2025 will be a special year. There are numerous rumors of events that may happen in 2025. But then, is 2025 a leap year?
From the rumors of solar flare hitting our planet in 2025 to the internet apocalypse on the horizon, there is much to look forward to in 2025.
But if you were born on February 29, you will wish 2025 is a leap year. Many leaplings celebrate their birthdays once every four years. And there are over 5 million leaplings in the world.
Here, we will discuss if 2025 is another leap year, how to determine a leap year, interesting facts about the leap year, and more! Keep reading!
Is 2025 A Leap Year?
No, 2025 isn’t a leap year. But 2024 is a leap year; the next one will be 2028. After 2028, the next leap year would be 2032.
Why is 2025 Not A Leap Year?
2025 isn’t a leap year. The simple reason is because it cannot be divided by 4.
If you divide 2024 by 4, there won’t be a remainder. But if you divide 2025 by 4, there’ll be a remainder.
In other words, 2025 mod 4 isn’t zero. But 2024 mod 4 is zero.
Therefore, 2025 isn’t a leap year. By the way, a leap year has 366 days (an extra day), but 2025 has 365 days (no extra day that a leap year typically has).
What Is A Leap Day?
Leap day appears in a leap year. It refers to a year with an inserted time. That is how Britannica defines leap day.
In a common year (not a leap year), February has 28 days. It is the shortest month. The longest months have 31 days, while the longest and shortest months are 30 days.
For instance, September has 30 days. It doesn’t change whether it’s a leap year or a common one.
But February does change. Instead of 29, the number of days becomes 29 in a leap year. So, February gets an extra day in a leap year.
How Do You Determine If The Year Is A Leap Year?
You can determine whether a year is a leap year or not in four ways. Here are the simple details below:
1: Divide the year by 4:
Is the year divisible by 4? In other words, will there be a remainder if you divide by 4?
In the case of 2025, you cannot divide with 4. There’ll be a remainder.
2: Divide the year by 100:
Is the year evenly divisible by 100? That is, will there be a remainder if you divide by 100? It is a leap year if 100 and 400 can divide the number without remainder.
3: Divide the year by 400:
Another way to determine if the year is a leap year is to divide it by 400. If there is a remainder, then it is not a leap year. But if no remainder exists, and 100 can divide the number, it’s a leap year.
4: The number of days in the year:
How many days does the year have? Usually, a leap year has 366 days. A non-leap year or common year has 365 days.
In the case of the year 2025, there are 365 days, so it’s not a leap year.
A Handy Tip: If a year is evenly divisible by 100, it must be evenly divisible by 400. Otherwise, it is not a leap year.
You can also use a formula to determine if the year is a leap year. Here is the formula to determine leap year.
Is There A Leap Year Every Four Years?
Yes, there is a leap year every four years. But there is a reason or an explanation for this.
According to science, we have a leap year every four years because of the Earth’s orbit.
The number of days it takes planet Earth to complete a full revolution around the sun isn’t a whole number. According to National Geographic’s reports, it takes Earth 365.2422 days to revolve around the sun.
So, we have an extra 0.2422 days. We can’t try the fraction away. If we do, the months we usually experience seasons will shift. It will impact other aspects of life, like the planting and harvesting of crops.
Add 0.2444 four times (0.2444 + 0.2444 + 0.2444 + 0.2444). You’ll get a full day (1 day). So, now you know why we have a leap year every four years. 2024 is a leap year, while the next one (2024 + 4) would be 2028.
Are There People Born On A Leap Day?
Yes, there are people born on Leap Day, February 29. For these people, a birthday celebration is once every four years.
Over 5 million people celebrate their birthdays on a leap day every leap year. But how big is one’s chance of being born on a leap day?
According to the History Channel, your chances of being a leap baby or being born on February 29 (in a leap year) are 1 in 1,461.
So, the possibility of having a leap baby is quite slim. Besides, most people won’t be comfortable celebrating their birthdays once in four years. On the other hand, some parents may find it odd to celebrate their children’s birthday once in four years.
