2020 is a leap year and lucky for some

The old saying goes:

Thirty days hath September,
April, June and November;
All the rest have thirty-one,
Excepting February alone
Which hath but twenty-eight, in fine,
Till leap year gives it twenty-nine.

According to the website CultureUK (https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Leap-Year-Superstitions/) the first leap year in the modern sense in Britain was 1752, when 11 days were ‘lost’ from the month of September due to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar by Britain and her colonies.

The calendar was juggled in an effort to make it more accurate and more useful. The time it takes for the earth to rotate is 365 ¼ days but the calendar year is 365 days, hence once every four years to balance this, we have a leap year and an extra day – February 29th.

Somya Abrol, writing for India Today, said many of those born on February 29 are considered ‘lucky’, as the chances of being born on a leap day are one in 1 461. Those born on February 29 are called leaplings or leapers, with a worldwide population of roughly 5 000 000.

Let’s recount some facts and retelling some myths about our four-yearly visitor:

MYTHS

1) Being born on February 29 is extremely unlucky
While this myth is prevalent in many parts of the word, the Scottish believe if you’re born on leap day, your life will have an everlasting stream of suffering.

2) On a leap day, a man can’t refuse a woman’s plea to get married
Women, get ready to pop the question now! According to an old Irish legend, St Brigid struck a deal with St Patrick to allow women to propose to men -and not just the other way around – every four years. This was probably their way of maintaining balance. In Scotland, there was even a time when the unmarried Queen Margaret ordered to impose a fine for men who would deny a woman her dream marriage. How we wish that could stand true today!

3) You shouldn’t get married/divorced during a leap year
In Greece, couples choose not to get married during a leap year, which makes it really tragic for those working around it. There’s also a superstition that divorced couples who are separated during a leap year will never find happiness again. Now that’s heavy!

4) Astrologers believe people born on February 29 have unusual talents
No, not magic powers and the likes, although beloved DC comic book character, Superman is known for his superhuman strength. According to writer Jerry Siegal, the character was ‘born’ – or bought by DC Comics – on leap year day of 1938.

FACTS

Anthony, Texas is the self-proclaimed ‘Leap Year Capital of the World’. It holds a festival which includes a guided trip to Aztec Cave, ‘fun at the horse farm’ and square dancing.

Celebrity leap day birthdays

• 1468: Pope Paul III (d. 1549)
• 1792: Gioacchino Rossini – Italian composer (William Tell, The Barber of Seville) (d. 1868)
• 1896: Morarji Desai – former Indian prime minister (d. 1995)
• 1968: Wendi Louise Peters – English television and theatre character actress
• 1916: Dinah Shore – American singer (d. 1994)
• 1924: Al Rosen – American baseball player
• 1924: Carlos Humberto Romero – former president of El Salvador
• 1960: Anthony (Tony) Robbins – American motivational speaker
• 1964: Lyndon Byers – Canadian hockey player
• 1972: Saul Stacey Williams – American singer, musician, poet, writer and actor
• 1972: Antonio Sabàto Jr – Italian-born actor
• 1976: Ja Rule (real name Jeffrey Atkins) – American rapper and actor
• 1980: Chris Conley – American musician and songwriter/composer

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