2016 is a leap year. February has an “extra” day. The month will have 29 days instead of the 28 days that it normally contains in common years.
What is a leap day?
In four-year cycles, an additional day is added to our calendar. Adjustments are needed to ensure that our calendar is always in sync with the time it takes for the Earth to orbit the sun. To be precise, Earth’s solar orbit takes place over 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds. Those additional 5+ hours add up over time, so after four years, another day, Leap Day, is added to realign our calendar with the sun.
When is leap day?
Leap day is February 29. Why February? Because one of the goals of having a calendar based on the solar year is to keep Easter holidays in the spring. To achieve this, the calendar is adjusted so that the vernal equinox is always on March 21 or close.
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Easter activities
Celebrating leap year on leap day
There are several ways to celebrate leap day based on your age and interests. If you have young children, it’s fun to use frog-themed projects to celebrate Leap Day. Families can create frog arts and crafts, make some frog-decorated cupcakes, or get neighboring children together and organize some competitions to jump distances or jump rope.
Looking for something to do for adults? Well, it’s worth noting that leap day was, historically, the day that women could propose to men. In the 5th century, Saint Bridget told Saint Patrick that it was unfair for women to have to wait for men to propose. In response, St. Patrick allowed women to propose, but only on leap day. Obviously, in modern times women don’t have to wait four years to express interest, but it is a story to share over dinner.
Also, for movie lovers, it could be a great day to see “The Pirates of Penzance,” the Gilbert and Sullivan musical. In this entertaining story, a contract pirate is ready to regain his freedom on his 21st birthday. However, the boy was born on a leap day, which means he technically only has a birthday every four years. Wackiness, dance, and romance are also in the mix.
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Why isn’t there a leap day every 4 years?
Well, leap year happens every four years… almost. Even adding one day every four years doesn’t keep Earth on the efficient path. To stay in sync with the sun, the calendar must skip leap years several times in each 400-year cycle. How is this determined? Well, you just skip February 29 in century years, not exactly divisible by 400. For example, 2000 and 2400 are leap years. 2100, 2200, and 2300 are not. Make sense? It can be a fun math game for those interested. Not in numbers? Don’t worry, just enjoy the extra day when it arrives.
The calendar will always warn you when there is a leap day.
