I’m all for celebrating random holidays, or even just quirks of the calendar. Makes my banal workdays entirely more lively.
Some interesting tidbits:
* There’s a folk tradition of disputed origin that women may only propose to men during leap years, or only on Leap Day itself. According to Wikipedia, another component of this tradition in England was that if the man rejected the proposal, he should soften the blow by providing a kiss, one pound currency, and a pair of gloves. I could use myself a nice pair of gloves—don’t know about the husband part.
* I miss the days when leap years were also the years for presidential elections and the Olympics (before they split off the summer and winter games into separate two-year cycles). Made it all so much easier to remember.
* A person born on February 29 may be called a "leapling." My absolute favorite leapling is Rex Smith in the 1983 movie version of “The Pirates of Penzance.” He gets chastised in song by Kevin Kline and Angela Lansbury for thinking he has turned 21 and so has finished his apprenticeship to the Pirate King. They remind him he was born on February 29, and therefore has only technically had five birthdays, and since he’s bound until his 21st birthday, he’s out of luck. Hilarity and duets with Linda Ronstadt ensue.
* The town of Anthony, on the Texas-New Mexico border, is the self-proclaimed “Leap Capital of the World”, and hosts a Worldwide Leap Year Festival to celebrate people born on this day. I think this sounds like a very dull event, and it can’t hold a candle to the Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee. (Ask me later if you want more details on that.)
Happy Leap Day! And Friday! And almost-March!
Some interesting tidbits:
* There’s a folk tradition of disputed origin that women may only propose to men during leap years, or only on Leap Day itself. According to Wikipedia, another component of this tradition in England was that if the man rejected the proposal, he should soften the blow by providing a kiss, one pound currency, and a pair of gloves. I could use myself a nice pair of gloves—don’t know about the husband part.* I miss the days when leap years were also the years for presidential elections and the Olympics (before they split off the summer and winter games into separate two-year cycles). Made it all so much easier to remember.
* A person born on February 29 may be called a "leapling." My absolute favorite leapling is Rex Smith in the 1983 movie version of “The Pirates of Penzance.” He gets chastised in song by Kevin Kline and Angela Lansbury for thinking he has turned 21 and so has finished his apprenticeship to the Pirate King. They remind him he was born on February 29, and therefore has only technically had five birthdays, and since he’s bound until his 21st birthday, he’s out of luck. Hilarity and duets with Linda Ronstadt ensue.* The town of Anthony, on the Texas-New Mexico border, is the self-proclaimed “Leap Capital of the World”, and hosts a Worldwide Leap Year Festival to celebrate people born on this day. I think this sounds like a very dull event, and it can’t hold a candle to the Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee. (Ask me later if you want more details on that.)
Happy Leap Day! And Friday! And almost-March!
3 comments:
I like how Clara's "fine specimen" is wearing a straw hat, cuffed pants, and red socks. And sitting on barnacles to read a newspaper.
Honestly I have no idea whether I just made a sincere or an ironic statement. A little bit of both, I guess.
I like a dandy.
Thanks for the facts. Those cartoons are odd. I had forgotten all about the Pirates of Penzance birthday thing.
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