History and Traditions of Leap Year

Well folks, today is Leap Day, February 29, 2012. My cousin's mom (yes, I know technically she'd be an aunt, but since she and my Uncle divorced I think it's simpler to say my cousin's mom) but I digress....the point I started to make is that my cousin's mom was born on Leap Day. I've always found that extremely cool that one year a day exists and for three other years its as if the day vanished into the ether. It got me wondering how Leap Year came to be and if there were any special traditions or superstitions regarding that day (aside from aging more slowly then your contemporaries.) I believe my ex-aunt is technically younger then my cousins.

So here's what my super sleuthing skills came up with:

• A leap year consists of 366 days as opposed to our usual 365. (mad math skills)
• Leap Years occur about every four years but special criteria must be met.
• The year is evenly divisible by 4;
• If the year can be evenly divided by 100, it is NOT a leap year, unless;
• The year is also evenly divisible by 400. Then it is a leap year.
• Due to the Earth's rotation if we didn't add an extra day every 4 or so years we'd lose six hours a year and after 100 years our calendar would be off over 20 days.
  
• Julius Caesar invented the leap year but his criteria was only that the year be divided by 4.
• Also, traditionally mens' and womens' roles reverse on this day and women can propose marriage to men. If the man turns her down he is expected to pay a penalty and give her a new gown or 12 pairs of gloves to hide the shame of no engagement ring on her hand.
• Leap Year and this tradition are also where we (in the USA) get the tradition of February Sadie Hawkins dances where the woman asks the man.
  

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the only verified example of a family producing three consecutive generations born on February 29 is that of the Keogh family.

Peter Anthony was born in Ireland on February 29, 1940, while his son Peter Eric was born on the Leap Day in the United Kingdom (UK) in 1964. His daughter, Bethany Wealth, was, in turn, born in the UK on February 29, 1996. (timeanddate.com)

A Norwegian family named Henriksen from Andenes holds the official record of number of children born on February 29. Mrs. Karin Henriksen gave birth to 3 children on consecutive February 29; her daughter Heidi in 1960 and her sons Olav and Leif-Martin in 1964 and 1968 respectively.(timeanddate.com)

Hope that thirst for information has been quenched but if not check back...you never know what my eclectic brain will uncover.