Take a Leap, Celebrate Leap Day
By D. S. Mitchell and Joe DiBartolomeo
The First Leap Year
The first leap year originated in 46 B.C. when Julius Caesar learned from the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandra that the 355 day Roman calendar was about 10 1/4 days shorter than the solar calendar. Caesar took action and introduced the 365 day year Julian calendar, and added an intercalary day-Leap Day-every four years to cover the extra 1/4 day.
In Two Hundred Years
It wouldn’t be for another 200 years that astronomers would discover the calendar system was still about 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds short. No new changes would be made until 1582 when Pope Gregory XIII introduced a better method for calculating Leap Year. This method has become the system we use today, and it led to February 29th being designated as the standard Leap Day.
Making Up For Lost Time
Since 1582 we have made up for lost time with one “free” day every four years. Folklore and superstitions surrounding Leap Day have become part of our history. Here are just a few of the oddest and most interesting stories about this phenomenon.
Legends Around Leap Year
Legend claims that in 1288, St. Bridget approached St. Patrick with a unique problem. Then as now, it is customary for men to propose to women. This situation often leaves a woman waiting impatiently for her man to make a commitment. The wise and righteous St. Patrick agreed to allow women, one day every four years, to propose to their lovers.
Leap Day And Beyond
For many Europeans, Leap Day became known as “Bachelor’s Day”. Some stories claim that if a man refused a woman’s proposal he was obligated to sooth the refusal with silk, jewels or furs. Which might have been enough for the woman to pop the question in the first place.
Historians Look At These Things
Historians that have little to do have determined that Leap Day tradition most likely inspired the Sadie Hawkins dances in the United States. The idea is that the dance is a girl ask guy affair, where the girl asks a boy she would like to date.
The Dark Side of Leap Day And Leap Year
Many people view Leap Day and Leap Years as bad omens. Many Greeks believe Leap Years are unlucky and as many as 1 in 5 Greek couples will not marry during such years. But the dark history of Leap Day may have more weight than old superstitions.
The Salem Witch Trials
The first arrest warrant during the dramatic and deadly saga of the Salem Witch Trials was issued on February 29, 1692. The trials would end in May 1693. More that 200 people were accused of witchcraft, 30 were tried in court, and 24 accused witches died. Nineteen were hanged, one was pressed to death, and four died in prison.
“Leaplings”
The odds of being born on a Leap Day are relatively good, at 1 in 1,461 chances. Every four years, “Leaplings” as they are affectionately called, enjoy a “real” birthday along with about 4 million people who share a birthday with them. And despite how few birthdays “Leaplings” get, some have even fewer.
It’s Not What It Seems
Leap Day may seem to happen every four years, but that isn’t always the case. In general Leap Year does not happen during years that are divisible by 100. The only exception is if the year is also divisible by 400. So the years 1600 and 2000 had Leap Days, but the years 1700, 1800 and 1900 did not. Likewise, in the year 3000, for example, we won’t celebrate an extra day in February.
Lucky Us
Luckily, 2020 will have this unique and special day. The question is, how will you celebrate?
