Taking The Leap of Faith
So it’s a leap year – We would love to hear to from any ladies out there who are going to ask their partners to marry them on 29th February.
So what is a leap year?
A leap year is a year with one extra day inserted into February; a leap year is 366 days with 29 days in February as opposed to the normal 28 days.
Why do we need a leap year?
We need a leap year in order to keep the calendar synchronised with the astronomical or seasonal year. For example, February would have 29 days in a leap year instead of the usual 28. Seasons and astronomical events do not repeat at an exact number of full days, so a calendar which had the same number of days in each year would over time drift with respect to the event it was supposed to track. By occasionally inserting (or intercalating) an additional day or month into the year, the drift can be corrected. A year which is not a leap year is called a common year.(Wikipedia)
So where does the tradition spring from?
It is believed that this particular tradition was started in 5th century Ireland when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about women having to wait for so long for a man to propose. According to legend, St. Patrick said that yearning females could propose on this one day in February during the leap year.
It was reasoned that since 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. The first documentation of this practice dates back to 1288, when Scotland passed a law that allowed women to propose marriage 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 a kiss to payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves.
Historical fact or legend – Which ever, we think it’s a great opportunity for you ladies out there who want to take the initiative!
We would love to hear your thoughts on this.
Do you believe its right for a woman to ask her man?
Boys – How would you feel if you partner asked you?
Calling all Men and Woman - Go on - Share your experience with us.
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