Leap Day occurs every four years; every four years we have an extra day in the calendar year. Honestly, all the Leap Years I have personally encountered are all a blur. I cannot say that I have actually put that extra day to good use. Of course, it would help if Leap Day was made a holiday so I could actually accomplish the loads of laundry and dirty dishes waiting for me, but I digress.
A fun little fact, the only real reason we have a Leap Day every four years is because of our solar system – yep, all because the Earth can’t get it together. One Earth year (or a complete orbit around the sun) does not take 365 days but rather 365.2422. Seriously Earth, can’t you be more efficient?
So why does February get gypped with days of the month? I mean every other month has at least 30 days, if not 31. History shows that under the ruling of Julius Caesar, the month of February had 30 days. Then along came the new emperor, the very jealous new emperor, Caesar Augustus. He was a little PO’D that his month (August) only had 29 days, yet his predecessor Julius’ month (July) had 31; so he demanded the change and thus, poor little February lost some days.
Aside from the war of the Caesars with the days of the month; February 29th has a fun, romantic side as well. I am Irish, like really Irish, so this next one is such a fun tradition to me. I am sure most of the world is more familiar with this tradition thanks to the 2010 movie starring Amy Adams and that really hunky Irishman whom I can’t recall his name, just his beautiful accent… maybe he wasn’t even Irish, who knows. Anyway – per Irish legends, every four years a woman can propose to a man. Wait, what? This is the 21st century can’t women propose to men whenever they want? But really, we can thank St. Patrick for this one. Yes, the guy that gave you green beer (insert sarcasm) apparently suggested that a woman can propose to a man only on February 29th. It was actually St. Bridget that “complained” to St. Patrick that men take too long to pop the question… truth.
Although, if a man says “no” to the woman, he then must give her 12 gloves. Yes, 12 gloves. What you do with those gloves is completely and entirely up to you…
Interestingly enough babies that are Leap Day babies, or a Leaplings, are pretty lucky. The chance of being born on a Leap Day is 1 in 1,461! If you were born on a Leap Day I want to hear from you, when do you celebrate your birthday the other three years? February 28th? March 1st? Or do you stick to the books calendars and only celebrate on the correct, given day: February 29th?
Is February 29th just another day to you? Are you going to do anything special? Here are some fun things to do on Leap Day this year! Let’s make it count!
