02 Feb Fun Facts About February

Fun Facts About February

1. Where did the word “February” come from?

February comes from “februa,” a Latin word meaning “to cleanse,” and was named after a month-long purification festival held this time of the year.

Amusingly, in 2000, the Institute of Business Technology named the second Monday in February as National Clean-Out Day. for cleaning computers!

By adding a 29th day to February, the calendar year was synchronized with the astronomical year.

2. How many people are born on February 29? The probability of February 29 birthdays is 1 in 1,461.

U.S. Census Bureau data reveals that only about 0.07% or 205,000 people in the U.S. have a February 29 birthday. People born on February 29 are called  “leapers.” How cool is that!?

3. A full moon on February 24 is known as a Snow Moon
4. February is for Valentine’s Day. This is on the 14th February every year. Here’s a little Valentine’s Day trivia. About 144 million worth of greeting cards are purchased for Valentine’s Day yearly. And that’s in the U.S. alone!
5. Surprisingly, the flower of February is Violets signify watchfulness, loyalty, and faithfulness. Give a violet to someone to let them know you’ll always be there for them. The other February birth flower is the primrose, which lets someone know you can’t live without them.
6. Here are some of the happenings in February:

-February 2: Groundhog Day. Made famous by Bill Murray’s 1993 movie Groundhog Day, this North American tradition suggests that a groundhog seeing its shadow on February 2 indicates that winter will be six weeks longer; otherwise, spring will arrive soon.

-February 12: Chinese New Year

-February 12:  Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday. Lincoln served for four years as the 16th president of the United States. He was born in 1809 in a small cabin 3 miles south of Hodgenville, Kentucky.

– Every 3rd Monday of February: Presidents’ Day This occasion was initially established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington. Today, it is generally viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents, past and present.

– Whole Month of February: Black Month History. In 1926, black leaders sought to honor the legacy of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass on their birthdays.

– February is also an important month for football fans, as two teams face each other in the Super Bowl on the first Sunday of February.

7. The birthstone of February is the amethyst with Aquarius and Pisces as the zodiac signs.
8. The birthstone of February is the amethyst. Thought to symbolize royalty with it’s purple hue, this quartz stone does have many other colors and can be sourced in many areas of the world.