LEAPLINGS REJOICE – IT’S FEBRUARY 29TH !

Leaping into Leap Day
If it’s your birthday today, you’re one in about 1,461 – which is not quite one in a million, but still special… And you’re in good company – rapper Ja Rule and Aussie cricketer Sean Abbott are your fellow “leaplings” celebrating today. That nickname is just one of the fun facts about leap days we’ve learnt this week, which generally occur every 4 years but not always due to complex scientific reasons we won’t get into here… The reasons why leap years exist are also complicated, but the short version is that, without them, we’d gradually fall out of sync with the seasons. Leap days also used to prompt several traditions, including being the one day when women could propose to men – although that, and the postcards that used to poke fun at women about it, is a tad out of date nowadays…

(text thanks to The Squiz)

Leap Year Traditions…..
Across the globe countries and cultures celebrate and recognise the Leap Year in many and varied ways. The most commonly known custom is that on February 29th women can propose marriage to men (a little outdated these days?), ‘leaplings’ celebrate their birthday with grand parties, and many will join other ‘leaplings’ in large group parties and in Taiwan its time to get into the kitchen and start prepping the Pig Trotter Soup.

Click here to read more about Leap Year traditions and celebrations around the world.