February 29
LEAP YEAR DAY
We all know that Leap Year is the year we add an extra day to the month of February -- giving February 29 days; but do you know when this all began and why it is called LEAP year?
This confusing state of calendars began in 45 B.C., when Julius Caesar added an extra day to the Julian calendar every fourth year upon the advice of astronomer, Sosigenes. Or it could have been 1582 when Pope Gregory XIII ordered every fourth year to be a leap year (leap year brought the Gregorian calendar closer to the earth’s orbital period of 365.2422 days) unless it is a century year that cannot be divisible by 400. Or maybe it was 1698 when the Protestant rulers of Germany and the Netherlands thought it was time they agreed with the pope, or 1582 when the English made this calendar move or 1918 when the Russians picked up on the Gregorian calendar. It’s your call.
It is called Leap Year because it is not a COMMON year. A common year consists of exactly 52 weeks plus one day. That extra day means that a specific date moves one day (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.) ahead the following year. For example: if your birthday falls on a Tuesday in one common year, it will fall on a Wednesday in the next one. Just when you get it all straight, four years have passed and a leap year comes along to confuse the issue. A leap year consists of exactly 52 weeks plus two days. So now, if your birthday fell on a Wednesday last year, it will fall on a Friday this year (February 29 through February 28 of next year). Got that?
Just be happy you’re not listed on our Birthday Board for this leap year. Those who are must divide their years by four for their calendar ages unless there’s a century year in the way -- one that cannot be divided by 400, that is.
Leap Years also have a very uncommon tradition attached to them. It seems that in a Leap Year or Bissextile, a woman could propose marriage to the man of her choice. At least that’s what happened in Scotland in 1288 when a law was passed making this custom legal. This tradition spread throughout the rest of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, as did the law. A woman was expected to enforce and insist upon acceptance from the gentleman of choice or he would receive a penalty or fine. A penalty could be that the gentleman had to pay for a silk or satin dress selected by the scorned woman. And, you know the old saying, “Hell hath no fury like that of a woman scorned.” ... especially in a Leap Year.
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
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