Today is a rare day on the calendar — Feb. 29. It's called a "leap day" and only falls on the calendar about once every four years, in what's called a "leap year."
So what exactly is a leap year and why do we need them? Well, allow us to explain:
WHAT'S A LEAP YEAR?
A leap year is a year when an extra day is added at the end of the month of February. This happens approximately (but NOT every) four years. This applies to anyone who uses the Gregorian calendar - which is pretty much the whole world.
WHY DO WE HAVE LEAP YEARS?
We have a leap year because a standard year is not actually exactly 365 days long - it's 365.2422 days long, so slightly longer than we count in a standard year calendar.
That long number - 365.2422 - is the number of days it takes the planet Earth, on average, to make a full rotation around the sun.
So, an extra day is added onto our shortest month, about once every four years, in order to keep the calendar months in line with their assigned seasons. If we didn't add the day to compensate, the months would get so out of step with the seasons that eventually we'd be celebrating Christmas in the middle of summer.
The concept of the leap year dates back to Julius Caesar and the ancient Roman Empire, when he commissioned scientists to create the Julian calendar in 46 BC.
SO IT HAPPENS EVERY FOUR YEARS?
Well, this may surprise you, but not exactly.
In general, leap years occur every year that is divisible by four. But the first year of a new century is generally NOT a leap year - EXCEPT if that year is a multiple of 400.
For example, 1900 was not a leap year, but 2000 was.
Why? Pope Gregory XIII made up these rules in 1582. Adding one day to the calendar every four years still puts us just a smidge too far ahead of the season, so we use the calendar system he created to this day.
So what? Well, just kind of interesting, right? I didn't know all these facts, but found them interesting anyway!!
And I made up this card to "Celebrate" - actually it can be for any celebration, but thought it was cute and I used the Outlined Occasions from the "Sale-A-Bration" free stamp set!!
Stamp Set: Outlined Occasions (WM 126014, CM 126016, page 10 SAB catalog)
Card Stock: Pacific Point, Whisper White, Brights Pattersn Designer Series Paper Stack (117155, page 186)
Ink: Real Red, Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight Stampin' Write Markers, Basic Black Staz-on (101406, page 203)
Punches: Full Heart (119883, page 210), Owl Builder for the bottom of the heart baloon (118074, page 213), Cupcake Builder for the clouds (121807, page 213)
Big Shot: Textured Impressions Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder (117335, page 219)
I stamped the "Celebrate" with Black Staz-on and colored in the letters with my Stampin' Write Markers. Cut out the hearts and then added the little hearts from the Owl Punch upside down. Made my own "streamers".
Have you placed an order during Sale-A-Bration and received an exclusive free item from the SAB Catalog? Some really neat items - even free designer series paper and free card stock. Check out the catalog here and then place your order here anytime night or day :) If you have an order that is over $150, contact me so you can receive all the benefits due you during Sale-A-Bration!
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