Feb. 29, 2008 - And so today ends the oddest of months. Every four years, the shortest month of the Gregorian calendar gets a little shot of adrenaline with a big ending.
Due to the Earth’s rotation actually lasting 365 days and six hours, the extra day coming (nearly) every four years is used to correct the actual number of days.
Here are some things you may not know about Leap Day:
- According to legend, women are given a one-day pass every four years on Feb. 29, to ask a man for his hand in marriage.
- Your chance of being born on Leap Year Day is about 1 in 1461. Put another way, only 0.0684% of the world’s population are Leapers.
- Comic book super hero Superman is said to have been born on Feb. 29 on the planet Krypton.
One city has taken the leap year day as its own calling card. Anthony, Texas, and its border town partner, Anthony, N.M., have held a Worldwide Leap Year Festival every Feb. 29 since 1988. This year, the festival features a number of special events like a golf outing, 10-kilometer run and a parade including those celebrating their birthdays, along with those whose wedding anniversary falls on the day.
Elsewhere, zoos and aquariums across the country are celebrating the official start of “The Year of the Frog” with special activities on Leap Day.
Many restaurants and sporting events offer free dinners or admission to guests whose birthday falls on Feb. 29th.
What are you doing to celebrate?
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