illustration. High-tops, a boom box, a VHS tape, jelly sandals and a pinned denim jacket: 1980s fun in one picture.

Movies

Music

TV shows

Games & tech

Sport

Which famous people were born in 1984?

A few familiar faces who share the birth year, all born in 1984.

What are some fun facts about 1984?

  1. Apple's "1984" commercial cost at least $300,000 to make, and it aired nationally just once.

    Source: Computer History Museum: Timeline of Computer History, 1984

  2. Ghostbusters and Gremlins both opened on June 8, 1984, and ranked No. 1 and No. 3 on Box Office Mojo's 1984 calendar-year chart.

    Source: Box Office Mojo: Domestic Box Office For 1984

  3. The Los Angeles Olympics were the first Games since 1896 run without government funding. Organizers ended with a $223 million profit.

    Source: Canadian Olympic Committee: Los Angeles 1984

  4. Rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming made their Olympic debuts in Los Angeles, and women ran the Olympic marathon for the first time.

    Source: Canadian Olympic Committee: Los Angeles 1984

  5. Sarajevo won the right to host the 1984 Winter Games by just three votes over Sapporo, Japan.

    Source: Canadian Olympic Committee: Sarajevo 1984

  6. Mary Lou Retton won five medals in Los Angeles: one gold, two silvers and two bronzes.

    Source: Biography.com: Mary Lou Retton

  7. Marcus Allen's 74-yard touchdown run in Super Bowl XVIII set a Super Bowl record.

    Source: Pro Football Hall of Fame: Marcus Allen

  8. Tetris takes its name from "tetra," the Greek word for four, because each piece is made of four squares, and from "tennis."

    Source: The Strong National Museum of Play: Tetris

  9. Author William Gibson used the word "cyberspace" in his 1984 novel Neuromancer, which helped start the cyberpunk genre.

    Source: Computer History Museum: Timeline of Computer History, 1984

  10. The Heathkit Hero Jr. home robot kit could find its way down hallways by sonar, play games, sing songs and work as an alarm clock.

    Source: Computer History Museum: Timeline of Computer History, 1984

  11. Each 1984 Transformers figure came with a Tec Spec Chart and a Bio Card describing its abilities.

    Source: The Strong National Museum of Play: Transformers

  12. Shuttle mission STS-41B ended with the first landing at Kennedy Space Center, on February 11.

    Source: NASA: STS-41B

Can you answer these 1984 trivia questions?

Tap a question to see the answer. The party kit has a full round of 1984 trivia ready to print.

  1. Which city hosted the 1984 Summer Olympics?

    Answer: Los Angeles, from July 28 to August 12. Source: Canadian Olympic Committee: Los Angeles 1984

  2. How many gold medals did Carl Lewis win at the 1984 Olympics?

    Answer: Four: the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the long jump and the 4x100-meter relay. Source: Biography.com: Carl Lewis

  3. Which gymnast earned a perfect 10 on vault to win the 1984 Olympic all-around?

    Answer: Mary Lou Retton. Source: Biography.com: Mary Lou Retton

  4. Which film topped Box Office Mojo's 1984 calendar-year box office chart?

    Answer: Ghostbusters, with $220.9 million earned that year. Source: Box Office Mojo: Domestic Box Office For 1984

  5. Which film won the Oscar for Best Picture for 1984 releases?

    Answer: Amadeus. Source: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: The 57th Academy Awards (1985), honoring 1984 films

  6. Which team won the 1984 World Series?

    Answer: The Detroit Tigers, four games to one over the San Diego Padres. Source: Baseball Almanac: 1984 World Series

  7. What was the No. 1 single of 1984 on Cash Box magazine's year-end chart?

    Answer: "When Doves Cry" by Prince. Source: Cash Box magazine archive: Top 100 singles of 1984 (year-end chart)

  8. How much did it cost to mail a first-class letter in 1984?

    Answer: 20 cents for the first ounce. Source: USPS Postal History: Rates for Domestic Letters Since 1863

  9. What did the Apple Macintosh cost when it launched in 1984?

    Answer: $2,500. Source: Computer History Museum: Timeline of Computer History, 1984

  10. Which space shuttle flew for the first time on August 30, 1984?

    Answer: Discovery. Source: NASA: STS-41D

  11. Who became the first American woman to walk in space, on a shuttle mission in October 1984?

    Answer: Kathryn Sullivan. Source: NASA: STS-41G

  12. Which team won Super Bowl XVIII?

    Answer: The Los Angeles Raiders, 38-9 over the Washington Redskins. Source: Pro Football Hall of Fame: Marcus Allen

How do you throw a 1984-themed 42nd birthday party?

