Ever wondered how we end up having a leap year? Well actually it's pretty simple. We have 365 days in the year, however the earth turns roughly 365 and a quarter times on its axis by the time it has completed a full year's orbit around the sun, which means that periodically the calendar has to catch, that's when we have a leap year. Leap year gives February 29 days, meaning the year has 366 days.
A calendar date that falls on a Monday one year will fall on Tuesday the next, then a Wednesday and so on. Every fourth year thanks to February, we 'leap' over the expected day of the week. Hense the Leap part of Leap Year.
We could start to get even more technical and go with a theory that a leap year is any year whose date is exactly divisible by 4 except those which are divisible by 100 but not by 400. I read that and thought "What?" Why so complex? The exact number of days in a solar year is actually ever-so-slightly less than 365.22 (it is 365.242374), so the algorithm had to be designed such that a leap year is skipped every now and then to keep the calendar on track.
According to Irish tradition February 29th is the day when women may propose to men. This is known as 'Ladies Privilege" and the tradition in Ireland has its origins in the legends of Ireland's Saints; St Bridget and St Patrick. Bridget urged Patrick to allow women the right to propose. Patrick refused but later agreed to allow Ladies Privilege once every seven years, Bridget bartered him down to four and the tradition was established. However as the occasion only happens every four years, St Patrick decreed that, should the lady be met with rejection, the object of her affection would have to pay a fine for hurting her feelings.
This Irish tradition has made its way here to New Zealand, and probably alot of other countries. So ladies, if like St Bridget from Ireland, you think you have had to wait to long for your man to propose, do it yourself. 2012 is a leap year, and therefore its "ladies privilege", and men i would think about the fine you will have to pay if you say NO.
Seriously as good as this 'ladies privilege' is, do we really nead to wait four years? Personally I don't think we should, if you want to ask your man for his hand, then do it. Lets face it I think it is kinda romantic to ask propose on Leap Year. Come on ladies suck it up, and ask, lets have a little fun this leap year.
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