It’s our turn
FEBRUARY 29 IS FAST APPROACHING. FOR LADIES THAT ONCE MEANT ONE THING – POPPING THE QUESTION
Ladies, if you have been patiently biding your time until Mr. Right pops the question, your time of waiting is over. Forget Valentine’s Day! It’s nothing compared to the free reign of February 29, the one special day in a leap year when traditionally, a woman is “allowed” to propose to her man.
What’s more, should he say “no”, then he must pay the price in the form of a kiss, a “silk dress” (something expensive), or gloves. So it’s a win-win situation, really.
February 29 was originally introduced to offset the additional 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds of every calendar year in order to keep it synchronised with the seasonal year. Although it would have taken centuries, had this not been done, then gradually the seasons would have shifted completely so that summer would be where winter is now.
But how did this little addition to the calendar become such a phenomenon when it comes to women proposing to men? It wasn’t until the 5th century – when St. Bridget apparently complained to St. Patrick in Ireland that women had to wait too long to be proposed to – that it became known as a day for bolder women. People figured that because the day had been introduced to “fix” the calendar year, it may as well also “fix” the antiquated custom that only men could propose to women.
Then in 1288, Queen Margaret of Scotland passed a law to the same effect. The custom was cemented into the history books, and immediately women took action. Leap Year Balls and Leap Year Dances became fashionable, many of which were organised specifically with proposals in mind! With so many choosing to propose, items such as postcards showing a man running away from a woman and screaming “Help! They’re after me!” were issued in 1912, indicative illustrations of the times.
Although the women of England considered the introduction of this day to be very lucky, it was not a view shared by all cultures. In fact, for some, the entire year was, and still is today, considered to be fateful. Greek culture dictates that it is unlucky to marry during a leap year. As a result, one in every five engaged couples will avoid doing so if their scheduled date falls on one. In Scotland, anyone who is born during a leap year is considered unlucky!
How people celebrate February 29 varies from country to country, nevertheless, one common thread is that for people born on this day – known as “leaplings” or “leapers” – it is a day to party!
The odds that they would have been born on this day are 1 in 1,461 so it can be regarded as something special. Waiting four, and in some rarer instances, eight years for their birthday, leaplings are ready to go all out, and many establishments are happy to support the cause.
In Cyprus, the Londa Hotel in Limassol is getting in on the act, offering considerable discounts on dinner at the Caprice Restaurant and overnight stays under the auspices of a “Ladies Leap Year Luxury Package”. Furthermore, should a lady at the Londa propose to her man (and be accepted) then she and her fianc? will be presented with a free night’s accommodation on bed and breakfast basis for use on their wedding night!
One thing is certain, no-one can say February 29 isn’t special! Whether it’s because it only appears every 1506 days or because it gives women the upper hand for a change, ultimately, leap day as it’s known, has become synonymous with celebration.?
