29th February: Leap Day

It's Leap Day. A once in four years opportunity to learn 10 facts about leap days:

1. February 29 only occurs in years which are evenly divisible by four, although it's not quite that simple. Century years, eg 1800, 1900 are not leap years, unless unless it is also evenly divisible by 400. So just to confuse everyone, the year 2000 was a leap year.
2. Traditionally, women may propose marriage to men on February 29. This is said to have started with St Brigid, who complained to St Patrick that it wasn't fair that women always had to wait to be asked. He agreed to make it permissible for women to do the proposing. St Bridgid promptly proposed marriage to St Patrick. He turned her down. Others believe the tradition originates from Scotland when Queen Margaret, then aged just five, declared in 1288 that a woman could propose to any man she liked on February 29. Women intending to propose were supposed to wear breeches or red petticoats, presumably to give their men a chance to run for it. A man who turned down a proposal had to pay a fine which could be a kiss, a pound, a pair of gloves or a silk dress.
3. Other superstitions about leap years include: it's unlucky to marry in a leap year in Greece; farmers in Scotland believe leap years are not good for crops or livestock; In Russia, it's believed bad luck and freak weather abound in leap years and that peas and beans planted in a leap year will “grow the wrong way”. According to other legends, any enterprise that is started on this day will be sure of success; in Italy, it's believed women are erratic during a leap year and it's a bad idea to plan important life events.
4. A person who is born on February 29 may be called a "leapling" or a "leap-year baby". The chance of being born on a leap day is one in 1,461. There are five million leaplings around the world. They are born under the astrological sign of Pisces, and their Chinese sign will be either monkey, dragon or Rat. Whether they celebrate their birthdays on March 1 or February 28 or only every four years is personal preference - but countries have laws to ascertain on what date a leapling comes of age. In Hong Kong it will be March 1, and in New Zealand, February 28. Some astrologers believe they have special powers and abilities.
5. Famous leaplings include: Ann Lee, English-American religious leader, who founded the Shakers; Jimmy Dorsey, US jazz musician and bandleader; singer and actress Dinah Shore; actor Joss Ackland; motivational speaker Antony Robbins, serial killer Richard Ramirez and rapper Ja Rule.
6. Leap day births are sometimes used as plot points - for example in Pirates of Penzance where Frederick The Pirate has to remain an apprentice until he is 84. Little Orphan Annie is another fictional leapling. Some also say Kermit the Frog is one, perhaps due to Frogs being a symbol of Leap Day - but my research suggests his official birthday is actually in May.
7. In France, a satirical Newspaper entitled La Bougie du Sapeur is published once every four years on February 29.
8. Saints whose feast days are celebrated on February 29 are St. Hilarius Pope (461-68), calendar reformer; St John Cassian, who was being punished for being the last to arrive when the saints came to Christ asking for work. Hence it is celebrated as the shirker’s feast and John Cassian holds the keys of idleness. A fictional saint called St. Tib is commemorated in the Discordian calendar - I could find no other information about him.
9. Other observances on this date are International Underlings Day, started by Peter Morris in 1984 and Rare Diseases Awareness Day.
10. Anthony, Texas is the self proclaimed Leap Year Capital of the World and holds a festival and parade every Leap Day. Members of the Worldwide Leap Year Birthday Club travel to the festival from all over the world.