Happy Leap Day!
Tomorrow only comes once every four years! February 29th, Leap Day, is a day we add every four years to make sure our calendar year always falls in line with the solar calendar. This “tweak” isn’t perfectly accurate though; in fact, every 8,000 years we’ll be off by a full day – but none of us will be probably here to fix that issue.
With curious custom come curious traditions and folk lore, and Leap Year is no different. Among other practices, women could only propose marriage to men in leap years; a man who did not accept this proposal was fined in assorted ways, from a kiss to a dress given to the rejected lady. Through the centuries, as men felt they were becoming particularly vulnerable during these years, some places restricted proposals to men on only Leap Day, rather than the entire year. So ladies, get your breeches or scarlet petticoats on, and go ask that man for his hand tomorrow!