A leaping opportunity

Ladies, if you're getting impatient and want to marry your man, the time to pop the question is now - on February 29

In today's society, it's OK for a woman to propose marriage to a man, right? In most cultures, traditionally, the man is the one to propose marriage to his beloved, getting down on one knee in submission, sometimes offering a ring and always asking for her hand in marriage.

Today's women are more modern, and sometimes take it upon themselves to pop the question. This wasn't always the case - in fact it was very much frowned upon. However, one special day every four years changed all that; inadvertently shifting societal perceptions for decades to come.

Luck of the leap
As tradition would have it, women were allowed to propose to a man on February 29 - one day in a leap year that only came round once every four years.

There are several sources for this tradition from the early ages in Europe. It is said that in 5th century Ireland St Bridget complained to St Patrick that women had to wait so long for a man to propose to them. St Patrick responded by decreeing that women could propose on this one February day in a leap year.

Just across the water in England, the extra day was ignored in law, having no legal status.

People in the country therefore decided that traditions (like men proposing to women) shouldn't have status on that day either. It was reasoned that as the day was used to fix the calendar, it should also be used to "fix" the custom that said only men should propose marriage to women.

If he says no
The first documentation of this practice dates back to 1288 in Scotland, when the country passed a law allowing women to propose marriage to a man of their choice in a leap year.

However, if the man said no, they faced a fine. This fine could be anything from a simple kiss, £1 (around Dh7 - a lot of money at that time) to a silk dress or a pair of gloves, which were fashionable during that era.

These traditions soon spread around the world and adapted to include balls and dances. Women were allowed to ask the men to dance (not acceptable during that time) and some were even engineered specifically to allow women to propose to men.

The US has a similar celebratory day, based on the cartoon character Sadie Hawkins. Cartoonist Al Capp created the character for his Li'l Abner strip, and February 29 is referred to by some as Sadie Hawkins Day.

However, many prefer to celebrate the day in November, which is when Capp first mentioned Sadie Hawkins Day.

In pictures
During the Edwardian era in England (the 1900s) postcards parodying the leap year marriage tradition were published and proved very popular.

Most of the postcards mocked strong women and the feeble man or "undesirable" women, insinuating that men portrayed had been "stringing along" the woman, avoiding a marriage proposal.

Some of the more popular cards were drawn by postcard artist Lance Thackeray in the early 1900s.

Entitled "collared" or "buttonholed", the cards would often show tall women bending down to offer marriage to a weaker man, or intimate that a woman had managed to "collar" a man who had been avoiding marriage after years of courtship.

So, ladies, are you ready to pop the question? Take the opportunity on this special leap year day - because there won't be another one for another four years.

Did you know?

• In Greek superstition it is unlucky to get married during a leap year. Approximately one in five engaged couples in Greece don't plan their wedding during a leap year.
• People born on February 29 only have an official birthday every four years. Some cut four cakes on their real birthday, while others celebrate on February 28 or March 1.
• The earth takes slightly longer than 365 days to orbit the sun. It actually takes 365 days, five hours and 46 seconds: after four years this accumulates to a whole day, which is why leap years exist.
• Ancient Egyptians are said to be the first to notice this discrepancy, with the calendar year not exactly fitting the solar year.
• People born on February 29 are known as "Leapers".