What is a bonus day?

A bonus day, also known as a leap day or leap year day, is an extra day added to the calendar to synchronize it with the solar year. Typically, a leap day is inserted into the calendar every four years, making the year have 366 days instead of the usual 365. This adjustment compensates for the extra approximately six hours that it takes for the Earth to complete its orbit around the sun.

The concept of adding an extra day to the calendar dates back to the time of Julius Caesar, who introduced the Julian calendar in 45 BCE. However, the Julian calendar slightly overcompensated for the extra time, resulting in a slow shift in relation to the solar year over time. To rectify this, Pope Gregory XIII implemented the Gregorian calendar in 1582, which is still the most widely used calendar today. According to the Gregorian calendar rules, every year divisible by 4 is a leap year, except for years divisible by 100, unless they are also divisible by 400.

February 29th is the specific date assigned as the leap day. In non-leap years, people born on February 29th usually celebrate their birthdays on either February 28th or March 1st. Various traditions and customs have developed around the leap day, including proposals, women asking men to marry them (traditionally known as "Bachelor's Day"), and the concept of a leap year being associated with unpredictability and opportunities.

A bonus day can be seen as an additional day gifted to us, offering an extra 24 hours to our lives. Many people use this day to reflect, set goals, or engage in activities they don't usually have time for. It is a reminder to make the most of our time and appreciate the benefits of an occasional bonus day.