Leap Day is exceptional.
According to traditions of old, because of the day’s lack of legal status, it was a day that everything was turned on its head. Specifically, tradition holds that women were allowed to propose to men on Leap Day, rather than vice versa. Irish legend goes back to the 5th Century to say that St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick that some women waited too long for their suitors to propose.
To solve the problem, St. Patrick gave women Leap Day (one day every four years!) to turn the tables and pop the question. The arrangement was serious, resulting in men who refused a Leap Day marriage proposal to pay a penalty — specifically 12 pairs of gloves in some European countries. The idea behind the gloves was that the woman could hide the embarrassment of the lack of an engagement ring. In other places, a gown or money was required of the man who refused a woman’s Leap Day invitation to marry. Legend has it that during the Middle Ages, laws carefully governed this tradition.
Is Feb. 29 a good day for a woman to ask a man to marry? Who’s to say it’s not? Take a cue from the movie Leap Year and use this day to re-evaluate and try something different with your life or with your company’s marketing, public relations or messaging.
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