22nd February 1980. Your day I was born. And a birth date I give the likes of George Washington, Drew Barrymore and Chris Moyles. For my actual birthday, it witnessed the so-called ‘Miracle on Ice’ – an ice hockey match played out involving the USA and the mighty Soviet Union at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. A youthful US team won it, contrary to the odds, which is presumably why they still bang on about it some 31 years later! As much as anything though, it’s the investigation into your birthday that’s the really interesting bit.  pool result Flicking through newspapers from in the day offers you a real feel for the era – whether it’s as a result of that which was happening, the adverts or even the writing style.

My fiancée, meanwhile, also has a very interesting birthday – on the 1st September 1983. The Soviets were involved again – this time using a fighter jet to shoot down Korean Air Flight 007 when the commercial plane entered the bloc’s airspace. All 269 passengers died, including a US Congressman. Morbid? Yes. Sad? Most certainly. But hugely significant and very interesting nonetheless. And that’s the best thing in regards to a birthday newspaper – it’s a window to the past. You obtain a taste of what the world was reporting on the day you’re born, and it’s got ‘dinner-party anecdote’ written throughout it.

If you prefer the idea of newspaper gifts, you can find numerous options to select from. Kicking things off are newspaper books, which are created to order and include your chosen date. A Year Edition newspaper book comes with a full reproduction of a newspaper from the day you’ve selected, whilst the Anniversary Edition allows you to choose three newspapers – typically a marriage date and the birthdays of the happy couple. And last however not least, there’s a This Is Your Life Edition including ten important dates from the recipient’s life. All come bound into a tabloid-sized book.

Next up you’ve got a nice, straightforward original newspaper. While the name suggests, these aren’t copies or reproductions. They’re the real thing, down to that old-newspaper smell. Simply pick your date and then choose the manner in which you want it presented, be it a simple gift box or something somewhat swishier, just like a satin-lined box. And last but in no way least you may go for a birthday newspaper front page. If you purchase it framed is neither here nor there – both are very affordable options and make for fantastic birthday newspaper gifts.