Origins: Because of the vagaries in our calendar, each year whose number is cleanly divisible by four is really a leap year, and thus contains an additional day tacked onto its Feb. (Excepting full centuries which, to become leap years, should be divisible by 400 otherwise, they’re common years. The entire year 1900, therefore, wasn’t a leap year, but 2000 was. Leaves one breathless, does not it?)

Because leap years are noticed as unusual occasions that disturb the otherwise orderly advancement of days/several weeks/years, certain beliefs happen to be mounted on them. (One constant within the arena of folklore and superstition is the fact that out-of-the-ordinary occasions are considered to possess out-of-the-ordinary effects or qualities.) Leap years, based on folk tradition, were the only real occasions when women could propose marriage to men, with this particular belief frequently termed “The Ladies’ Privilege.” Yet even in this particular hypothesis there is disagreement regarding what lengths it went a lot of of individuals who experienced this practice didn’t view it as relevant throughout the size of a leap year, only towards the extra day itself that’s, simply to Feb 29.

Another way of thinking held that the man so entreated either needed to accept the proposal or spend the money for declined lady a considerable forfeit for turning her lower, like a silk gown or £100. (Indeed, it had been broadly and erroneously reported that the Scottish Act of Parliament in the 13th Century had mandated this, or this “agree otherwiseInch proposition have been enshrined in British Common Law. Frequently this bit of misinformation was presented like a 1288 decree by Queen Margaret of Scotland, to which men that declined the invitation to get married were fined £100.) In another type of the idea, men that stated no weren’t responsible to purchase costly presents for that disappointed women in order to pay fines towards the Crown, however their refusals attracted ill fortune privately.

In another twist, when the woman who did the asking had unsuccessful to put on a scarlet flannel petticoat, or maybe a large part of the identical weren’t partially visible under her dress, the person who declined could be able to escape the ill luck that the turn-lower would as a rule have propelled his way.

The origins of “The Ladies’ Privilege” aren’t for sure known, only one posited beginning occur Ireland had St. Bridget complaining to St. Patrick about women the inability to ask the boys they wanted to marry them. Based on the folktale, he offered the chance in a seven-year interval, and she or he bargained him lower to four. (If the tale holds true, it’s really no question St. Patrick required to putting the operate on snakes, while he sure wasn’t succeeding against women.)

Though everybody loves a great folktale, the start of this practice much more likely is due to Feb 29 being regarded as each day that doesn’t correctly belong around the calendar and therefore as an occasion when the standard rules of conduct don’t apply. Other superstitions play upon the actual theme of “betwixt and between” occasions being

occasions especially fraught with peril or periods once the unusual wasn’t only permitted to happen, but was encouraged to do this. Night time time following the twelve before the main one was considered an interval once the fabric attracted between your ordinary world and also the arena of the spirits increased especially thin, its etherealness possibly allowing a ghost or two to all of a sudden appear of us, or permitting certainly one of us to become drawn in to the chaos of sleep issues.

In similar spirit, it’s considered misfortune for betrothed couples to permit themselves to become photographed together since, being neither single nor married, they appear in an in-between condition. Consequently, they have to be certain to prevent the look of presumption of long lasting couplehood, lest by apparently flaunting their togetherness, they might never view it arrived at fruition.

In earlier times of Western society, relations between your sexes were much more formal and scripted, with every gender being expected to stick to its assigned roles. If this found proposing marriage, men did the asking and ladies did the accepting or declining the other way round could have been unthinkable. Thus a leap year turnaround of this ordinary condition of products could be viewed as another thing being switched on its ear during an occasion when very little else made sense anyway.

The U.S. features its own “women can pursue men” holiday: Sadie Hawkins Day. Named for men-chasing female character within the Al Capp cartoon strip Li’l Abner. whose father decreed a yearly footrace in her own name (using the spinsters chasing the unhitched males from the town and becoming to marry any they caught), your day proposes to grant women the authority to propose marriage to unmarried men, or at best to inquire about them out. Though there’s no set day with this holiday, many communities celebrate it in November, some deeming so that it is the Saturday nearest to November 9. Furthermore, some high schools will designate one dance annually like a “Sadie Hawkins” event, meaning women are anticipated to inquire about guys to become their dates for your event, not the other way round.

Unlike earlier occasions, there’s now no societal prohibition against women to be the ones to inquire about on bended knee. Custom, however, is proven to favor men doing the proposing, nevertheless its happening the other way round is not viewed as shocking or like a challenge right method of things.

There’s a little more to leap year lore besides women all of a sudden appearing to carry out velvet-covered ring boxes for their beaux. Superstition decrees leap years are particularly good for beginning important projects or small business ventures. The option of Feb 29 is considered particularly astute for the reason that increased luck will affix to everything is begun tomorrow, including children created in that particular 24-hour stretch. Talking about children, we observe that superstition states individuals born on Feb 29 are fated to become popular with Dame Fortune.

Possibly the final word about who should offer marriage with whom would go to balance-get married Zsa Zsa Gabor, who suggested to all of her nine husbands. “A lady needs to constitute your mind,” she stated.

Barbara “pop goes the weasel question” Mikkelson

Last updated: 29 Feb 2016

Sources:

Brasch, R. How Made It Happen Begin? New You are able to: David McKay Company Corporation. 1965. (pp. 31-33).

Pickering, David. Dictionary of Superstitions. London: Cassell, 1995. ISBN -304-345350 (p. 154).

Simpson, J. and S. Roud. Oxford Dictionary of British Folklore. Oxford College Press, 2000. ISBN -19-860398-3 (p. 210).

[London] Daily Mail. “Steps to make a good Proposal.” 29 Feb 1996 (p. 48).

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