Conqueror’s Tales: Leap Year Traditions

Welcome to February 29th, a date we only see once every four years! Leap days and leap years can be traced back to ancient civilisations such as Egypt, Greece, Aztecs, and the Roman Empire, when the position of the stars was studied to align calendars. The Ancient Greeks calculated the length of a year at 365.25 days 2,500 years ago, and the Romans advanced this theory by adding a day every four years to keep the calendar year and the seasons in sync.

The Smithsonian published an article that claimed if we didn’t add an extra day on leap years, in 700 years, summer in the northern hemisphere would begin in December, not June.

Now we know why this auspicious day occurs, let’s dive into some interesting facts about Leap Year babies and traditions.

Leapling Into Life

Babies born on February 29 are called “leap day babies” or “leaplings”, and can only truly celebrate their birthday once every four years. People born on a leap day are also invited to join The Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies.

In Anthony, Texas, USA, “leaplings” are celebrated with a four-day festival with live music, food, and fun. Starting in 1988, the festival came about after Anthony declared itself the “leap year capital of the world” thanks to residents Mary Ann Brown and Birdie Lewis, who were both leap day babies. They proposed a festival to honour this unique day, and it remains a popular attraction to this day.

Author’s Note: My maternal grandmother was born on February 29, and when she passed away at age 99, she was technically only 24 and ¾ !

Peak Proposals

In the UK, it’s a long-standing tradition that women can propose to men on leap day. It began as an Irish custom in the 5th century when Saint Brigid of Kildare grew tired of how long some women had to wait for a proposal, and agreed with Saint Patrick that women could propose every four years, known as Ladies' Privilege.

A colour postcard of a woman proposing to a man on leap year (1908)

A Rare Read

La Bougie du Sapeur (Sapper’s Candle) is a French newspaper that is only published once every four years — on February 29. It is named after a leapling character from a comic strip, and this tradition remains so popular that it often outsells other national papers on this day.

Wishing you a lucky leap year!