Cartoon friends laughing around a table at a birthday party, writing answers on trivia sheets beside a cake with candles, with paper medals and streamers overhead
Digital illustration. Friends playing a pen-and-paper trivia game at an 1980s-themed birthday party.

  • Play the hits of 1984

    Build the playlist around the year's biggest singles: "When Doves Cry," "Dancing in the Dark," "Ghostbusters," "Jump" and "Footloose." Add "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" for the dance floor.

  • Name-that-tune rounds

    Cue up the opening bars of each 1984 hit and let teams race to name the song and the singer. Whoever can finish the chorus earns an extra point.

  • Backyard Olympics

    Their birth year belonged to Los Angeles, so hold your own Games. Run a relay with a spoon and a ping-pong ball, give paper medals and let guests hold up 10.0 scorecards.

  • Ghostbusters night

    Put on the movie or the title song and hand out ghost-shaped cookies. Set up a ghost-themed photo corner with a foam proton pack as a prop.

  • A Tetris and Transformers corner

    Stack a table with falling-block puzzle games, shape-changing toy robots and a retro console. Run a high-score contest with a small prize for the winner.

  • An 80s snack table

    Serve popcorn, soft pretzels, pizza bites and a layered dip. Offer a fruit punch and an alcohol-free spritzer next to a classic soda.

  • Dress code: 1984

    Invite guests to come in leg warmers, a jean jacket, a sweatband, a Karate Kid headband or a Miami Vice blazer with the sleeves pushed up.

  • Then-and-now photo wall

    Pin baby photos from 1984 next to the year's headlines: the Macintosh, the Los Angeles Games and Ghostbusters. Mix in recent snapshots to show how far everyone has come.

  • Guess the 1984 price

    Write a stamp, a loaf of bread and a pound of coffee on index cards and ask guests to name the 1984 price. The closest guess wins, and the prices section above has the real numbers.

Which invitations and cards fit a 42nd birthday?

Born in 1984 means turning 42 in 2026. These designs follow the calendar: next year this page shows 43rd birthday picks instead.

Online cards for turning 42

Milestone birthday cards

What else do people ask about 1984?

How old is someone born in 1984?

A person born in 1984 reaches 42 in 2026. Before the big day itself, they are still a year younger.

What generation is someone born in 1984?

Millennial. Pew Research Center places Millennials among those born between 1981 and 1996.

What is the Chinese zodiac sign for 1984?

The Rat. Per the Hong Kong Observatory's calendar table, the Year of the Rat started on February 2, 1984. A baby born between January 1 and February 1, 1984, is a Pig instead, since that year began on February 13, 1983, in the observatory's 1983 table.

What happened in 1984?

Los Angeles hosted the Summer Olympics and Sarajevo hosted the Winter Games. Apple launched the Macintosh, Discovery made its first shuttle flight and the Tigers won the World Series. Ronald Reagan won reelection in November.

What was the No. 1 song of 1984?

Prince's "When Doves Cry" ranked first on the Cash Box year-end singles chart for 1984, with Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do with It" right behind.

How much did things cost in 1984?

Mailing a letter took a 20-cent stamp, and workers covered by the federal minimum earned $3.35 an hour. Unleaded gas averaged $1.21 a gallon, and eggs came to about $1.00 a dozen across the year.

Which famous people were born in 1984?

Andre Iguodala, Mark Zuckerberg, Carmelo Anthony, Avril Lavigne, Lindsey Vonn, Katy Perry, Scarlett Johansson and LeBron James were all born in 1984.

What movies came out in 1984?

Ghostbusters, Gremlins, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, The Karate Kid and Beverly Hills Cop all reached theaters in 1984. The Best Picture Oscar for the year's films went to Amadeus.

Who won the World Series and the Super Bowl in 1984?

The Detroit Tigers won the 1984 World Series over the San Diego Padres. The Los Angeles Raiders won Super Bowl XVIII, played in January 1984, over the Washington Redskins.

What games can you play at a 1984 birthday party?

The kit packs in twelve games to print, including bingo, a 1984 headline quiz, a price-guessing round and a word search. You also get a host guide that answers every question and a set of place cards. Anyone signed in can grab it here.

What are good 1984-themed party ideas?

Hold a backyard Olympics with paper medals and 10.0 scorecards, play the year's biggest hits and set up a Tetris and Transformers corner. A snack table of popcorn and soft pretzels fits the theme, and so does a photo wall pairing baby pictures with 1984 headlines.

Where do these facts come from?

The party kit lists the sources behind its games and answers at the back of its host guide.