Why is it tradition for women to propose to men in leap years?

Leap Day is supposedly the only time when women are traditionally permitted to break with customs and propose to their partners

The year 2020 is a leap year, meaning February 29th will appear in our calendars for the first time since 2016.

The leap day is also the only time when women are traditionally permitted to break with customs and propose to their partners, and according to recent research 52% of people are more inclined to do so on February 29th.

There are several influences which have cemented leap day proposals as a tradition.

Firstly, in the 5th Century an Irish nun called St Bridget complained to St Patrick that women had to wait too long for their suitors to propose.

Supposedly, St Patrick offered women the opportunity to pop the question themselves, on the condition that it was only every four years – but it wasn’t until much later in the 19th Century this tradition was normalised.

Another superstition discusses the unmarried Queen Margaret of Scotland. She allegedly introduced a law in 1288 allowing women freedom to propose during a leap year, but penalised any man who refused them.

There was also another catch; the woman proposing had to wear a red petticoat under her skirt to warn her intended suitor of her intentions.

Nevertheless scholars are doubtful if this theory is accurate, as they haven’t located any record of such law.

It’s also a possibility that the tradition of women conducting leap year proposals originates from the time when leap days weren’t actually recognised by English law at all.

Therefore as the day had no legal status, it was permissible for women to break with the convention of a man proposing.

How many leap year proposals are there?

A survey has discovered that if women were to propose to their partners, 52% would still be more inclined to do so on 29 February if it was a leap year, compared to just 25% on Valentine’s Day.

According to events company Chillisauce.com, in 2010, just 5% of engaged or married women had proposed to their partners, whereas this number increased to 16% last year.

Therefore, whilst the majority of women still do not propose to their other half, there has been an increase in the number of women proposing this past decade.

MORE: Why do we have a leap year and when is the next one?

MORE: What happens if you are born on a leap year?

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