The theme park spans six hectares with over 40 rides and attractions
uae13 hours ago
For Emirati mother Amina, Thursday is very special. She will be organising her daughter Arwa’s first ever birthday party. It is the first time that the eight-year-old, born on February 29, will be celebrating her birthday on its actual day along with her friends. “She was born in 2016,” said Amina. “In 2020, the threat of Covid was already quite prevalent so I had to cancel all the celebrations I had planned for her in nursery. This year, she is finally getting to celebrate her birthday.”
For leap day babies, or leaplings, being born on February 29, may mean four times fewer birthdays, but some claim it is the key to eternal youth. For others, it is a reason to party four times as hard during their birthday.
Amina said her daughter is very excited about her upcoming birthday. “We have already booked the space out at Sharjah Ladies Club,” she said. “We have bought decorations and balloons and invited all her friends. She is so excited about her big day.”
With the chance of babies being born on a leap day at one in around 1,500, there are an estimated five million leaplings in the world today.
Much like Arwa, 32-year-old Vinay is also excited to celebrate his birthday after eight years. To mark the occasion, he has taken the day off work. “Every year I see my friends getting free things for their birthdays and I wish I could get them too,” he said. “I have prepared a list of all the places that give freebies and I will be going around collecting them.”
Vinay said that the upside of having his birthday come just once every four years is that the celebrations are big. “In 2016, I think I got three cakes throughout the day,” he recalled. “People pull all the stops to make sure that I have a special day. In fact in my circles, I am called the leap year boy. I love it.”
This year, it is even more for special for Vinay because it is his first birthday after getting married. “I got married 1.5 years ago and this will be the first time I get to celebrate with my wife on my actual birthday,” he said. “So I am excited to have a good day.”
For Rima Rafi, February 29 is special because it is the day she gets to celebrate her best friend Amal Razak. “We have known each other since grade 7 in school and now we are studying medicine together here in Ras Al Khaimah,” she said. “Ever since we met 12 years ago, I have been making sure that she has a very special day.”
This year, Rima and her group of six friends have planned something special for Amal. “We have planned a cake, bouquet and other surprises,” she said. “Since it comes only once in four years, we really go all out to make it memorable.”
According to Rima, during the other years, they have very subdued celebrations. “We are not usually big birthday celebrations kind of people,” she said. “During the three years in between, we wish her either on Feb 28 or March 1 and that is why the fourth year is always so important to us.”
ALSO READ:
The theme park spans six hectares with over 40 rides and attractions
uae13 hours ago
Here's a look at some 'ordinary' moments from the royal's extraordinary life as he leads the emirate's transformation
uae14 hours ago
The scheme grants self-sponsored long-term residency to professionals who meet a set criteria
uae15 hours ago
The authorities confiscated more than $11 million worth of items, including animal skin, fur and elephant tusks
uae15 hours ago
Fatima Shbair braves the constant bombings to tell the stories of Palestinians and yet she says the hardest challenge isn't work but 'the constant worry for loved ones in harm’s way'
uae16 hours ago
This therapeutic method teaches children life skills like building friendships, taking responsibility for others, and healthy ways to cope with their emotions
uae18 hours ago
It all started when the 45-year-old responded to a social media ad and opened an account on a fake website
uae20 hours ago
Saeed Rashid Al Hifaiti joins his father and his five brothers in their search for honey, carrying on a family tradition that dates back generations
uae20 hours ago