Happy Leap Day
Leap years are there because our calendar is squiffy. Years aren’t actually 365 days long, but rather 365.2422 and so if we didn’t insert the odd day here and there throughout the years, over time we’d end up out of sink with the seasons and eventually might be able barbeque Christmas dinner. I think I might have over simplified this a bit, but I want to get on to the interesting leap year facts…
So, a “leapling” is a person unlucky enough to be born on leap day, which means birthdays only come in years that are divisible by 4. Usually that means they come every four years apart from sometimes when there is 8 years between them- the last time there was an 8 year gap was between 1896 and 1904, the next will be between 2096 and 2104. Not especially relevant to most of us then…
Famous leaplings include a pope from a very long time ago, an Indian Prime Minister also from a very long time ago and Ja Rule, rapper extraordinaire.
Amanda was almost born on a leap day, well only out by about 13 hours. Her friends are also having a party to celebrate feb the 29th this year. Sita has a friend whose 30th is on leap day this year- that’s lucky isn’t it, imagine no celebrating your 30th! Oh hang on, do leeplings only get a year older in leap years- Is Sita’s friend actually more like120 and has only actually had a birthday every four years of his life?
Oh and the best thing about Leap Day and Leap Years in general is the tradition of women proposing. I don’t mean ‘oh great, women can propose at last’ – surely we’ve reached a point when women can propose any time? It’s just where the tradition comes from. Apparently, (and this has been backed up by Amanda as well as a couple of google finds) Queen Margaret of Scotland made up a law in 1288 (when she was five! Hahaha) that women could propose on this day, and, AND, if their marriage proposal was declined the man got fined. Not like mega bucks, but a kiss, a £1 (maybe that was mega bucks then, not sure) or perhaps a silk gown- what perfect five year old logic- I love it!
Have I missed anything out? Let us know