February is one of the most frequently misspelled words in the English language (did you catch that extra “r”?). Even the White House press office famously slipped up on it several times in 2015! The name February comes from the Latin word “Februa,” an ancient Roman purification and cleansing ritual, making it a fitting month for fresh starts and new beginnings.
While it may be the shortest month of the year, there’s no shortage of interesting facts, quirky history, weird holidays, and astronomical oddities to this month. Think you know your February trivia? Let’s find out.
Why 28 days?
While February is the second month on today’s Gregorian calendar, it was actually the last month added to the Roman calendar around 713 BC.
Roman King Numa believed even numbers were unlucky, so he assigned most months 29 days. This resulted in an even total for the year. To balance it, February (already associated with honoring the dead) was designated the “unlucky” month and given 28 days.
Although the calendar has gone through many revisions since then, February’s 28-day length has stuck!
Leap Year
The first leap year was introduced in 46 BCE by Julius Caesar of Rome, when he added a day to the end of February every four years. Without leap day our calendar would be off by about 24 days every century!
People born on Leap Day are called leaplings. There are more than 4 million ‘leaplings’ around the world!
Valentine’s Day
Of course, when we think of February, Valentine’s Day immediately comes to mind, but it didn’t start as the romantic holiday we know today. Historians believe it started as an ancient Roman fertility ritual, later blending with the legend of St. Valentine, a 3rd-century priest executed for defying Emperor Claudius. Over time, the day was romanticized.
The first Valentine’s card appeared in the 15th century, and today approximately 145 million cards are exchanged each year in the U.S.
While red roses symbolize love, February’s official flowers are the violet and primrose. Violets mean “I’ll always be there,” and primroses say, “I can’t live without you.”
Notable Holidays
- Black History Month in the U.S.
- Groundhog Day (Feb 2 – based on a German superstition; though in Germany it was a badger not a groundhog)
- Presidents Day (Feb 17)
- Fat Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday), falls on a different date each year but typically Between February and March.
February also plays host to numerous observances as well, from National Carrot Cake Day, World Cancer Day, Read in the Bathtub Day, to National Pizza Day!
General Fun Facts
- February is the coldest month in the Northern Hemisphere.
- It’s the only month that occasionally passes without a full moon.
- February’s Birthstone is the amethyst. Like the violet (purple in color), it represents peace, courage, and stability.
- The Zodiac signs for February are Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18) and Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20).
- Super Bowl Sunday often falls in February.
Historic
February is a significant month for U.S. statehood, as several states were admitted to the Union during this month:
- Massachusetts: Became the 6th state on February 6, 1788.
- Maine: Became the 23rd state on February 15, 1820.
- Oregon: Became the 33rd state on February 14, 1859.
- Arizona: Became the 48th state on February 14, 1912.
- Oklahoma: Became the 46th state on November 16, 1907
- Mississippi was readmitted to the Union on February 23, 1870, after having seceded from the United States during the Civil War.
On February 2, 1848, U.S. and Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the war. The U.S. paid Mexico $15 million in exchange for California, Texas, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming.
From its unusual spelling to its ancient Roman roots, February is full of surprising history. Though it may be the shortest month, it’s rich in character, making it the perfect time to slow down, share stories, and enjoy meaningful moments together here at Moosehaven. Above all, February reminds us that love comes in many forms and that every stage of life is worth celebrating together.