Thirty days hath September,
April, June and November.
April, June and November.
These lines are as familiar to most of us as the A,B,C’s. There are a number of versions of the rest of the poem, such as:
Of twenty eight there is but one,
All the rest have thirty-one.
All the rest have thirty-one.
or
Save February with twenty- eight days clear
And twenty-nine in each leap year.
And twenty-nine in each leap year.
or
Leap year coming once in four.
February then has one day more.
February then has one day more.
Why do we have leap years? The Gregorian calendar now serves as the standard calendar throughout the world. The Gregorian calendar is closely based on the Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BC. A leap year occurs every four years to help synchronize the calendar year with the solar year by adding an ‘intercalary’ day, which is the day we insert and “leap” one day forward. Thus we will add an extra day, February 29th, making 2012 a leap year.
How many people do you know who were born on 29 Feb? I can only think of two, other than myself, plus the boy, Freddie, who was born a few hours before me in Orillia, Ontario on February 29th, 1932. Being first, he received the lion’s share of the gifts donated by local businesses to celebrate the event. These gifts were coupons for free milk, baby food (Pablum) and baby clothes. Disposable diapers had not yet been invented!
I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth but, thanks to one of the merchants, I did receive a silver baby cup to hold in my hand. It even had my name engraved on it. That was the one lasting gift and I still have it among my treasures.
Being a leap year baby was something of a hardship to a small child. Birthday parties were few and far between. I do remember the parties at four, eight, twelve and sixteen. Then my childhood was over and birthdays became less important. What a long time it seemed between birthdays then and what a short time it seems as I grow older!
People ask a lot of questions when they find out that you are a leap year baby. What day do you celebrate in non-leap years? To which I answer, whatever day is most convenient---the last day of February or the day after the twenty-eighth or not at all! How old are you really? (and they come up with the wildest guesses!) They don’t know whether to divide or multiply by four (which would make me 320 years old this year!) Move over, Methuselah!
I don’t know whether or not the merchants of today offer gifts to leap year babies. I do know that the best gift for me is spending time with my family. I hope it will be a day to remember. And Happy Birthday, Freddie, wherever you are!
How many people do you know who were born on 29 Feb? I can only think of two, other than myself, plus the boy, Freddie, who was born a few hours before me in Orillia, Ontario on February 29th, 1932. Being first, he received the lion’s share of the gifts donated by local businesses to celebrate the event. These gifts were coupons for free milk, baby food (Pablum) and baby clothes. Disposable diapers had not yet been invented!
I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth but, thanks to one of the merchants, I did receive a silver baby cup to hold in my hand. It even had my name engraved on it. That was the one lasting gift and I still have it among my treasures.
Being a leap year baby was something of a hardship to a small child. Birthday parties were few and far between. I do remember the parties at four, eight, twelve and sixteen. Then my childhood was over and birthdays became less important. What a long time it seemed between birthdays then and what a short time it seems as I grow older!
People ask a lot of questions when they find out that you are a leap year baby. What day do you celebrate in non-leap years? To which I answer, whatever day is most convenient---the last day of February or the day after the twenty-eighth or not at all! How old are you really? (and they come up with the wildest guesses!) They don’t know whether to divide or multiply by four (which would make me 320 years old this year!) Move over, Methuselah!
I don’t know whether or not the merchants of today offer gifts to leap year babies. I do know that the best gift for me is spending time with my family. I hope it will be a day to remember. And Happy Birthday, Freddie, wherever you are!
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