- Leap Day Originated with the Egyptians
- The Leap Year tradition didn’t reach Rome until Julius Caesar
- Leap Day is a way to make sure time in true with the rotation of the Earth
- Each year, a quarter-day is earned; therefore, 1 leap day is added every four years
- Leap Year happens every 4 years
- Leap Year is always on an even-numbered year
- A Leap Year adds 24 hours to the year – creating the “leap day” on February 29th
Have you watched the movie Leap Year?
The cultural context of the movie…
Ages ago, Leap Day was known as “Ladies Day” or “Ladies’ Privilege,” as it was the one day when women were free to propose to men. Today, Sadie Hawkins Day sometimes applies to Feb 29 (leap day), based on this older tradition.1
Born on a Leap Day?
- Your given nickname is leapling or leaper.
- Being born on a Leap Year is a sign of good luck.
- 4.1 Million people are born on a leap year worldwide
- The chances of being born on a Leap Year – 1 in 1,461
- The Henriksen siblings were all born on leap days – Heidi 1960, Olva 1964, and Leif-Martin 1968
20 Famous People Born on a Leap Day
Activist
- Ann Lee
Actors
- Antonio Sabato Jr.
- Dennis Farina
- Gérard Darmon
- Michèle Morgan
American Serial Killers
- Aileen Wuornos
- Richard Ramirez
Authors
- Tony Robbins
Dancer
- Rukmini Devi Arundale
Models
- Antonio Sabàto, Jr.
- Lena Gercke
Musical Artists
- Dinah Shore
- Gioacchino Rossini
- Ja Rule
- Jimmy Dorsey
- Khaled
- Kiyoe Yoshioka
- Korede Bello
Prime Minister
- Pedro Sánchez
Trainer
- Billy Turner
Famous Occurrences in a Leap Year
64: Rome burns
1620: The Pilgrims land at Plymouth, Massachusetts
1692: The first warrants for arrests are issued for the Salem witchcraft trials
1752: Benjamin Franklin proves lightning is electricity
1848: Gold is discovered in California
1912: The Titanic sinks
1936: The Soviet government renames the First Leningrad Medical Institute “The Pavlov Institute” two days after Ivan Pavlov’s death
1968: The album “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” wins a Grammy for ‘Album of the Year’
1 https://www.history.com/news/why-do-we-have-leap-year
2 https://www.history.com/news/all-about-leap-day
3 https://www.almanac.com/content/when-next-leap-year