Since the introduction of Leap Day by Julius Caesar over 2000 years ago, February 29th has been a day of folklore and superstition. Many of these traditional tales center around love and marriage, with varying "lucky" and "unlucky" connotations.
Ladies' Leap
Whether it's legend or history, the Irish tale goes as follows:
St Brigid, a fifth-century Irish nun, struck a deal with St Patrick to allow women to propose to men rather than the traditional other way around. After hearing complaints from single women whose suitors were too shy to propose, St Brigid requested this switch to occur every four years. St Patrick initially granted the permission only once every seven years, but Brigid's persistence sealed the Leap Year deal.
The introduction of this role reversal was believed to balance the traditional roles of men and women, similarly to how leap day balances the calendar.
Empowered Goddesses
There is some debate over whether St Brigid was a real person, as she has the same name and associations as the Celtic goddess Brigid. There are many supernatural events, legends and folk customs associated with this goddess-like woman of history, many with the intention to empower and support women.
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Although the air of tradition still echoes through things like proposals, it's more common to hear of women taking the reigns and initiating the next step. As the liberated community of goddesses grows, we're sure to continue turning this folklore into fact.
