We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

7 things you should do with your extra day this Leap Year

So much extra time… sort of.

ONCE EVERY FOUR years we get a whole extra day in the year, just like magic.

But what should you do with this special day? Will you spend it catching up on all the things you’ve promised yourself you’d do but put on the long finger? Or will you use it as a whole extra day to show yourself how much you care?

Here are our suggestions…

1. Consider it a do-over day

Giphy Giphy

If your New Year’s resolutions have fallen somewhat by the wayside, why not see the Leap Year as a day to start again, to get those resolutions back on track?

So dust off those promises to head to the gym, eat more healthily, read more or whatever your personal resolution was and begin again.

You can do it.

2. Create a Leap  Year capsule

time machine Giphy Giphy

A really fun thing you could do would be to create a time capsule that you’ll open on the next leap year.

Items could include the music and books you are enjoying today, notes or letters to Future You telling you what’s going on in your life right now (it’s amazing how much detail you can forget), or anything else that you love right now.

Throw it in a box, hide it somewhere, open it in four years’ time and see how things have changed.

3. Learn a new language (sort of)

Giphy Giphy

Alright, you mightn’t get to learn a new language in a day but you can download a language learning app like Duolingo and get started on that grand plan to brush up on your secondary school Spanish (or French, or German).

Donde esta mi pantalones?  Wo ist die bibliothek? Je ne sais quois…

4. Do something you’d never normally do

Giphy Giphy

Whether this is jumping out of a plane or going to dinner by yourself there’s probably something on your bucket list that scares and intrigues you in equal measure. Make today the day to cross that item off. It could even become a leap year tradition.

5. Make a froggie treat

thesevenyearcottage.com thesevenyearcottage.com

It being a leap year and all, frogs abound (sorry). There are all sorts of froggie treat ideas around like these frog cupcakes, a froggie bento box (for you or the kids) or a more healthy froggie apple and grape treat.

What are you waiting for? Jump to it.

6. Treat yo’self

Giphy Giphy

You now have an excuse to treat yourself to some flash new clothes, or whatever it is you’ve been fancying getting for a while. Because, how often do you get a whole extra day for yourself ?

(Yes, we know, every four years, but still.)

7. Propose..?

Giphy Giphy

The most common tradition the leap year is associated with is the one where women can propose to their men (because apparently they’d just get laughed out of it on any other day of the year).

Handy.

What are you planning to do with your extra 24 hours? Let us know in the comments below.

No matter how you celebrate this extra day, don’t forget to make a saving on  your travel by using a Leap Card for your journey. It can be used on city bus services in Galway, Limerick, and Waterford; city bus and train services in Cork; as well as bus, train and tram services all around Dublin. Head over to Leap Card to find out more. 

Close
8 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Larry Doherty
    Favourite Larry Doherty
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:44 PM

    One line states: “Now, the US is free to develop weapons systems that were previously banned.” and the very next line states: “The US is planning a test flight of such a weapon in coming weeks.”

    Rather than being “years away”, it looks like the USA was out of the treaty long ago and developing new weapons all along. Typical lying USA approach to everything.

    157
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dominic Leleu
    Favourite Dominic Leleu
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 8:08 PM

    @Larry Doherty: do you really think any of them followed the rules ?

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Derek
    Favourite Derek
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:10 PM

    The double standards are hilarious, they pulled out of the Iran deal and for 2 years of complying to the deal under more economic sanctions Iran begins further enrichment again and the US throw a hissy fit.

    146
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute George Vladisavljevic
    Favourite George Vladisavljevic
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 3:02 PM

    Amazing how a nation of some 330 million is dictating to the rest of the planets 8 billion people what to do as well as who they are allowed to deal with.

    America first, and what about the rest?

    99
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jack Simpson
    Favourite Jack Simpson
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:12 PM

    This is nothing new for the US. They have a habit of pulling out of agreements. They pulled out of the ABM treaty with Russia in the 00s.

    79
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bruce Van der Gutschmitzer
    Favourite Bruce Van der Gutschmitzer
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 3:19 PM

    @Jack Simpson: shame Donald’s aul lad didn’t pull out

    81
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cormac Ó Braonáin
    Favourite Cormac Ó Braonáin
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 7:41 PM

    @Jack Simpson: the US’ history is breaking treaties and agreements. Even at the very start of their history, making treaties with the native Americans knowing full well they’d plan to break them. It’s part of their culture and who they are.

