[From the 1884 London News "Leap Year Ball"]

It's Leap Year! Today is February 29th, a day that only comes around once every 4 years. Though there is an explanation for this calendar trickery, I still really don't understand why we do this. Maybe to confuse the unfortunate ones that are born on this day? But, probably just to give a legitimate day for women to be able to ask men to marry them without feeling completely pathetic. Some called this day Sadie Hawkins day, based on the character in the Al Capp cartoon strip, a name that has remained the title of many a "girl-ask-boy" highschool dance. Anyway, go get'em tonight ladies! You have the entire universal calendar's approval.