It’s fun to have an extra day every four years, it really is! Unless you are born on February 29th, it could be just an ordinary day. All those who are celebrating their birthdays today, have a blast! You wouldn’t get another opportunity until 2020. How many of us know the history behind Leap Year?
This extra day is added because the Earth does not orbit the sun in exactly 365 days. All the additional time the Earth takes is added as an extra day every four years.
Here are some interesting facts about leap year you would love to know.
Leap Year Facts
Do you know that the chance of being born on Leap Day (Feb 29th) is 1 in 1461?
That’s pretty much a rare occurrence. And the biggest boon on being born on Leap Day are a host of benefits you will get to enjoy as a Leapling(someone born on February 29). Leap year babies enjoy freebies from restaurants, flights and the like.
February 30th? Yes, it was there!
The only country to ever have a Feb 30th was Sweden in the year 1712 before they started using the Gregorian calendar commonly used today.
Leap Year problems!
Many people born on Leap Day had to face problems since historically many banks and insurance companies didn’t recognize 29th Feb as a valid day. However with the advent of technology, this problem has been solved. Still some websites do not have Feb 29th. If you enter the date, it shows ‘Invalid Birth date’.
Strange, isn’t it?
February 29th is the day women actually propose to men.
In the days of yore, women were too shy to propose to men. But around the 5th century, St.Patrick actually took into note that many women were tired of waiting for their men to propose. Hence, he gave the go ahead that women could propose on February 29th and ever since, women have overtaken men on this day.
So if you have any ideas today, go ahead!
On Feb 29, you’re actually Working for Free
Leap Year means you work for free since for salaried people this day won’t mean extra pay.
(Feel like calling in, sick to office?)
If you’re born on Feb. 29, when is your non-leap-year birthday?
In the U.S., your age advances a year on March 1. In China and New Zealand, your legal birthday is Feb. 28 in non-leap years.
Some leaplings have to wait 8 years to celebrate their birthdays . Here’s why.
If a leap year falls on a century, a year ending in double zeroes, you only add a leap day if it’s divisible by 400.For that reason 1900 wasn’t a leap year but 2000 was. So in 2100, people born on Feb 29th have to wait 8 years 2096 – 2104 to celebrate their birthdays.
That’s a long gap!
Join the Leap Year Group
If you are born on February 29th, you can join the ‘Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies’ and connect with other leap lings. This is one fun group only meant to be enjoyed by them. It has over 10,000 people from around the world.
Besides, if you are disappointed it isn’t actually your birthday(after all, aging slowly is cool, right?) just have some fun on this day.
Image: Grey Designs
- Host a party! Have a leap frog theme which is symbolic of Leap Day and make cup cakes shaped like them.
- Have a cool leap frog race with buddies, the winner gets treated to a free pizza from the rest.
- Take the day off and enjoy with your family. After all, you get it once every four years, right?
- Do something you wouldn’t dare do otherwise! Like bungee jumping, karaoke singing etc.
- Shop with Leap Day discounts. (You don’t get that everyday).
Hope you loved these leap year facts. Go ahead, have fun and enjoy your Leap Day. Want to shop? Stores like Pepperfry have come out with fabulous deals for this Feb 29th. Avail them right away.