A once every four year occasion, the 29th day of February, its the Leap Day of this Leap Year!
History of the Leap Day:
Introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BC, the Julian Calendar featured an annual extra day, based on an Egyptian concept. However, Caesar’s calculation error of 11 minutes per solar year led to an overcorrection of about eight days per millennium, causing seasonal drift. In the 16th century, Pope Gregory XIII addressed this with the Gregorian Calendar, adding leap days in years divisible by four, except those divisible by 100. Yet, years divisible by 400 still get a leap day, which was in order to realign the calendar with the seasons.
In math terms – it takes Earth 365.242190 days to orbit the sun while a calendar year has 365 days. The remaining 0.242190 days or 5 hours 48 minutes and 56 seconds have to be adjusted to ensure seasons do not drift and annual events follow their schedule, and voila you have our every 4 year 29th day of February.
Here are 29 ways you can make the most of this extra day in 2024:
- Start your day of with doughnuts from Krispy Kreme! Customers will get an additional dozen donuts for $2.29 with the purchase of any regular priced dozen! PLUS if your birthday falls on 2/29 you can get a free dozen doughnuts no purchase required.
- Celebrate all the leaplings in your life! Did you know that is the official name for those born on a leap day? The the odds of being born on Feb 29th is 1 in 1,461 and only about 4 million people worldwide are leaplings!
- Start a leap year tradition! Whatever it is make sure you repeat 4 years from now. Ideas include special pancakes, a leap year dinner… frog legs anyone?
- Color our FREE Leap Frog Coloring Pages
- Make a leap year time capsule. Grab a shoebox and have your family fill it up with things they LOVE right now. Kids can include picture of their favorite toys, drawings, a craft, list of their favorite activities, family pictures, even just writing their name on a piece of paper to compare, etc! Hide it and do not open until 2028 – just make sure you put a note to remind yourself where you put it!
- Create a LEAP year obstacle course. Extra points if your obstacles include leaping – such as hopping over laundry baskets, boxes, cones, etc!
- Use this extra day to do something GOOD, perhaps a random act of kindness or a pay it forward, or something simple as bringing in your neighbors trash cans.
- Hop over to Chipotle for lunch where customers can get free guacamole on digital orders by using the promo code EXTRA24 at checkout!
- Try a free serving of the new Cinnabon Pull-Apart breakfast at participating Wendy’s locations for FREE. One per adult per group inside or one per vehicle while supplies last.
- Update that passport photo. Those who are part of the Easy Rewards program at Staples can head in for a FREE passport photo
- Hungry Howie’s is offering by one large pizza at a regular price, and get a second large 1-topping pizza for $0.29 with a coupon, valid Feb 26-29 for carryout orders only.
- Practice counting! After all a leap day and a leap year is all about math, try doing multiples of 4 or 29 for added leap year fun, or complete our FREE Leap Frog Math worksheet.
- Figure out your “leap year age” – take everyone’s age and divide by 4. Add a little extra fun but acting that age during family dinner!
- Have snacks that look like FROGS!
- Leap into a new routine! Perhaps its talking walks, going to bed earlier – starting something you have been putting off!
- Watch the RomCom Leap Year with your sweetie!
- Enjoy a Leap Day cocktail – and yes, this actually is a thing invented in 1928 by Harry Craddock, a bartender at London’s Savoy Hotel.
- Leap into a new book! Start a new series with your kiddos or even join our Mid-Michigan Moms Virtual Book Club to be inspired and make new friends!
- Did you know Leap Year is synonymous with superstitions? Check out many of the superstitions and traditions around the world for Leap Days and Leap Years!
- Talk the chalk outside or use painters tape on the floor and make a hopscotch course to practice LEAPING!
- Sort 29 items out of your closet for donation!
- Tell some Leap Day Jokes!
- Make Origami Jumping Frogs!
- Noodles & Company is giving members 29% off on orders that are $29 or more on February 29th!
- Watch the kid movie LEAP!
- Discuss a goal with your family you would like to achieve BEFORE the next Leap Year!
- Have a photoshoot! However you spend the day be sure to preserve this bonus day with some photos!
- Create a leap day playlist – any songs that include the word “leap”, mention time, or anything else that feels like its “leap day-ish”
- Write a letter to yourself. Future you will love getting a letter from 2024 you. Sit down and compose a letter that details your life as it looks right now. Include current favorites, anything that captures the moment, including goals for where you’d like to see yourself four years from now. Seal it up, then don’t open it until Feb. 29, 2028.
However you spend your February 20, 2024 we hope its a good one!
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