This year is a leap year. That means there’s an extra day in February, which makes Feb. 29 is real thing.
What happens if you were born on Feb. 29, but your real birthdate only comes once every four years? Celebrities such as singer Ja Rule, basketball player Tyrese Haliburton and self-help book author Tony Robbins have this problem. Most people born on Feb. 29 celebrate their birthday on Feb. 28 or March 1 during a typical 365-day year.
How did leap year come to be? According to National Geographic Kids, Roman emperor Julius Caesar created the Year of Confusion when he decided that the year 46 B.C. was going to be 445 days long instead of 365 days. He then made a 365.25-day year — a little bit longer than the 365.2422 solar year — that added a leap day every fourth year. Talk about confusing.
A few things to consider:
- Leap year babies are called leaplings or leapers
- Anthony, Texas and Anthony, N.M. both claim the title “Leap Year Capital,” while holding multi-day celebrations each leap year.
- An Irish tradition allows women to propose to men on Feb. 29.
- Some cultures consider Feb. 29 an unlucky day.
If you know any leaplings or leapers, be sure to say “happy birthday” on their real birthdate this year.
