16 Interesting February Facts

I have a love-hate relationship with February. It’s a short month that tends to raise expectations that it can’t always fulfill. Apparently, I’m not the only one who finds February…interesting. I did a search and came up with some (sort of) interesting facts about this complicated month.

1. February can’t seem to make up its mind how long it wants to be. Every four years, it is 29 days long (which is still shorter than every other month!).
2. It seems Julius Cesear is the one who made February both short and complicated when he added it to the Roman calendar in 713.
3. Apparently February’s days were shortened and lengthened several times. One time it was as short as 23 days.
4. Depending on where you live (Northern or Southern hemisphere) February is either the third month of winter or the last month of summer. It’s kind of like August, which is another month I have a complicated relationship with.
5. February comes from the Latin word “februum” which means purification. (I have mixed feelings about whether is actually interesting or not.)
6. February and January were the last months added to the Roman calendar.
7. The Saxons called February “Sol-manath” which means “cake month.” Now, this is something I can get behind. I love cake. Not to offer to the gods, which the Saxons did, but because I love cake.
8. February is one of the most misspelled words in the English language.
9. February is the only month that might not always have a full moon.
10. The Beatles made their first US television appearance on the Ed Sullivan show in February.
11. February has been Black History month for a very long time.
12. Two US presidents were born in February. Also Ansell Adams, Steve Jobs, Jennifer Aniston, Alan Rickman—well, a lot of famous people, and even more not-famous people.
13. In 1948, the US and Mexico signed the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The US paid 15 million for California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, and Texas. I wonder what that was per acre?
14. It is quite often the coldest month of the year (if you live in the Northern hemisphere).
15. Ground Hog Day!
16. Valentine’s day— a day of romance, stress, disappointed expectations, expectations realized, proposals, flowers, and chocolate.

Did you learn anything new about February? I know I did!

Perilously yours,

Pauline