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2024 brings the rare occurrence of February 29, a date that arrives only once every four years. For most of us, it’s just another day. For around 5 million people worldwide, it’s anything

but ordinary: It’s their birthday, which they’ve been waiting four years to celebrate. These unusual people, known as leaplings, are a distinctive group. They share unique challenges,

camaraderie and valuable wisdom about life and aging. Leaplings share an intense affinity, often as if they’ve known each other their whole lives. “When we first meet another leapling, they

are brothers and sisters. It’s like we already have a bond and have been waiting to find each other,” said Sherry Riddle of New Jersey, who described a celebratory vacation for leaplings. On

February 29, 2020, Riddle “went on a cruise with about 75 other leapers to celebrate our birthdays; it was the most magical birthday I’ve ever experienced. When I saw all my brothers and

sisters that day, I couldn’t stop smiling. We were all filled with love and hugs. It’s unspoken, but we all just ‘get’ it.” _You can subscribe here to AARP Experience Counts, a free

e-newsletter published twice a month. If you have feedback or a story idea then please contact us here._ The guests loved the experience so much that they immediately started planning

another cruise for this birthday. But having a birthday that doesn’t fall on the calendar can be a cause of frustration and disappointment. Leaplings worldwide share stories of 21st

birthdays celebrated on February 28, only to be denied their first legal drink. Dropdown birthday windows on online forms are a common logistical headache. And, oh, the confusion! When do

you even celebrate your birthday during non-leap years?  And how old are you anyway? Most leaplings do track their age by both leap years and non-leap years—as do society and biology (alas,

there is no evidence leaplings live longer). But at any given moment, if you ask a leapling the otherwise simple question, “How old are you?” you are likely to get two answers (one of which

is divisible by four).   “Once, a friend threw me a '10th' birthday party when I turned 40, complete with a kiddie cake and games,” recalled Hannah Sanderson from Canada. Tammy

Roberts from California remembers one of her favorite birthday parties when she turned four — or 16 — years old. “My mom made me a full sheet cake,” she said. “One half said, ‘Happy 4th

Birthday’ with clowns and balloons; the other half, ‘Sweet 16 and Never Been Kissed.’”