Leap year is an extra day added to the calendar every four years to keep it in sync with Earth’s rotation around the sun. 2024 happens to be a leap year which means that leap day is on February 29th. 

According to NASA, a year based on the Earth’s orbit around the sun equals 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds. This is equivalent to 365.2422 days. Most years, the calendar is rounded down to 365 days, but those extra six hours don’t disappear. Although those 6 hours don’t seem like much, they do add up and make a big difference. To account for the difference, an extra day is tacked on to the end of February, giving the month 29 days instead of 28.

People believe the Leap Year is filled with luck, good fortune, and positive thoughts. The first thing many think about are people who are born in a leap year and how it affects their date of birth! Those born during a leap year celebrate on February 28th or March 1st because their actual birthday, February 29th, only comes around every four years. This is a unique situation because the chances of being born on a leap day are so rare that less than 0.1 percent of the world’s population is born on February 29.

Some traditions that happen because of leap year are allowing women to propose to men and not just have it the other way around. This was introduced by an old Irish legend, St. Brigid, because he believed that this would help with balancing the traditional roles of men and women similarly to how leap day balances the calendar. It is interesting that different traditions and celebrations are created because of this extra day. 

Now, the big question is… how are you going to spend your extra 24 hours this year?!