But there is nothing wrong with being a leapling. You can even celebrate your birthday on February 28 or March 1 in a non-leap year. As long as your document reflects that you were born on February 29, you have no reason to worry.
Interesting Facts About Leap Year You Need To Know
Here are several exciting facts about leap year that will interest you.
1: Workers have advocated for leap day to be a holiday:
Why do workers want February 29 to be a bank holiday? Some intelligent workforce members explain that they work an extra day every leap year without getting paid. So, they want their employers to make February 29 a leap year or pay them for working an extra day.
2: Some celebrities celebrate their birthdays on Leap Day:
Several top celebrities in America celebrate their birthdays on Leap Day. That means they have to celebrate their birthdays every four years or do it a day earlier or more.
For instance, they can celebrate their birthdays on February 28 or March 1 in a common year.
Here are the top celebrities who were born on Leap Days:
- Ja Rule – Rapper
- Tony Robbins – Motivational Speaker
- Jack Lousma – Astronaut
- Cullen Jones – American Olympic gold medalist
- Darren Ambrose – Footballer
- Rakhee Thakhar – Actress
- Antonio Sabato Jr. – General Hospital actor
- Mark Derek Foster – American musician
- Dinah Shore – Singer and actress
- Denis Farina – Law and Order actor
- Peter Scanavino – American actor
- Jessie Thezerire Usher Jr. – American actor
3: Women were allowed to propose to their partners on Leap Day:
Most women would want their men to propose to them. When a man does it, women feel special, valued and they love it. But when it’s the other way around, the men usually feel ashamed.
Today, we are not so privileged to find women proposing to men, though it still happens. Additionally, it doesn’t happen in a leap year. In this generation, a woman can propose to a man whenever she feels the man takes too long to act.
So, women were allowed to propose to men in the 5th century. But they can only do so on Leap Day, which is once in four years. It was reported in Irish folklore. Saint Patrick struck a deal with Saint Brigid of Kildare. The deal allowed women to propose to their partners on Leap Day if they felt their partners were taking too long.
At first, St. Patrick made a law that allowed women to propose to their partners every seven years. But when St. Brigid came into the picture, Leap Day was chosen as the time a woman could propose to their male partner.
After making Leap Day the official day women could ask for their men’s hand in marriage, St. Brigid got down on one knee and proposed to St. Patrick. He asked him to marry her, but St. Patrick refused.
St. Patrick then kissed St. Brigid on her cheek and gifted her a pair of gloves and a delicate silky dress. So, from that point onward, any man who refuses their woman’s marriage proposal on Leap Day must pay a fine. The fine includes giving the woman silky gowns and hand gloves.
The hand gloves will protect and cover the woman’s finger so people won’t notice that there’s no engagement ring on her finger.
4: Most parts of the world consider marrying on a Leap Day or leap year as bad luck:
There’s nothing special about leap year except the extra day usually added to February. But it would interest you to know that some parts of the world attach some importance to the leap year.
In Greece and Italy, marrying on a Leap Day or in a leap year brings bad luck. The Greeks believe marrying on a leap year and celebrating on a Leap Day can lead to divorce. The Italians believe women become more erratic in a leap year.
5: Leap Day has a special cocktail:
An event that happens once every four years is a special one. Leap Day has a special cocktail prepared by Henry Craddock in 1928. He prepared the drink in London’s Savoy Hotel.
This Leap Day cocktail is an excellent drink for marriage proposals. It is a special drink for a special day. It comprises a mixture of gin, lemon juice, sweet vermouth, and grand Marnier. You mix, shake, and garnish with lemon peel and serve.
6: Sweden once had February 30:
Did you know the Swedish people once had February 30? This happened until 1753. They used the Julian calendar and had to switch to the Gregorian one.
It took a while before they could synchronize with the rest of the world. It would have happened early, but a violent war broke out in 1700. So, Sweden finally switched to the Gregorian system in 1753.
