A Leap Year is a year that contains one additional day in order to keep the calendar year in sync with the seasonal or astronomical year. Leap years are necessary to keep the planet aligned with earth’s revolutions around the sun.

To Geographers and Scientists, a complete rotation of the earth, culminating in a day, is made in 24 hours, while a complete revolution , which brings about the year, is completed in 365 ¼ (one quarter) day.

For simplicity of counting and for the purpose of accuracy, the approximation is done for ¼ (one quarter) day of year to add up cumulatively to a full day at the end of every four years. February was the last month of the calendar; therefore the extra day was added in February in the Julian calendars. This started around 45BCE, in the reign of Julius Caesar.

Facts And Traditions

1.) People born on February 29 are nicked named “Leaplings” or “Leapers”. They can only enjoy 25 birthday anniversaries in 100 years. Same goes for all other anniversaries that falls on Leap Days.

2.) Parties are sometime thrown to celebrate leap days. There is no special leap day food but if there was, it would probably be frog legs

3.) Those that work on a fixed monthly or annual wage works for free on leap days. Employer must be pleased…lol

4.) Leap days has been the one and only day of the year where ladies can traditionally propose marriage to a male companion. Any man who’s refused the proposal would need to pay a monetary fine or a form of a silk dress, a kiss or a pair of gloves as fine.

5.) February 29 is marked as Rare Disease Day. The Nations participating in the awareness day are calling for increased research and funding for diseases and ailments that have no known cure

6.) The frog is a symbol associated with leap year. The Australian rocket frog can leap over 2 meters

7.) Since 2000 in Nigeria, all leap years have been preceded by a year of general elections

8.) Astrologers believes person born on February 29 have unusual talents.

9.) One on five engaged couple will plan to avoid getting married on February 29. They believed it is bad luck.

10.) Despite the rare chances of being born on leap day, Karin Henkrisen of Norway holds the world record of for giving birth to most of his children on three consecutive leap days. 1960, 1964 and 1968.

11.) Olympic Games are played on leap years.

12.) Leap year are much longer than other years because of the extra day!

Source: http://discovernaija.com/leap-years-facts-and-tradition-you-may-never-know/

Strange things happen during leap years..