The case of the disappearing day.

It’s a leap year, everyone. A whole extra day—24 hours that just magically appear every fourth year. Hey, if anyone’s planning to give birth today, do your kid a favor and wait. Well, son, your birthday just sort of disappears for three years. We’ll just make believe you were born February 28th. Or March 1st. You pick.

Basically, if we didn’t have Leap Day, our seasonal year would shift 1 day every four years—that’s about a month every 120 years. Regardless of why it exists, use this extra day to cut yourself some slack. Give yourself permission to relax and put your feet up. Or, just the opposite, do something you’ve been putting off for the last four years.

According to ancient tradition, women could propose to men on Leap Day. Hey ladies, now’s your chance. On a less dramatic scale, let someone close to you—friend, relative or lover—know how much he means to you. Do whatever it takes to make the most of this rare day.