    17
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen Coveney
    Favourite Stephen Coveney
    Report
    Aug 4th 2019, 7:08 AM

    @Cormac Ó Braonáin: while putin and russia are saints… my god cant people realise both countries are sneaky. Fact is though the media can be a check against corruption in the US while russia will just jail them

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute lyndon
    Favourite lyndon
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 1:51 PM

    Watch “The Great Hack” on Netflix. The place is goosed.

    45
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Larry Doherty
    Favourite Larry Doherty
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 3:06 PM

    USA – the World’s bully along with its belligerent child, Israel. While not a supporter of extreme Islamics, their description of the USA as “the Great Satan” is hard to contest.

    75
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark Gough
    Favourite Mark Gough
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 3:54 PM

    About time we showed the US that we will not support their bullying. Britain seems to be content with being their lap dog but there are plenty of ways to show Russia we can be friends

    38
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute GrahamMManning
    Favourite GrahamMManning
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 4:23 PM

    @Mark Gough: yeah cos Russia is the lesser of two evils.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute paul
    Favourite paul
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 6:26 PM

    @Mark Gough: Britain is the US lapdog ? Britain is independent and steps in when required. Yeah sure they have got it wrong at times, but they try to do their moral duty, unlike some who prefer to remain neutral, not get involved, let someone else take the burden.

    5
    See 8 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cormac Ó Braonáin
    Favourite Cormac Ó Braonáin
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 7:47 PM

    @paul: ‘when required’. Exactly! That was his point!

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute paul
    Favourite paul
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 7:54 PM

    @Cormac Ó Braonáin: whats up mate ? Don’t worry yourself

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Harris
    Favourite Tony Harris
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 10:08 PM

    @paul: Steos in when required! WMD???????? Lapdog.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Micheál
    Favourite Micheál
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 10:38 PM

    @paul:
    A sneaking regarder of British imperialism?

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute paul
    Favourite paul
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2019, 12:49 AM

    @Micheál: British imperialism ? Get a grip , it’s 2019

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute paul
    Favourite paul
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2019, 12:50 AM

    @Tony Harris: keep your hair on tony

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cormac Ó Braonáin
    Favourite Cormac Ó Braonáin
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2019, 5:39 PM

    @paul: the projection is strong in this one.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen Coveney
    Favourite Stephen Coveney
    Report
    Aug 4th 2019, 7:04 AM

    @Mark Gough: no one wants to be friends with russia. If they cant even let opposition politicians run in mayoral elections without poisoning them id prefer if they stayed away

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Colm Walsh
    Favourite Colm Walsh
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 4:53 PM

    Us talking shite as per usual

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark walsh
    Favourite Mark walsh
    Report
    Aug 2nd 2019, 7:07 PM

    Ah lads at least we are a natural country

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute TamuMassif2019
    Favourite TamuMassif2019
    Report
    Aug 4th 2019, 1:39 PM

    But Russia destroyed all of its arsenal according to that treaty than the US and Trump just wants out of that deal in order to make these weapons himself and to sell them onto other countries. Trump doesn’t want peace he wants to make and sell weapons around the world and use Nato as a way to sell weapons to NATO countries. Trump is unbelievable…

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The decline of Manchester United
    Favourite The decline of Manchester United
    Report
    Aug 3rd 2019, 10:05 PM

    Russia is the most dangerous threat to Western democracy. We should boycott all their goods, oh wait….

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute TamuMassif2019
    Favourite TamuMassif2019
    Report
    Aug 4th 2019, 1:46 PM

    @The decline of Manchester United: No it isn’t thats the spin put on by those who are threatening Russia, making out Russia is a threat is cold war bull in order to sell weapons to NATO countries who try to provoke Russia by playing their war games just beside their border. The US removed 72 legitimate governments since the end of WW2 due to business interests, the CIA trained and helped put into power Pol Pot, Saddam Hussein, the Taliban, and with the UK helped put in Pinochet so that the US could get their hands onto their copper ore as well as helped the rise of Isil. So who is the greatest threat to the world but the US especially now as Trump has started the US MILLITARY research into Biological weapons as I guess that he will sell that knowing him as he uses Russia as a threat to sell weapons to NATO countries…

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.