7 Fun Facts About Leap Years
1. Julius Caesar introduced the first calendar leap year in 46 B.C.
The Earth takes exactly 365 days, five hours, 48 minutes and 45 seconds to circle the sun. The occasional Feb. 29 ensures we don’t lose six hours every year.
2. Leap year babies are called “leapers” or “leaplings.”
You’d get a special name, too, if you had to wait four years to celebrate your birthday.
3. Feb. 29 has traditionally been a day on which women were allowed to propose to men.
Sounds hopelessly outdated for the 21st century, but this is the way it has worked in many cultures for centuries!
4. Some cultures consider Feb. 29 an unlucky day.
In Italy, people say, “Anno bisesto, anno funesto,” which translates as, “leap year, doom year.”
In some countries, like Greece, people warn against planning weddings during leap years.
5. Feb. 29 is not really a legal day.
Many companies don’t recognize Leap Day as a “valid day.” They make leapers choose
Feb. 28 or March 1 as their birthday instead.
6. Lots of people work for free on Feb. 29.
Most employees who are paid fixed monthly incomes will work for free on Feb. 29 because their wages are likely not calculated to include the extra day.
7. There are two “Leap Year Capitals of the World.”
If you want to celebrate this special day in a big way, head to Texas — or New Mexico. Anthony, Texas and Anthony, New Mexico both claim the title “Leap Year Capital,” while holding lavish, multi-day celebrations each leap year.
- February 29th is also known as International Underlings Day and Rare Disease Day.
- Today is a special day as it’s a leap year which only happens once every four years. The odds of being born on February 29 are 1 in 1,461, or 0.068%.
- Although this day only happens once every four years, this day has certainly had some incredible events including experiences from two famous historical explorers, a devastating earthquake and much more.
- Did you know that on this day in 1504, Christopher Columbus was saved by a lunar eclipse? Knowing when the eclipse was happening, he convinced locals that they made his god angry for not giving him food.