According to an old Irish legend, St Bridget approached St. Patrick to protest on behalf of all women, the unfairness of always having to wait for men to propose marriage. St. Patrick agreed to allow women to propose marriage once every 7 years, but St. Bridget wasn't satisfid. She continuted to haggle and the deal was struck with women being able to propose to men every 4 years (specifically every Leap Year). This is believed to have been introduced to balance the traditional roles of men and women in a similar way to how Leap Day balances the calendar.
If a man refuses the suitor's marriage proposal, he is expected to give her a kiss and a gown.
In many European countries, especially in the upper classes of society, tradition dictates that any man who refuses a woman's proposal on February 29 has to buy her a pair of gloves. The intention is that the woman can wear the gloves to hide the embarrassment of not having an engagement ring.
Boy how times have changed. :)
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