Look Back To 2021: What Happened That Year
Another lockdown, then a summer of football and reopening.
Here's 2021 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 2021
- Olivia Rodrigo's 'Drivers License' and 'Good 4 U' were the breakout records of the year.
- Adele returned with '30' in November.
- Ladbaby's 'Sausage Rolls for Everyone' was the Christmas number one, with Ed Sheeran and Elton John.
In the news in 2021
- England entered a third lockdown in January; restrictions were lifted in July.
- Prince Philip died on 9 April, aged 99.
- COP26 was held in Glasgow in November.
- The queue for fuel in September emptied forecourts for a week.
On screen in 2021
- Line of Duty's series six finale was watched by over fifteen million people.
- Squid Game arrived in September and was everywhere within a fortnight.
- Spider-Man: No Way Home brought audiences back to cinemas at Christmas.
In sport in 2021
- England reached the Euro 2020 final at Wembley in July and lost on penalties to Italy.
- Emma Raducanu won the US Open as a qualifier in September.
- The delayed Tokyo Olympics were held without spectators.
Everyday life in 2021
- Working from home stayed for a lot of people even after the offices reopened.
- Lateral flow tests were posted through every letterbox.
- Supply chain problems made deliveries slow all autumn.
If you were born in 2021
- Anyone born in 2021 arrived in the summer England reached a Euros final.
- They shared their first year with Emma Raducanu's US Open win.
- Anyone born in 2021 turns 30 in 2051, 40 in 2061, 50 in 2071, 60 in 2081 and 70 in 2091.
- 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 2024
- Look back to 2023
- Look back to 2022
- Look back to 2020
- The 2020s so far: the whole decade
- 2020s party playlist
- Viral and TikTok party games
- Phone party games
- How to run a quiz night
- Guess the year quiz
- The 2010s: the whole decade
- The 2000s: 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
- 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 2021?
'Sausage Rolls for Everyone' by Ladbaby, with Ed Sheeran and Elton John.
Who won Euro 2020?
Italy, beating England on penalties at Wembley on 11 July 2021. The tournament kept the 2020 name after being postponed.
How old is someone born in 2021?
Subtract 2021 from the current year. They turn 40 in 2061, 50 in 2071, 60 in 2081 and 70 in 2091.
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.