Josh McConnell has had the same conversation so often it害羞草研究所檚 starting to feel like he害羞草研究所檚 reading off a script.

He and his wife are gearing up to celebrate their first anniversary, the Toronto-based writer will tell a co-worker or acquaintance. 害羞草研究所淚 thought you害羞草研究所檇 been married for years,害羞草研究所� they respond.

Both things are true: McConnell and his partner married on Feb. 29, 2020, so this is the first year they害羞草研究所檒l be able to celebrate on the same calendar day they were wed. It gives them an uncommon anniversary 害羞草研究所� and a fun talking point.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 like it害羞草研究所檚 all rehearsed,害羞草研究所� he said in a recent phone interview. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 something fun about that, which is kind of juicy.害羞草研究所�

In practical terms, McConnell and his wife do celebrate their anniversary every year. Their Feb. 29 wedding was held in her native New Zealand, when it was still Feb. 28 in his home country of Canada.

害羞草研究所淲e play the logical card,害羞草研究所� he said.

When they got married, they planned to splash out every Feb. 29 and keep their Feb. 28 anniversaries low-key.

That害羞草研究所檚 still the plan 害羞草研究所� for upcoming leap years. Family circumstances have led them to delay a planned New Zealand trip until 2025, so this year they害羞草研究所檙e going out for a nice dinner and they害羞草研究所檒l do something big again in 2028.

Even with the smaller-than-expected festivities, McConnell said he and his partner are taking this time to reflect on all the changes in their lives since 2020.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a real moment to be like: a lot has happened in four years,害羞草研究所� McConnell said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a cool way to mark the journey.害羞草研究所�

Though leap years serve a practical purpose above all 害羞草研究所� by keeping our annual calendar in line with the Earth害羞草研究所檚 365.242-day trip around the sun 害羞草研究所� they害羞草研究所檝e long been tied up with folklore, particularly around marriage.

Old European tradition held that women could propose to men on leap day 害羞草研究所� unlike the rest of the year, when men were expected to pop the question to their female partners.

In the modern era, some local governments are hyping leap day weddings 害羞草研究所� including the municipality of Kawartha Lakes, Ont.

害羞草研究所淟eap into marriage at Kawartha Lakes City Hall害羞草研究所� for just $400, city staff suggested in a recent press release.

A spokeswoman said the slots had all filled up 害羞草研究所� there will be seven weddings in the building on Thursday, including one 害羞草研究所渄ouble wedding.害羞草研究所�

Shana DeRoche, who runs the Brampton, Ont.-based wedding planning company Dream Weaver Events, said she害羞草研究所檚 never been asked to plan a leap day wedding, though she sees the appeal of getting married on an uncommon day.

But overall, she said fewer of her clients seem concerned with the significance of their wedding date these days.

害羞草研究所淧eople pre-pandemic really cared about when their anniversary was, tried really hard to find a date that would have meaning, or meant something to someone else in their family, or was the anniversary of their first date,害羞草研究所� DeRoche said.

害羞草研究所淧ost-pandemic, I think people care about it a lot less.害羞草研究所�

She害羞草研究所檚 not sure exactly why 害羞草研究所� it could have to do with the way the pandemic put the important things into focus, or maybe it was the backlog of delayed weddings in 2020 and 2021 that made it hard for newly engaged couples to find a date.

Cassandra Cleveland, who married her husband Mackenzie on leap day 2020, just before the pandemic put weddings on hold, said they害羞草研究所檙e thrilled they were able to squeeze their celebration in.

害羞草研究所淲e often refer to it as the last big party before the pandemic,害羞草研究所� she said by email from Vaughan, Ont., north of Toronto.

害羞草研究所淚t was the last time for quite a while that we saw many family members from all across the globe, and it was a really special memory to hold throughout the tough days of the pandemic.害羞草研究所�

The couple害羞草研究所檚 lives are looking pretty different these days. They got a puppy in 2021, and their daughter was born nearly two years ago. In 2021, 害羞草研究所�22 and 害羞草研究所�23 they celebrated on March 1 害羞草研究所� the day after Feb. 28.

害羞草研究所淪ince it害羞草研究所檚 technically our 害羞草研究所榝irst害羞草研究所� anniversary, we plan to celebrate with a big anniversary trip somewhere warm in the coming months,害羞草研究所� she said.

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