Ever wondered what it’s like to celebrate your birthday only once every four years?
It takes Earth 365.25 days to orbit the sun and with most years capped at 365 days, every four years one extra day is added to the calendar to make up for the missing fraction of the day, giving birth to Feb. 29th.
For those born on February 29th, known as “leaplings,” this is their reality. And if you’re one of them, do you only celebrate your birthday during leap years? And if so, how old are you, really?
Let’s do the math. If you were born on February 29th, technically, you’d only see your “real” birthday every four years. If we were to count each February 29th for your legal age, you’d be a mere 5 years old. So, hypothetically speaking, you wouldn’t legally be able to drink until you’re 84 in regular years.
It’s estimated that around 362,900 Americans and 5 million people worldwide share this unique birthday. However, if you’re a leapling in the United Kingdom, you’re in luck, your official birthday is considered to be February 28th, by law.
Not too many perks for those born on Leap Day around the world, except “La Bougie du Sapeur.” The French satirical newspaper was named after one of France’s earliest cartoon characters, “Le Sapeur Camembert,” who just so happened to be born on February 29th.
The newspaper started as a joke among friends, and since its first publication in 1980, it has become a quirky tradition that the French eagerly look forward to every Leap Year.
This year edition’s headline – “We will all become intelligent” – leads to an article on how AI makes traditional exams and intellectual achievement seem useless.
The second lead story – “What men need to know before becoming women” – describes the challenges that men face wanting to change gender.

Ready to leap?
As a satirical, self-proclaimed anti-politically correct, La Bougie du Sapeur’s mission is to fearlessly cover everything from politics to sports, arts and yes, even gossip.
In a world where conformity wants to reign supreme, publications like La Bougie du Sapeur celebrate the uncommon… leap-lings. 🐸