This year is special – every 4 years is a leap year, meaning we have one additional day – February 29. Instead of the usual 365 days, we have 366. To keep the calendar in sync with the Earth’s revolutions around the sun, we must add this extra day. Seasons would be 10 days out of line without leap year. Seasons would also begin to drift, and they wouldn’t start on the dates we would expect them to. For example, the warmer seasons, like summer, would eventually be seen starting in December instead of June in a few hundred years.
As February 29 does not occur in non-leap years, this day is a special day to be born. Of course, they age a year every 365 days, but some people don’t celebrate their birthdays on non-leap years. February 28th is a preferred substitution for their birthday, but some also celebrate on March 1st. The few born on leap day describe it as just being born any other day which makes people curious.
Since it is seen as very special, people born on leap day say that they feel pressured to have a thrilling celebration. Some like to have as much fun as they can on their day, instead of thinking that only having a birthday every 4 years is a bummer.
There are some benefits to being a leap-day baby. It’s a fun go-to fact during icebreakers, and it’s much simpler for others to remember their birthday. According to History.com, about 4.1 million people around the world were born on Feb. 29, and the chances of having a leap birthday are one in 1,461. Every leap day, if it’s your birthday, businesses may offer special arrays of food to you. IHOP and Papa John’s are a few of the businesses that do it, with some taking advantage and cashing in on 3 or more free meals. Starbucks also offers leap-year babies a treat, with some baristas being generous about it, letting rewards be redeemed the day before or after.
A leap year has given rise to some interesting traditions and superstitions. One superstition that is held in Greek and Ukrainian legends is that marriages that take place in a leap year are unlucky and are expected to end in divorce. One in five engaged couples in Greece avoid tying the knot in a leap year, reports The Telegraph because they believe it’s bad luck. It is also known to be unlucky to be born on leap day, February 29th. It is rumored that being born on that day will unfold a life of suffering. According to tradition, it’s okay for a woman to propose to a man on Feb. 29. The custom has been attributed to various historical figures including St. Bridget, who is said to have complained to St. Patrick that women had to wait too long for their suitor to pop the question. The obliging Patrick supposedly gave women one day to propose, says the BBC.
These days are very special, though the reasoning behind these days may be a little complicated to others, it’s simple to understand, and it’s very interesting and fun to learn about.
