Fun Facts - February, the Cake Month

I had a lot of fun gathering these Fun Facts about February, a short month with several nicknames.

(1) Let's begin with why February has that name which comes from the Latin word februum meaning purification.

It all has to do with the old Roman calendar  which called for a purification ritual called Februa to be held on February 15.

Some historians assert that the purification was all about purging from fever or the sweating that comes from fever or the Latin word febris.

(2) Everyone knows February has 28 days except once every 4 years when it has 29, thus calling the year Leap Year. Did you also know that because of this 28/29 days cycle that once every 6 years, February is the only month to have 4 full 7 day weeks?

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(3) The Saxons called February Sol-monath, meaning cake month because they offered cakes to the gods during that month. 

(4) The Welsh called this month y mis bach, meaning little month. 

(5) Native American tribes usually named months based on natural phenomena that occurred  during that period of time. The full moon in each month was always significant so months are usually called by their respective names for the full moon.

Some of those tribal names are:

Algonquin called it Snow Moon because of the heavy snowfall that often occurs then. 

Cherokee called it Hungry Moon or Bony Moon becuase of the scarcity of food during winter which affected hunting. 

Ojiibwe called it Bear Moon because this is when bear cubs are born. 

(6) February is the least common birth month, and the rarest day to be born is Leap Day, February 29. The odds of being born on February 29 are about 1 in 1,460. Most people born on this day pick either Feb. 28 or March 1 to celebrate their birthdays, but some choose to celebrate on both days.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I learned a lot. Did you? I say it's time to celebrate February with cake. In fact, I made my cake recipe book FRIDAY IS CAKE DAY, recently revised and updated to today's ebook format. Bake a cake and celebrate February!

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