Emily Smith, 31, has only celebrated her birthday seven times as she was born on February 29 during a leap year. While some trolls blasted her, she’s grown to embrace her “unique” birthday
Meet the woman who’s only celebrated her birthday seven times – despite being 31.
Born on February 29, Emily Smith’s actual birthday only comes around every four years. As a child, she was teased by other kids for not having a birthday each year.
Now, she uses her unique birth date as an ice-breaker, telling people she’s just “seven”. On standard years, Emily celebrates her birthday on both February 28 and March 1.
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Despite the teasing, Emily, a sales assistant from Boardman, Ohio, US, wouldn’t change her special birthday.
She said: “I was raised with birthdays being a pretty big deal in my family. In my teenage years, kids my age didn’t really understand it.
“I would get teased because I didn’t get a birthday every year. Now I’m an adult it’s the most unique thing about me and has turned out to be really cool.
“On non-leap years, I celebrate on the 28th and the 1st – I figured if I don’t get my birthday I can pick both.”
Emily, who has two daughters and two step-daughters, hasn’t celebrated on her official birth date since 2020. On a leap year, she makes an extra special plan like a trip away.
Then on every other year, she celebrates on the 28th and the 1st. She said: “I tell people for two days that it’s my birthday, so I can get two dinners in, and two days of celebrations.”
She said there are some tricky parts to being a leap baby – such as not getting a “free birthday drink” on coffee shop apps.
But overall she loves it – because she gets to make the most of the leap year birthdays. Emily added: “Now my kids are old enough that I can go overnight without them, I’m going to make a new tradition.
“When it’s my real birthday, I want a trip away.”
On top of that, she said it’s a special moment whenever she meets another leap baby, because they’re so rare. And people are always impressed when they learn her birthday – which makes her feel “unique and special”.
She added: “I wouldn’t change it if I had a choice.”
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