Will you marry me? Leap Year Traditions
By Maja Gojkovic
29 February 2008 is traditionally seen as the day where women can propose to their partners, meaning women who miss out this year only have to wait another four years until the next leap year to get down on one knee and propose.
In today’s cultures, it is now seen as normal for a woman to propose to a man, however this hasn’t always been the case. In the past the rules of courtship were much stricter, where women were only allowed to pop the question on one day every four years that day was 29 February.
St. Bridget’s Complaint
It is believed this tradition was started in 5th century Ireland. St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about women having to wait for so long for a man to propose so St. Patrick said the yearning females could propose on this one day in February during the leap year.
29 February in English Law
According to English law, 29 February was ignored and had no legal status. People assumed that traditions would also have no status on that day. It was also believed that the leap year day existed to fix a problem in the calendar, it could also be used to fix an old and unjust custom that only let men propose marriage, hence the reason the tradition still exists today.
This practice dates back to 1288 to Scotland where they passed a law that allowed women to propose to the man of their choice in that year. They also made it law that any man who declined a proposal in a leap year must pay a fine. The fine could range from anything from a kiss to a payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves.
Sadie Hawkins Day
In the United States, some people have referred to this date as Sadie Hawkins Day with women being given the right to run after unmarried men to propose.
Sadie Hawkins was a female character in the Al Capp cartoon strip Li’l Abner. Many communities prefer to celebrate Sadie Hawkins Day in November which is when Al Capp first mentioned Sadie Hawkins Day.
Greek Superstition
There is a Greek superstition that claims if a couple marry during a leap year they will have bad luck. One in five engaged couples in Greece will avoid planning their wedding during a leap year.
For all you single ladies out there who find yourselves without a man this leap year don’t fret, you only have to wait another four years before your next opportunity to pop the question and by then you may have hopefully found the perfect match.
For those people who are born on 29 February are called “leaplings”. In non-leap years they can either celebrate their birthday on 28 Febuary or 1 March.
Legally their birthdays depend on how different laws count time intervals. In England, Wales and Taiwan the legal birthday of a leapling is 28 February on non leap year years. Celebrities who were born on a leap year include rapper-actor Ja Rule, actor Antonio Sabato, Jr., actor Dennis Farina, rapper-actor Saul Williams, musician Chris Conley,motivational speaker Tony Robbins and actor Alex Rocco. The fact that they are legally allowed to celebrate their birthdays on either the 28 February or 1 March means that they wont miss out on the parties,presents and cake so Happy Birthday Leaplings and only another four years until your next official birthdays.
Tags: 29th Febuary, Leap Year, Marriage, Traditions