Look Back To 2008: What Happened That Year
The banking crash, a brilliant Olympics and Lewis Hamilton on the last corner.
Here's 2008 in full - the music, the news, the screen, the sport and the ordinary details. Good for a birthday card, a party quiz round or a reminiscence session.
Milestone birthday cards, drawn and printed by us
Funny and warm birthday cards, blank inside, printed in the UK with kraft envelopes. Order on a working day and it usually goes out the same day.
Happy Birthday Papa (Happy Birthday Card) (Multiple designs)
£3.87
Happy Birthday Bab (Happy Birthday Card) (Multiple designs)
£3.87
Yoda Best Multi-Occasion Greeting Card
£3.87
Happy Birthday Handsome (Happy Birthday Card) (Multiple designs)
£3.87
You Old Bastard (Funny Birthday Card)
£3.87
Happy Birthday Card For The World's Best Sister-in-Law
£3.87
In the charts in 2008
- Alexandra Burke's 'Hallelujah' was the Christmas number one and the year's best-selling single.
- Duffy, Adele and Kings of Leon were the albums of the year.
- Katy Perry and Rihanna dominated the singles chart.
In the news in 2008
- Lehman Brothers collapsed in September and the financial crisis deepened.
- Northern Rock was nationalised in February; UK banks were part-nationalised in October.
- Barack Obama was elected President in November.
On screen in 2008
- The Dark Knight and Mamma Mia! were the films of the year.
- Gavin & Stacey moved to BBC One; The Apprentice was at its peak.
- Freesat launched.
In sport in 2008
- Britain finished fourth in the medal table at the Beijing Olympics with nineteen golds.
- Lewis Hamilton won the Formula One title on the final corner of the final race.
- Manchester United beat Chelsea on penalties in the Champions League final in Moscow.
Everyday life in 2008
- The App Store opened in July and the phone became the main computer for most people.
- Spotify launched in Europe in October.
- Woolworths went into administration in November and closed the following January.
If you were born in 2008
- Anyone born in 2008 has never been in a Woolworths.
- They were born the year of the Beijing Olympics and the banking crash.
- Anyone born in 2008 turns 30 in 2038, 40 in 2048, 50 in 2058, 60 in 2068 and 70 in 2078.
- For a milestone card, the strongest line is usually the number one from the week they were born rather than the year's biggest events - it's personal, and it takes two minutes to find.
- For a reminiscence session, read one section at a time and stop on whatever gets a reaction. The point is the conversation, not the facts.
How to write it so it lands
- The number one from the week they were born beats the year's headlines on a card.
- Read one section at a time in a reminiscence session and stop where the conversation starts.
- Use it as a guess-the-year round by reading three facts and hiding the date.
Where to shop next
- Look back to 2009
- Look back to 2007
- Look back to 2006
- Look back to 2005
- The 2000s: the whole decade
- 2000s party playlist
- 00s quiz questions
- Dial-up, MSN and MySpace
- Adverts we can still recite
- Decade music round questions
- The 2020s so far
- The 2010s: the whole decade
- The 1990s: the whole decade
- The 1980s: the whole decade
- The 1970s: the whole decade
- The 1960s: the whole decade
- The 1950s: the whole decade
- The 1940s: the whole decade
- The 1930s: the whole decade
- The 1920s: the whole decade
- Decade calendar: every year from 1920
- Decade trivia: fun facts by era
- Decade trivia game: play for points
- Decade guides: books, films and TV by era
- Decade recipes: dishes and food trends by era
- Decade travel: destinations and holidays by era
- Decade tech: gadgets and computers by era
- Decade films: best movies and directors by era
- Decade art: artists, styles and trends by era
- Decade books: best novels, authors and reading trends
- Music by decade: albums, artists and songs
- Decade fashion: clothes, hair and accessories by era
- Nostalgia gift shop
- Retro party supplies
- Nostalgia birthday party by decade
- Nostalgia hamper and gift ideas
- Guess the year quiz
- Care home reminiscence quiz
- Reminiscence gifts for grandparents
- Milestone birthday cards
- Shop birthday cards
- Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
- How to make a balloon arch
- Photo booth prop ideas
- Pin badges
- All guides
Frequently asked questions
What was the Christmas number one in 2008?
'Hallelujah' by Alexandra Burke.
When did Woolworths close in the UK?
It went into administration in November 2008 and the last stores closed on 6 January 2009.
How old is someone born in 2008?
Subtract 2008 from the current year. They turn 40 in 2048, 50 in 2058, 60 in 2068 and 70 in 2078.
Do you sell anything to do with this year?
We make greeting cards, art prints and pin badges in the UK, including milestone birthday cards. This page itself is free to read and free to copy.