[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ost of us get to hear friends and family wish us “happy birthday” once every 12 months, but this year brings a decidedly more special anniversary for a select portion of the global population. Since 2016 is a leap year, people born on Feb. 29 celebrate a birthday on Monday that technically only comes around about every four years.
In Colombia, about 25,000 people share the rarest birthday, according to the National Civil Registry. During the last leap day in 2012, more than 1,100 newborn Colombians joined that select group.
Not every country keeps records of how many babies are born on any given day, so it’s difficult to say exactly how many leap babies there are in the world. But based on statistical chances, experts estimate the number is just under 5 million.
Leap years make up for the fact that each year lasts roughly 365 days and 6 hours. While a few hours out of an entire year may seem insignificant, allowing that time to add up over the long run would eventually shift the calendar dramatically.
So adding an extra day every four years resets the clock in a sense.
For those born on Feb. 29, that unusual birthday can be both a headache and a source of pride, according to testimonials at the Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies.
“I made it into the local paper when I was only hours old,” said Matthew John Cain, who was born on leap day in 2004.
“I’ve had problems with computers at stores not accepting my birthday before, but otherwise I like having such a unique birthday,” said Josie Ramos, who despite being born in 1972, turns “11” this year.
For the rest of us, Monday is of course just another day, albeit a chance to spend a few more hours enjoying a very special leap year.
