Leap Day Trivia, Traditions and Legends

Growing up, most of us learned the rhyme (or a similar version of it):

Thirty days have September,
April, June and November.
All the rest have thirty-one,
but February stands alone
with twenty-eight, in line
Till leap year makes it twenty-nine.

Procrastinator that I am, I'm happy to have an extra day to meet a March 1 deadline tomorrow. Other than that, Leap Year/Leap Day has its own special trivia, traditions, and legends.

Did you know that:

* According to Irish legend, St. Brigid of Kildare approached St. Patrick on behalf of all women to complain they had to wait for marriage proposals from men. St. Patrick agreed that each Leap Year, specifically on Leap Day, the tables would be turned and women could propose to men.  

* In some countries, Leap Day is also known as "Bachelor's Day."

* In Scotland, a woman proposing on Leap Day should wear a red petticoat under her skirt--and make sure it's partly visible when she proposes.

* In Scotland, it was once considered unlucky to be born on Leap Day.

* People born on February 29, are called "leaplings" or "leapers."

* People born on February 29 are invited to join The Honor society of Leap Year Day Babies.

* In Greece it’s supposed to be unlucky for couples to marry on Leap Day.

Here's a link to read more Leap Day superstitons. If you type "Leap Year Superstitions" in Google search you can find even more.

Now I better get back to work on those pesky deadlines. Although after reading the Irish Leap Year legend, I have an excuse--procrastination is apparently a trait I inherited from Irish ancestors on my dad's side.