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Original poster

What happens if you're born on 29 feb?

26 replies

garlictwist · 29/02/2024 05:56

When are you considered a year older? March 1? Do you miss out on birthday promotions (my gym offers a free PT session on your birthday, for example). Do you get missed off on computers in a millennium bug type way?

OP posts:
Wheredoesthetime · 29/02/2024 06:08

Hi OP it's my birthday!

I celebrate the 1st of March. My mum always said I was at least here that day (think it was cause of pay day)

This year I will celebrate today

Cheepcheepcheep · 29/02/2024 06:09

Happy birthday @Wheredoesthetime !

CadyEastman · 29/02/2024 06:09

Happy Birthday @Wheredoesthetime!

Wheredoesthetime · 29/02/2024 06:10

@Cheepcheepcheep thank you! I'm
Currently full of insomnia but in a very nice hotel so I will take it!

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 29/02/2024 06:17

There's a whole Gilbert and Sullivan comic operetta that revolves around this point. Might be The Pirates of Penzance. A young man gets free of something - the Pirates? - on his 21st birthday but he was born on 29th February. Hazy memories from childhood! My parents were big G&S fans.

Many happy returns, @Wheredoesthetime! Whenever they may be ...

romdowa · 29/02/2024 06:23

It's my fathers birthday and he usually celebrates on 28th of Feb because he has a sibling born march 1st (different years obviously)

sashh · 29/02/2024 06:29

OP

You can be smug and tell people you went to FT school before your second birthday.

That you were in high school before your third and passed your GCSEs before your fifth.

@Wheredoesthetime happy birthday.

Lwrenn · 29/02/2024 07:53

@Wheredoesthetime a very happy birthday! 💐🥂🥳

I have never met anyone with this birthday so always wondered do they have a mega celebration on the day!

NonoLePetitRobot · 29/02/2024 07:55

Happy Birthday @Wheredoesthetime !

CatsAddictedToDreamies · 29/02/2024 08:01

Happy Birthday!

My friend celebrates on March 1 usually. She and her daughter had a massive celebration when they both turned 10!

MooFroo · 29/02/2024 08:05

Last day of Feb so I’d celebrate today! Happy birthday to all born in a leap year :)

Girlontherailreplacementbusservice · 29/02/2024 08:08

We had a family friend who had a leap day birthday. She was very fond of telling people she was a teenager when she was in her 40's or saying that she was younger than her kids. She passed away a few years ago 'in her 20's' I will think of her today

Misthios · 29/02/2024 08:08

DS has someone in his year at school whose birthday is today, born 29 Feb 2008. The kids have all bought him "Now you are 4" birthday cards.

He has until now celebrated his birthday on either 28th Feb or 1st March depending on what suited best in terms of not being at school or other family arrangements. It does mark people born out on this day as special!

123woop · 29/02/2024 08:08

I've always wondered this! My daughter was nearly born on Feb 29th so it's always played on my mind when it's her birthday

NonoLePetitRobot · 29/02/2024 08:10

What is the situation from a legal perspective in terms of being of age to do certain things?

BonnyBo · 29/02/2024 08:13

MooFroo · 29/02/2024 08:05

Last day of Feb so I’d celebrate today! Happy birthday to all born in a leap year :)

Isn’t the question more about when people would celebrate when it’s not a leap year? Grin

endlessperiods · 29/02/2024 08:15

@NonoLePetitRobot I dated a guy with a leap year birthday, it hadn't affected him legally in any way as far as I knew. He had a passport, degrees, and was a senior registrar all following the usual timeline. He used to celebrate on either the 28th or 1st, whichever worked best that year.

ssd · 29/02/2024 08:16

Happy birthday @Wheredoesthetime

Jimmyspiano · 29/02/2024 08:22

Does it cause problems when filling out online forms? Do some forms not include the 29th of February even if you click on a leap year? I think leapling babies must legally turn eighteen on the 1st of March since they will never turn eighteen in a leap year.

TyneTeas · 29/02/2024 08:22

Happy Birthday!

I remember how mortified a school friend was one leap year when in assembly the head teacher announced to the whole school that it was her second birthday that day

OldTinHat · 29/02/2024 08:25

Happy birthday!

I was chatting to an old boy in the pub the other week. He said it was his 18th birthday on 29th February which I thought was brilliant! He was obviously in his 70s.

The only person I know who was born on 29th February celebrated on the 28th.

Dearg · 29/02/2024 08:27

Happy Birthday, @Wheredoesthetime

Now tell me, do you have 1/4 of the wrinkles and other signs of aging of women in your peers group🤔

User287264 · 29/02/2024 08:37

My brother is 12 today!

We give him his birthday card on 1st March. He doesn't usually pay much attention to his birthday on non leap years but tonight we're going out for a meal and drinks.
I dont think it has ever caused him any legal or admin type problems having 29th Feb as his birthday.
At school he hated the whole "now you're 2" type chat so when we moved to high school he just said his birthday was 1st March. I think he still says that now, although obviously has to put the correct date on official things

dottiedodah · 29/02/2024 09:42

Our niece has her birthday today.Usually celebrates 1st March .Seems sensible ow only get a birthday every 4 years!

mrssquidink · 29/02/2024 09:55

It’s my daughter’s birthday today too! She’s got a happy 4th birthday card 😀

I did check about birthdays and legally it’s 1 March, certainly for the purposes of getting a driving licence at 17 and being an adult at 18. However we have always celebrated her birthday in non-leap years on 28 February so it’s always on the last day of February.

Edited to add: she now quite likes the unusualness (if that’s a word) of a leap day birthday.