Bonus Day!

Every four years, we get an extra day on the calendar in February - Leap Day. While it may seem like a quirky calendar adjustment, Leap Day's history holds a unique charm, giving us a moment to reflect on the elusive nature of time.

Leap Day is a result of the Earth's orbit around the Sun taking approximately 365.2422 days. (Most people round this number to 365.25 days.) To synchronize our calendars with this astronomical reality, one extra day is added to the calendar every four years. The additional day compensates for the fractional discrepancy between the calendar year and the solar year, ensuring that our seasons closely align with the Earth's revolutions around the Sun.

When did Leap Day become part of our calendar? First, remember that no calendar is universal. When the Egyptians began measuring time by dividing the year into 12 months of 30 days, they added the five extra days onto the end of the year as five days of festivals. Julius Caesar even tried a 'year of confusion' in 46 BCE; the year was 455 days long in the hope that it would sort out the divergence in seasons and months that had occurred. The Islamic calendar Al-Hijra has an extra day added to the 12th month Zul Hijja on leap years. In the lunisolar Hebrew calendar, Adar Aleph (a 13th lunar month), is added seven times every 19 years to the twelve lunar months to keep its calendar consistent with the seasons.

The first leap year in the modern sense in Britain was 1752, when 11 days were 'lost' from the month September with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar by Britain and her colonies. After 1752, we adopted the system still in use today.

Across cultures, Leap Day has inspired a variety of customs and traditions. One of the most famous is the tradition of women proposing to men on Leap Day. This tradition dates back to the 5th century in Ireland when St. Brigid supposedly struck a deal with St. Patrick, allowing women to propose on this special day. While this custom may be less prevalent today, it can add a playful element to Leap Day celebrations. One way you could use this tradition to celebrate Leap Day is to switch things up and let your kids make dinner.

Another tradition associated with Leap Day is the concept of leap year babies: individuals born on February 29th. These rare individuals, often called "leaplings," celebrate their birthdays only once every four years. About 4 million people in the world are leap day babies. For years that are not leap years, these individuals usually celebrate their birthday on March 1. Some places around the world come together to acknowledge and celebrate leaplings on their unique birthday. Two such cities are Anthony, Texas, and Anthony, New Mexico. These two towns, the self-proclaimed Leap Year Capitals of the World, hold a four-day leap year festival that includes a huge birthday party for all leap year babies (ID required, obviously).

Leap Day serves as a reminder to seize the moment and make the most of our time. Instead of viewing it as merely an extra day on the calendar, consider it a gift: a bonus 24 hours to pursue your passions and connect with loved ones.