From Trampolines to 3D Photos, Here’s How to Plan the Best Leap Year Birthday

For anyone whose birthday falls on a Leap Day, however, it’s a different story. Leap Year babies, or leaplings, as they’re sometimes called, don’t get the chance to celebrate on their actual birthday every year. That means when Leap Year comes around, it’s time to party hard!

Since Leap Year only occurs every four years, leaplings are pretty rare. According to this article, the odds of being born on a Leap Day are 1 in 1,461.

While having such a unique birthday is definitely something to celebrate, it also comes with a set of unique problems. Renewing IDs and filling out official forms can be a huge hassle for people born on February 29. In this Vox article, Michelle Hackman interviews eight people with this unusual birthdate who share some of the inconveniences they routinely face.

These leaplings reported spending extra time at the DMV, receiving incorrect license renewal forms, and struggling with online dropdown calendars that only go up to February 28. One interviewee recalls a scenario in which a bouncer assumed his license was a forgery because it “didn’t even have a real birthdate on it.”

A quadrennial blowout bash may not make up for these annoyances, but it certainly doesn’t hurt! Luckily, 2020 is a very special year for anyone with a Leap Day birthday. Not only is February 29 on the calendar, but it falls on a Saturday– something that only happens about once every 28 years! 

If someone you love is turning a year older this Leap Day, you have a rare opportunity to celebrate with them. This calls for something special! Here are our picks for creative gifts and unique birthday party ideas to make this extraordinary occasion even more memorable.

Gift Ideas 

A 3D Crystal With a Custom Engraving

3D Crystal Rectangle from ArtPix 3D 

When you only get a real birthday once every four years, those occasions are worth commemorating. At ArtPix 3D, we specialize in bringing memories to life with our 3D laser engraved crystals. Upload your favorite photos, and we’ll transform them into the perfect personalized birthday gifts. You can even add a custom message that celebrates your favorite leapling’s unique birthdate!

A Leap Year 2020 T-Shirt

It’s Finally My Birthday T-shirt from Zazzle 

Another fun way you can mark the occasion of a Leap Year birthday is with a special birthday shirt. This Leap Year 2020 Shirt from Zazzle will not only be the perfect addition to your friend’s party outfit, but it will also make an excellent souvenir to hold onto while they wait four more years until their next birthday.

A Lucky Clover Charm

Herbarium Good Luck Pressed Flowers Bottle from Etsy 

As we mentioned before, the odds of being born on a Leap Day are pretty rare. So are the odds of finding a four-leaf clover. Coincidentally, it takes four leaves to make a clover lucky, which is the same number of years it takes to get to a Leap Year. This Four Leaf Clover Charm from Etsy is a sweet Leap Year birthday gift to remind your leapling friend how unique they are.

A Bag of Lucky Charms Marshmallows 

7oz Kraft Lucky Charms Marshmallows from Target

Good luck charms are so much better when they’re magically delicious! Leap Year birthdays have a lot in common with the marshmallows inside a box of Lucky Charms. We’re not sure what the exact ratio of marshmallows to cereal is, but we do know that the marshmallows are definitely the best part. We also know there’s never nearly enough– unless you buy a package of marshmallows only. This sweet gift for Leap Year babies symbolizes the rare joy of getting to celebrate their actual birthday.

Constellation Wall Art 

Pisces Constellation Wall Art from Amazon

Having a unique birthday can be pretty awesome. However, some things get complicated when your birthday physically disappears during non-leap years. One thing that’s refreshingly simple for people born on February 29 is figuring out their zodiac sign. Because Leap Day falls right in the middle of Pisces season, anyone born on that day will always be a Pisces. Celebrate your leapling friend’s Pisces traits with this lovely Constellation Wall Art from Amazon.

Party Ideas

Photo by Amy Shamblen on Unsplash

Plan a Trampoline Birthday Party 

Photo by Georgia Mashford on Unsplash

For a Leap Year party idea that involves actual leaping, invite all your friends to a birthday celebration at a trampoline park. Not only is it guaranteed to be memorable, but franchises like SkyZone and Urban Air Adventure Park usually have event planning services that can help you make this Leap Year Birthday a huge success.

Host a Superman Birthday Party

Photo by King Lip on Unsplash

While multiple birthdays have been assigned to this superhero, February 29 is one of the more widely observed dates. Some claim that only having a birthday once every four years explains why Superman hasn’t aged since 1938. That’s quite a “leap” of logic if you ask us! However you choose to rationalize it, the main takeaway here is that leaplings share a birthday with Superman. How cool is that? Celebrate with a Superman-themed birthday party, complete with Superman decorations and a Superman cake.

Mix a Leap Day Cocktail 

Photo by Cody Chan on Unsplash

Maybe you’re looking to host a more sophisticated gathering for this Leap Day birthday ‘do. If so, you’ll need the perfect birthday cocktail to go with your hors d’oeuvres. Coincidentally, a drink was invented for just this occasion. In 1928, bartender Henry Craddock created a specialty martini for Leap Day, which he later recorded in The Savoy Cocktail Book. You can easily recreate it with this recipe.

Organize a Bar Crawl 

Photo by Michael Discenza on Unsplash

If one cocktail isn’t going to cut it, consider organizing a Leap Year birthday bar crawl. Make it extra memorable by incorporating the Leap Year theme into your structure. Try to hit as many bars as birthdays your leapling friend has celebrated, or get your guests to frog-hop from one bar to the next. Need help getting started? This article has some excellent tips for organizing a successful bar crawl.

Tick an Item Off Their Bucket List

We all have an activity we want to try or a project we wish we could undertake if we only had more time. Since Leap Day 2020 is not only an extra day in the year, but an extra Saturday, it’s the perfect opportunity to dust off a postponed dream. What better way could there be to celebrate your friend’s Leap Day birthday than by helping them tick an item off their bucket list? 

We hope these Leap Year party ideas and birthday gifts make February 29, 2020, the best Leap Year Birthday ever. It’ll be four more years until the next one, so now’s the perfect time to go big! Need more inspiration? You can find unique personalized birthday gifts in our shop, and awesome ideas for every special occasion on our blog. Check back next week for new and exciting content!