Most people look forward to their birthday as the one day each year when they get to feel special. Claudia Calleja spoke to three people born on a leap year who will be blowing their candles today – four years after their last birthday.

Carmel Busuttil

turns 48, on his 12th birthday

Mr Busuttil’s relationship with his birthday has changed over the years. “When I was small I used to celebrate my birthday either on February 28 or on March 1. At first, it did not bother me that, most years, it was not my proper birthday. But as I started growing up, I remember children at school telling me it was not my birthday. And I did feel it wasn’t,” said Mr Busuttil, one of Malta’s most renowned footballer, who has now retired.

Every four years, Mr Busuttil parties four times as much with his friends and his wife and two children who get together on the special day. He admits that, since he passed the age of 40, he stopped enjoying celebrating his birthday.

However, his date of birth gives him a weapon to factually fight the aging process.

“Now I say I am 12 years old... I only had 12 birthdays,” he smiles, adding that, on a positive note, people always remember his special birthday. On the downside, more often than not his birthday usually falls during Lent when he is not meant to be eating cake.

Larissa Tabone

turns 20, on her fifth birthday

Ms Tabone always celebrates her birthday on February 28 because she likes to keep her birthday within the same month.

I feel the extra day... it feels special

“When I was young I used to take my birthday cake to school on the 28th,” says the young factory worker from Paola.

“It does feel different, however, when it’s my actual birthday. That is my day... Of course, I still accept presents when it’s not a leap year... but every four years, they’re bigger,” she jokes.

Every four years her family and friends get together to make sure her birthday celebrations generate enough joy to last her till her next birthday.

For her last birthday, when she turned 16, her family organised a surprise party for her. This year will be super special for the expectant mother. She is due to give birth in June and is glad she will be able to celebrate the birth of her child every year.

All in all she does not mind that her birthday is on this one strange day. “I feel the extra day... it feels special... the only problem is I will not be able to celebrate my lucky birthday,” she says pointing out that her next two birthdays will take place when she turns 24, then 28.

Maria Cluett

turns 48, on her 12th birthday

When Ms Cluett was a child she remembers feeling very disappointed whenever, come December, she would leaf through the year’s calendar but not find her birthday listed.

Is it today? Is it tomorrow? Should I be celebrating?

“It was a feeling of disappointment. There would be no 29th,” the mother-of-two recalls.

Her father, who was born in February, used to insist she celebrated her birthday on the 28th so they could share the same birthday month.

She recalls how, on her eighth birthday, her family had organised a memorable birthday party to mark her second official birthday when all her relatives and friends were present.

As she grew older she started celebrating her birthday on the weekend closest to the missing date.

Her late husband, footballer David Cluett, used to take her out to eat and then they would party with friends. She got to know footballer Carmel Busuttil, with whom she shares her birthday, through her husband.

“I actually do look forward to my birthday more than ever on a leap year. When it’s not a leap year you do catch yourself wondering: Is it today? Is it tomorrow? Should I be celebrating? So, yes, I’m looking forward to this ­birthday,” she smiles.