The year 2024 is special because it’s a leap year. Every four years, February gets an extra day, making it 29 days instead of the usual 28.
This adjustment is necessary because it actually takes Earth 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds to orbit the Sun, not just 365 days.
Many interesting traditions are celebrated around the world during a leap year. In the UK, on February 29, women can propose to their partners, a tradition dating back to the 5th century.
In Texas, US, the town of Anthony is known as the “Leap Year capital of the world,” where people born on February 29 gather to celebrate their rare birthdays.
In Germany, women decorate birch trees with paper ribbons and place them outside the homes of their crushes on this day.
Meanwhile, in France, a unique newspaper called La Bougie du Sapeur is published every four years on February 29, outselling other daily papers.
Greek superstitions advise against getting married in a leap year, as it may lead to divorce. It is also believed that those who split from their partners during a leap year may not find happiness in the future.
The next leap year will be in 2028, following the current year of 2024, which also includes an extra day in February. These traditions and beliefs add a unique flair to the concept of a leap year worldwide.
