Way of life
Why do we have a leap year?
2016 is a year of misfortune? It depends on how superstitious you are. The ancient Egyptians already had leap years – and this scheme is still used today in Germany.
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A leap year is a year of misfortune?
Traditionally, it is said, a leap year is bad luck. Evidence there is not, of course. But who wants to be on the safe side and the unlucky to fend off, you can fall back on the typical German lucky charms: ladybug, pigs, four-leaf clovers and chimney sweeps are supposed to bring good luck, may 29 so just on. February prove useful.
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It will be cool…
An old farmer’s rule says: “a leap year is a cold year.” Unusually cold temperatures can have a drastic impact on the harvest. The farmer’s wisdom is not confirmed by meteorologists as a General rule, but we were allowed to learn their truth content this month, quite on their own, cold body. So the wool sweater, better still, not to the attic storage!
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Do you dare?
The marriage plans? In the case of the German registry offices on 29. February any amount of dates free. Because even if he is not regarded as unholy, such as, for example, in Greece, is the day when marriages are popular. In total, there are in the leap year but a lot of weddings. According to Statista, the leap years of 2004 and 2012, the highlights were in relation to the Wedding in Germany.
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A tree for love luck
Because leap years are supposed to bring misfortune, there is a happiness-promoting German Tradition that takes place every four years, a turn. In Non-leap years, juvenile cases, birches on the river Rhine, decorate with Streamers and bring them before the house of the girl, for they swarm. In leap years, the girls are then at the range to demonstrate this Ritual your love.
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The carnival is put on the head
Leap years are an exception, and according to an old Tradition, a Chance for women to assume the leadership – and not only when it comes to tree cases. In the Rhenish carnival is the “Elferrat is occupied by” all four years of women. The members of the elfer Council wear special clothing and are available during the traditional carnival events in the spotlight.
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Time for the family
24 additional hours… This year they fall on a Monday. However, if the Germans didn’t have to work, would spend 76 percent of their day with friends and family – this came out in a survey conducted by the Initiative “7 years” of the Association of the German insurance industry. 68 percent were going on holiday and 61 per cent would use the time to learn new things.
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Young at heart
The day of the wedding, you can choose the birthday. For children, it is annoying to have to four years until the next birthday wait. It is for adults, maybe a blessing? Two German Stars have only every four years birthday: Topmodel Lena Gercke and football players Benedikt Höwedes were on the 29. February born is a real unlucky day may not be so at all!
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A leap year is a year of misfortune?
Traditionally, it is said, a leap year is bad luck. Evidence there is not, of course. But who wants to be on the safe side and the unlucky to fend off, you can fall back on the typical German lucky charms: ladybug, pigs, four-leaf clovers and chimney sweeps are supposed to bring good luck, may 29 so just on. February prove useful.
-
It will be cool…
An old farmer’s rule says: “a leap year is a cold year.” Unusually cold temperatures can have a drastic impact on the harvest. The farmer’s wisdom is not confirmed by meteorologists as a General rule, but we were allowed to learn their truth content this month, quite on their own, cold body. So the wool sweater, better still, not to the attic storage!
-
Do you dare?
The marriage plans? In the case of the German registry offices on 29. February any amount of dates free. Because even if he is not regarded as unholy, such as, for example, in Greece, is the day when marriages are popular. In total, there are in the leap year but a lot of weddings. According to Statista, the leap years of 2004 and 2012, the highlights were in relation to the Wedding in Germany.
-
A tree for love luck
Because leap years are supposed to bring misfortune, there is a happiness-promoting German Tradition that takes place every four years, a turn. In Non-leap years, juvenile cases, birches on the river Rhine, decorate with Streamers and bring them before the house of the girl, for they swarm. In leap years, the girls are then at the range to demonstrate this Ritual your love.
-
The carnival is put on the head
Leap years are an exception, and according to an old Tradition, a Chance for women to assume the leadership – and not only when it comes to tree cases. In the Rhenish carnival is the “Elferrat is occupied by” all four years of women. The members of the elfer Council wear special clothing and are available during the traditional carnival events in the spotlight.
-
Time for the family
24 additional hours… This year they fall on a Monday. However, if the Germans didn’t have to work, would spend 76 percent of their day with friends and family – this came out in a survey conducted by the Initiative “7 years” of the Association of the German insurance industry. 68 percent were going on holiday and 61 per cent would use the time to learn new things.
-
Young at heart
The day of the wedding, you can choose the birthday. For children, it is annoying to have to four years until the next birthday wait. It is for adults, maybe a blessing? Two German Stars have only every four years birthday: Topmodel Lena Gercke and football players Benedikt Höwedes were on the 29. February born is a real unlucky day may not be so at all!
Don’t forget: The February this year has 29 days, because 2016 is a leap year.
What is a leap year?
The calendar year is normally 365 days long, a leap year has 366 days. This extra day is appended to February, the shortest month of the year. Years, by four, or 400 divisible, are leap years. Years, the are smoothly divisible by 100, however, is not. 1900 and 2100 are, or were, according to these rules, no leap years, the year 2000.
Why All the fuss?
The earth needs exactly 365,24219 days to circumnavigate the sun. Our Gregorian calendar is not quite accurate. That is why every fourth year is a day longer. The century-exceptions serve the purpose to correct this mathematical compromise in order to remain accurate.
A modern invention?
No. Even the ancient Egyptians knew of the mathematical Problem. In 3. Century before Christ, and add it to your calendar every four years an extra day. The Roman calendar was similarly inaccurate, so Julius Caesar ordered in the 1. Century before Christ a solution for that: The Romans supplemented their calendar to the 24. February – a second 24. February: The day is repeated just once.
Our Tradition, the 29. February add, goes back to Julius Caesar. The Gregorian calendar was introduced in 1582, these we still use today. Pope Gregory XII, shortened the year 1582 by ten days previous to inaccuracies eradicate. Of the rule is to save every 400 years, three leap days. By these provisions shall be a calendar year, an average of 365,2425 days.
Where does the term “leap year”?
Obviously, the concept is divided in “switch”, “switch”, and “year”. In the old high German language there is the term “scaltjar”, that means a year with a disturbed day. In middle high German the term is similar, namely “schaltjar”.