Ever wonder who in the world came up with Leap Year? Better yet, why? Or, what it means for people born on February 29th…whenever it rolls around? Here are five fun facts to enlighten you on the ins and outs on one of the most unusual days of the year:
Why does leap year exist?
Leap year is the reason that seasons occur at the same time each year. According to the Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies, the Earth takes 365.24 days to make a complete cycle around the sun. Every four years, therefore, the world would be a full day out of synch with the calendar. One extra day added to the end of February every four years prevents this from happening.
How does leap year work?
According to Irv Bromberg at the University of Toronto, “the Gregorian calendar has a 400-year repeat cycle, in which every year number divisible by four (2016, for example) has a leap day appended to February, except if the year number is divisible by 100, in which case it is a leap year only if the year number is also divisible by 400.” For instance, the year 2000 was a leap year, while 1900 was not. Got that? Yeah, no one gets it, but it’s true! #NumbersNoBueno
Drawbacks to leap year birthdays
The estimated five million people with Feb. 29 birthdays, also known as Leapers, once had to face a number of day-to-day administrative hassles, according to the society. Insurance companies, banks and other major organizations often didn't recognize leap day as a valid date, forcing people to choose either Feb. 28 or March 1 as their birthday. Evolving technology has made this less of an issue, but some websites still won't accept Feb. 29. (Finally, the silver lining of technology!)
Cultural leap year traditions
While the origin of the tradition is unknown, leap day became the day on which women of several different cultures were allowed to propose to men rather than waiting to be asked. Some folklore has it that a man was supposed to compensate a woman if he turned down her offer of marriage. Compensation could include everything from silks to kisses.
Are there any celebrity leapers?
According to the society, there have been a handful of famous leapers. They include actress Dinah Shore, and rapper Ja Rule.
There aren’t many well-known “celebrities” that are Leapers. However, anyone with this unique birthday is to be celebrated. Every birthday is to be cherished, just as every day is a gift! Happy Birthday, Leapers!
