Leap Year Celebration

The reason for leap year is that it takes the earth 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds to rotate around the sun.

The Egyptians figured out the need for a leap day every four years, but it was the Romans (Julius Caesar) who chose February 29 as the official date on the calendar.

Your chances of being born on leap year are approximately 1 in 1461. That means there are about 187,000 people in the U.S. and 4 million in the world born on Leap Day.

Before the roman calendar, it was common to have 12 or 13 months depending on the year. The 13th. month was inserted as the leap month every 2 to 3 years.

The very first calendar that accounted for leap year was started in 238 B.C. By King Ptolemy.

THe year must be divisible by four to be a LeapYear. So the year 2000 is, while 1900 is not.

The purpose of the leap year is to align the calendar year with the solar year. If we didn't do this, within 100 years the seasons would be off by 25 days and wouldn't match up anymore.

Yes, it's true.People born on leap year are called leaplings.

Astrologers believe that being born on February 29th gives you unusual talents and personalities befitting the special birth day.

Tradition on the British Isles was that women could propose marriage only on leap years. According to a law back in 1288 by Queen Margaret of Scotland, fined were levied on the men if they refused the marriage proposal, thus softening the blow.

In Denmark a refusal would cost you 12 pairs of gloves, and in Finland, fabric for a skirt.

Marriage in a Leap Year in Greece was considered unlucky. One in five couples there avoid getting married in a leap year.

Here is a popular poem that will help you to remember February 29th.

Thirty days hath September,
April, June and November;
All the rest have thirty-one
Save February, she alone
Hath eight days and a score
Till leap year gives her one day more.

Invented at the Savol Hotel in London on February 29, 1928 and was believed to be the driving force in many a marriage proposal.

1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice

This holiday was believed to have been started back in 1966 when the term Surf and Turf was used in a Miami, Fl. newspaper.

Surf and Turf is defined as Steak and Seafood.

It might be a great choice for one of your leap year celebration ideas to go out for some Surf and Turf.

Here is a list of all of the crazy national holidays.

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