With winter thawing out as February comes to an end, you might be scratching your head asking, “where did the days go.” They actually are cut short, with 2023 NOT being a leap year, we lose a day. According to the Gregorian calendar, which most of the world has used since 1600, there are actually 365.25 days in the year. That is how long it takes for the earth to fully orbit the sun, completing a year. Unfortunately, we can’t have a 6 hour Monday and get the week started a bit faster, so every four years we add a day. 

This is where the term “leap” year is thought to originate. A good example is how the day of the week your birthday falls on changes by one day every year. On a leap year however, there is an extra day in the calendar year, meaning that the dates “leap over” adding an extra day and moving your birthday two days forward (e.g., August 22 was on Monday in 2022 and in 2023 is on Tuesday, but will be on Thursday in 2024). If you are born on a leap year, the calendar year also, leaps over your birthday. Almost four million people globally are born on a leap year, some celebrate on February 28 and some on March 1. Some smart people decide to celebrate on both days. 

You can easily find out if a year is a leap year by dividing the year by 4 or 400. If the year is divisible by 4, like 2020 and 2024, then you know that it is a leap year. However, if the year is divisible by 400 like 2000, then it is not a leap year. Using this math you can see how the 2020 pandemic was such a long year for everyone… It was a leap year!

More Helpful Articles

Local Adventure: Hike Across San Francisco

Local Adventure: Hike Across San Francisco

Did you know you can hike across San Francisco in a day? From Candlestick Park to Baker Beach, the Crosstown Trail offers a journey through some of the city's most iconic neighborhoods. This journey covers 17 miles of the city and takes approximately 7 hours. It will...

read more
Spring Cleaning Reimagined

Spring Cleaning Reimagined

As the days grow longer and temperatures rise, spring cleaning has arrived. Contrary to popular belief, you can turn this seasonal refreshment into a fun, gratifying activity. The mood for the day starts with music. As you gear up for the day, curate a playlist of...

read more
Celebrate Pi Day in the Bay

Celebrate Pi Day in the Bay

Happy Pi Day! While 3.14 typically represents the beginning of π, it also represents National Pi Day! Pi Day, March 14 (3/14), was started in San Francisco 38 years ago by Exploratorium staff physicist, tinkerer, and media specialist Larry Shaw. Since then, Pi Day has...

read more

Sign Up for Updates

    Please prove you are human by selecting the star.

    Office

    683 Jenevein Avenue
    San Bruno, CA 94066

    Annie Oliva

    DRE #00980260
    (650) 291-9775

    Denise Baker

    DRE #01230027
    (650) 888-1387

    Omarshall, inc

    Broker Corporate DRE #02066937