Let's Chat About...Leap Year
Leap Year was created in Ancient Rome, 46 BC. Julius Caesar decided that the Calendar Year had to be kept in time with the actual Solar Year. Before Caesar established the Julian Calendar, the Roman Year was 355 days long, plus an extra 27- or 28-day month every other year for an average of 366.25 days.
Greek Astronomer Hipparchus discovered the Solar Year to be 365.25 days, so Julius Caesar brought together the great minds of the time to resolve this calendar issue. They decided to add 10 days to their 355-day calendar and add 1 additional day to February every 4 years. This is now known as Leap Year.
February 29th is considered a day of love. In the 13th Century a law was passed in Scotland allowing a woman to propose to a man on Leap Day. If a man turned down the proposal, he had to pay a fine, which often times was no more than a kiss. This tradition led to the concept of "Sadie Hawkins", which is still practiced today.
A special cocktail was also developed to celebrate Leap Day. Legendary English bartender Harry Craddock created this drink in 1928. This beverage was named the "Leap Day Cocktail" and is similar to a martini. It is said to be responsible for more proposals than any other cocktail on record.
1/2 ounce Sweet Vermouth
3/4 ounce Orange Laquear (ex. Grand Marnier)
2 ounces London Dry Gin
Dash of Lemon Juice
Chances of having a natural leap year birthday are 1 in 1,461. If your birthday does land on February 29th, you may be referred to as a "Leaper", "Leapling" or "Leapster". Here is a list of some famous people with Leap Year Birthdays:
Ja Rule - 1976 (Music Rapper)
Tony Robbins - 1960 (Motivational Speaker and Author)
Peter Scanavino - 1980 (Actor)
Mark Foster - 1984 (Musician)
Morarji Desai - 1896 (Former Prime Minister of India)
Dinah Shore - 1916 (Actress)
Gioacchino Rossini - 1792 (Opera Singer)
Pope Paul III - 1486 (Last Renaissance Pope)
Alex Rocco - 1936 (Actor)
Al Rosen - 1924 (Professional Baseball Player)
They even came out with a movie about Leap Year. It was released in 2010 as a Romantic Comedy. It's rated PG with a running time of 1 hour 32 minutes and was directed by Anand Tucker. This film can be found on: Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, VUDU, or Starz TV. I have to admit that I haven't seen it, but I would like to! I have attached the Trailer below:
So, if your birthday lands on Leap Year or you know someone who does, please comment below. Or if you are doing something special to celebrate this occasion, please share, we'd love to know!!
What's Your Angle>
The outdoor DQ in Moorhead opens March 1 every year but since it’s a leap year they are opening tonight! I hope to go there today.