Taking the LEAP: Would You Propose to a Guy?

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universalstudiosentertainment.com, potsofhoney77.com

Will you marry me? This is probably the most anticipated question by girls who feel ready for a lifelong commitment. No matter how prepared (and excited!) they may be, many of these girls just opt to stick around and wait for the guy to take things to the next level. After all, that's what society expects them to do since it is customary for the man to pop the question.

Image: extraordinary-thing.com

But what if tradition breaks its own rules and turns the table? Would you grab the chance? Read on and share your thoughts on an interesting tradition that only takes place every four years. ;) 

2012 is a leap year and the 29th of this month, called Leap Day, is considered special. Aside from the fact that it only happens every four years, February 29 is exceptional because leap year tradition says girls can propose marriage to guys on this day! To add to that, men are expected to say YES to the proposal. Should they refuse, they need to pay a fine in any form the girl wants. (Isn't that a win-win situation?) As online writer James Paterson explained in his article The Leap Year Traditions, the fine can be anything from a simple kiss to a very expensive piece of jewelry. It's interesting to note that in some European countries in the past, a man who refused was obliged to buy the girl 12 pairs of gloves. The gloves were intended to save the girl from the embarrassment of not wearing an engagement ring. Laws were said to have been established for this tradition during the middle ages. 

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Our research says this tradition dates back to the 5th century in Ireland when St. Bridget complained about women having to wait for men to propose. This prompted St. Patrick to declare leap day as a day that will allow women to propose to men. The move was believed to be an attempt to give balance to gender inequality in the same way that leap day balances the calendar.

A cuter and more modern version of this proposal history is the so-called Sadie Hawkins Day which also falls on February 29. This is said to have originated from Al Capp's Li'L Abner comic strip. The female character Sadie Hawkins lived in a fictional town called Dogpatch where her father was a mayor. When Sadie had a hard time getting a date, her father declared a "Sadie Hawkins" day. On this day, unmarried women in the town can literally run after and propose to unmarried men through a footrace. 

Images: cryptomundo.com, theperfectdetails.blogspot.com,and comicvine.com

Here, check out how a girl takes the leap on Leap Day! ♥

Video: Youtube (uploaded by user one72ring)

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SB asks:
Given a chance, would you propose to a guy? 
If yes, how would you do it?
We'd love to know your thoughts. Please leave a comment below for your answer. We'll compile the best ones for a future post. You may use a pseudonym or remain anonymous. :)