As on any other day a good number of people across the world are celebrating their birthday today (29th February). But what is so special about today? Yes. You guessed it right. It’s 29th February – the unique leap day which comes only once in four years. And the year is called a leap year.
As a matter of fact, I am a leaper. I am what? Yes. I was born on a 29th February. A newborn leap day baby is called a leap year baby or a leapling. Some popular colloquial terms used for a person who was born on a leap day are leaper, leapy, leapster and leapean. The terms can be used not only for children but also for anyone of any age. Many people look at leapers sympathetically . Why? Because they are said to be so unlucky that they can’t celebrate their birthday every year! But the leapers retaliate that they are born in a perfect year (leap year) which has 366 days. Remember a normal year has only 365.25 days. Grrr... you sons of handicapped years out there
Pope Paul III, Morarji Desai (former Indian prime minister) and Gioacchino Rossini (Italian composer) are a few to name among many world famous leapeans. John Byrom, the inventor of the revolutionary system of shorthand was also born on a 29th of February.
A few interesting leap day facts:
According to the Guinness Book of Records,Norway
According to the Guinness Book of Records,
www.leapyearday.com lists a few interesting words related to this day:
Leap-couple = two leapies married to each other
Leap-twins = twins born on a leap day
Leapless = anyone not born on February 29
Leapship = a friendship or relationship between two leapers.
(Visit the website for more leap day related vocabulary)
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