Are You a Leapling?

February 21, 2012

People born on February 29 are known as "leaplings," and their birthday only comes around once every four years.

It takes the earth 365 days and 6 hours to revolve around the sun, which explains the need to add an extra day every four years to correct our calendar. Leap years were first introduced over 2000 years ago with the switch from the Roman calendar to the Julian calendar in 45 BC. Leap Day has been associated with many old Leap Day traditions and folklore.

One such tradition is the Irish legend that Saint Bridget struck a deal with Saint Patrick to allow women to propose to men – and not just the other way around – every 4 years. In some European countries, as the tradition goes, any man that refused a woman’s proposal on February 29 had to buy her 12 pairs of gloves in which to hide the fact that she was not wearing an engagement ring.

Because of the infrequency of babies being born on this day, being a leapling is quite rare.

Famous Leapling that you may know:

1692 - John Byrom, English poet (d. 1763)
1736 - Ann Lee, American founder of Shakers (d. 1784)
1792 - Gioacchino Rossini, Italian composer (d. 1868)
1904 - Jimmy Dorsey, American bandleader (d. 1957)
1916 - Dinah Shore, American singer (d. 1994)
1928 - Tempest Storm, American burlesque performer
1944 - Dennis Farina, American actor
1960 - Tony Robbins, American motivational speaker
1976 – Ja Rule, American rapper and actor
1980 – Chris Conley, American musician and songwriter/composer

Movies:
Leap Year

Vicki H.
Edgerton Branch