7: The Chinese people believe marriages done in the leap year are filled with good luck:
There’s a common saying that “one man’s meat is another man’s poison.” That is the case between the Chinese, Greeks, and Italians.
The Greeks and Italians believe marriages done in leap year or Leap Day attract bad luck. The Greeks believe marriages celebrated on Leap Day can lead to divorce.
On the contrary, the Chinese people don’t see it this way. They believe marriages done in a leap year are packed with blessings.
8: Most ancient calendars had entire leap months:
Many of the ancient calendars, especially those used by the Chinese, Hebrews, and Buddhists, were lunisolar. That means they included the position of the Earth and moon relative to the sun.
The calendars required adding extra months (interstitial or intercalary months) to keep the people on track. Naturally, there is an 11-day gap between a year as measured by lunar cycles and the Earth’s orbit. That is why the calendars used are required in addition to extra months.
9: Julian Caesar introduced Leap Day:
Caesar hated the Mercedonius (Latin for work month) system. He wanted something more stable, not the Mercedonius system.
During Caesar’s time in Egypt, he grew fond of the Egyptian Calendar. Their calendar consisted of 365 days and an intercalary month, added when astronomers observe the accurate conditions of the stars.
Caesar and Sosigenes of Alexandria ( a philosopher) changed one thing about the Egyptian calendar. Instead of observing the condition of the stars, they decided to add a day to February every four years. That was how Leap Day was born.
10: Individuals born on February 29 are called Leaplings:
People born on February 29 are special. The odds of being born on a Leap Day is 1 in 1,461 people. So, the chances are pretty slim.
So, if you’re born on February 29, you’re unique. And you’re a leapling. Leaplings get to celebrate their birthdays once every four years, making them memorable. Additionally, several celebrities were born on February 29. So, if you’re born on a Leap Day, you belong to an elite group.
Can A Leap Year Be Skipped?
Yes, a leap year can be skipped. The major question should be, “What leap year is next to be skipped?”
The Julian Caesar calendar’s oversimplification regarding the Earth’s orbit of the sun caused a drift of approximately 13 days to accumulate around the late 1500s.
Unfortunately, Pope Gregory XIII wasn’t too comfortable with this arrangement. As the Pontifex Maximus of the Catholic Church, the Pope decided to create the Gregorian calendar in 1582.
The Gregorian calendar inserts a day every four years. But in every four centuries, it skips three leap days. So, if four can divide the year without a remainder, it’s a leap year. So, in the year 2100, we’ll skip another leap year, according to the Smithsonian.
We have already skipped several years. These include 1700, 1800, and 1900.
What year did leap year start?
The leap year began in 45 B.C. following a decree by Julius Caesar. He started including an extra day in the second month of the year once every four years. That was how he created the Julian calendar.
What Would Happen If There Was No Leap Year?
If the calendar we’re using fails to make the minor correction once every four years, it will no longer align with the seasons. It will happen gradually but surely.
Over centuries, the equinoxes and solstices will occur at different times than anticipated. So, you can see why it’s essential to have a leap year once every four years.
How Does Leap Year Affect Pregnancy?
Leap year doesn’t affect pregnancy. The mean difference between the actual and predicted birth between leap and non-leap years was 0.5 days.
So, the current technology for gestational age computation introduces a slight bias in leap years. Interestingly, this bias doesn’t even have any clinical consequences. Therefore, leap year does not affect pregnancy in any way.
Conclusion
So, is 2025 a leap year? The answer is no! It is not a leap year. When you divide 2025 by 4, you’ll have a remainder. A leap year isn’t supposed to have a remainder when you divide it by four.
A leap year is 366 days, where an extra day is added to February. So, instead of 28 days in February in a common year, we’ll have 29 days.
The Leap Year I started in 45 B.C. by Julian Caesar. Julian added a day to the second month of the year every four years. Furthermore, those born on February 29 are called leaplings. And there are around 5 million leaplings in the entire world.
