This year's census night looks different to others — with lockdowns there's not much chance of having visitors over across much of the country.
It's not just the census itself and the way we fill it in that shows us how we've changed — the ads promoting the census do, too.
Take 1966, for example. A series of five television ads for the national count — the first year it was advertised on TV — are a time capsule.
First of all, there was a catchy theme song written especially for the census.
The ads give an insight into domestic life at the time, and the household pecking order — "Remember, babies are people too, you know", urges the wife to an irritated husband as baby Cyril slept on his stomach.
The ads starred radio star turned TV host Bobby Limb as the bumbling husband and his real-life wife Dawn Lake — also an entertainer and comedian.
Back in 1966, the census had to be filled out by the head of the household (always the man) on a gigantic sheet of paper, which was dropped off and picked up by the census collector.
And finally, with a tweak to the theme song, "census day is here".
There'll be less singing, and less blantant sexism tonight, but the census is still mandatory so get cracking.
Go to census.abs.gov.au to get started.
