[guide.chat] will you marry me?
- From: vanessa <qwerty1234567a@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "GUIDE CHAT" <guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 29 Feb 2012 01:06:11 -0000
Its leap year, will you marry me?
Would you propose to your man during a leap year
Fri, Feb 24, 2012 16:01 GMT
The tradition is said to date back to the 13th century, but why are women
?allowed? to propose on February 29th?
In the film Leap Year, Amy Adams' character drags her boyfriend to Ireland on
February 29th - or leap day - because, allegedly, Irish tradition states that a
man who receives a marriage proposal on a leap day must accept it. Hollywood
schmaltz aside, the idea that women are 'allowed' to propose during a leap year
may seem old fashioned, but ladies still lag behind when it comes to popping
the question. Where does this tradition come from? And should we be making the
most of it?
Origins
?Originally the so-called ?ladies? privilege? existed all through the leap
year, but later became restricted to the Leap Day itself,? says Professor Bill
Gray, Director of the Sussex Centre for Folklore, Fairy Tales and Fantasy,
University of Chichester.
?It?s sometimes claimed -- without evidence -- that this idea was introduced
into Scots Law in the 13th century, with a penalty of £100 if a man didn?t
accept the proposal.
[Related feature: 10 ways to propose to your man this leap year]
?The English equivalent of this Scottish tradition is that a man who refused
such a proposal had to buy the scorned lady a new silk gown.
According to this tradition the woman was supposed to wear a red petticoat when
making the proposal.
?Apart from such folk traditions, the real historical origins of the idea are
obscure. It was certainly around by 1606 when it appears in a book entitled
Love and Matrimony, but it has proved so far impossible to verify a reference
attributed to Chaucer:
"In the Leap Year they have power to chuse The men no charter to refuse."
?There is also an old Irish legend of the origins of this idea. In what looks
like an early example of feminist protest against patriarchy, Saint Bridget
complained to Saint Patrick that it was unfair that women couldn?t propose to
men.
?In response St Patrick conceded that women could propose to men once every
seven years. However, this didn?t satisfy the doughty St Bridget, who beat him
down to once every four years.?
?I don?t see why more women don?t propose?
Shirley Howard, a beauty therapist from Horsham took the opportunity to propose
to her husband Mike, on February 29th eight years ago.
Shirley with her husband Mike
?I can't quite believe I did it,? she says. ?We'd only been together for about
six months when I moved 300 miles South to be with Mike. You don't that that
early in a relationship unless you are sure?.
?We had always talked about marriage and children, we both felt that that was
our future. But I didn't want to wait too long before I had a ring on my
finger. I already had a little boy and I was quite keen to have more children
sooner rather than later.
?I thought maybe he would propose at Christmas. But then when he didn't, I
thought stuff it - I'm just going to do it myself. One of my friends said that
the 29th of February is the day that we're ?allowed?
to do it.
?I went out and bought a ring, and I even asked his mum and dad for permission,
which I don?t think that many people do.
?I hadn?t known them long so it was more nerve wracking than the proposal. They
both seemed pleased, but his mum did cry a bit which was confusing. I like to
think they were tears of happiness!
[Related story: Would you propose with this steak for leap year?]
?I proposed in his parents? garden in their summer house, which was one of
Mike's favourite places. It's somewhere relaxing we like to be.
?The whole family were all in the house at the time, knowing what I was doing,
which really put the pressure on.
?I just said to Mike, ?Can I have a word? Let's go down to the summer house.?
He looked a bit nervous, like something was wrong.
?I had the ring in my pocket and I planned to go down on one knee but when it
actually came to it, I just was so scared, much more than I imagined I would be.
?I kept saying 'I want to ask you something, you must know what I'm going to
ask you,' and he was saying 'No, I really don't, what's up?'
?So in the end, I said, 'don't look at me' and whispered it in his ear so he
couldn't see me. I whispered, 'will you marry me?' I couldn't face him.
?He said yes straight away. But because we were so long, the rest of the family
thought something had gone really wrong, or that I was having to try and
persuade him. They were getting nervous.
?If someone had told me years ago that I would do it, I never would have
believed them.
?I don't see why more women don't propose. I was impatient. It turns out that
Mike had planned to propose in Las Vegas, and he knew exactly where he was
going to do it. He had it all planned out?
Would you ever propose to your man? Does the idea frighten you or do you think
it can be just as romantic? Why do you think the tradition has continued?
from
Vanessa The Google Girl.
my skype name is rainbowstar123
Other related posts:
- » [guide.chat] will you marry me? - vanessa
