Editing Leap year (section)

===Folk traditions===
[[File:Bob Satterfield cartoon about leap year traditions.jpg|right|thumb|upright|A [[spinster]] eagerly awaits the upcoming leap day, in this 1903 cartoon by [[Bob Satterfield (cartoonist)|Bob Satterfield.]]]]
In Ireland and Britain, it is a [[tradition]] that women may [[Proposal of marriage|propose marriage]] only in leap years. While it has been claimed that the tradition was initiated by [[Saint Patrick]] or [[Brigid of Kildare]] in 5th century Ireland, this is dubious, as the tradition has not been attested before the 19th century.<ref>{{citation | last1 = Mikkelson |first1=B. | last2 = Mikkelson | first2 = D.P. | date = 2010 | url = http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/february29.asp | title = The Privilege of Ladies | website = The Urban Legends Reference Pages | publisher = snopes.com}}</ref> Supposedly, a 1288 law by Queen [[Margaret, Maid of Norway|Margaret of Scotland]] (then age five and living in Norway), required that fines be levied if a marriage proposal was refused by the man; compensation was deemed to be a pair of leather gloves, a single rose, £1, and a kiss.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ha-Redeye |first=Omar |date=28 February 2016 |title=The Leap Year Proposal Law |url=https://www.slaw.ca/2016/02/28/the-leap-year-proposal-law/ |access-date=8 April 2024 |website=Slaw |language=en-US}}</ref>{{efn|Virtually no laws of Margaret survive. Indeed, none concerning her subjects are recorded in the twelve-volume ''Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland'' (1814–75) covering the period 1124–1707 (two laws concerning young Margaret herself are recorded on pages 424 & 441–2 of volume I).}} In some places the tradition was tightened to restricting female proposals to the modern leap day, 29 February, or to the medieval (bissextile) leap day, 24 February.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}

According to Felten: "A play from the turn of the 17th century, 'The Maydes Metamorphosis,' has it that 'this is leape year/women wear breeches.' A few hundred years later, breeches wouldn't do at all: Women looking to take advantage of their opportunity to pitch woo were expected to wear a scarlet [[petticoat]]{{snd}}fair warning, if you will."<ref>{{citation | last = Felten | first = E. | date = 23 February 2008 | url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120371485815386581 | title = The Bissextile Beverage | website = Wall Street Journal | access-date = 12 August 2017 | archive-date = 12 August 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170812135932/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120371485815386581 | url-status = live }}</ref>

In Finland, the tradition is that if a man refuses a woman's proposal on leap day, he should buy her the fabrics for a skirt.<ref>{{citation | last = Hallett | first = S. | date = 29 February 2012 | url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/27/leap-year-proposal-tradition_n_1305525.html | title = Leap Year Proposal: What's The Story Behind It? | website = Huffington Post | access-date = 21 December 2015 | archive-date = 21 October 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141021183428/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/27/leap-year-proposal-tradition_n_1305525.html | url-status = live }}</ref>

In France, since 1980, a satirical newspaper titled ''[[La Bougie du Sapeur]]'' is published only on leap year, on 29 February.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20120229-mediawatch-bougie-du-sapeur-newspaper-once-four-years|title=La Bougie du Sapeur: the world's least frequent newspaper|last=Creedon|first=James|date=29 February 2012|work=[[France 24]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404003951/http://www.france24.com/en/20120229-mediawatch-bougie-du-sapeur-newspaper-once-four-years|archive-date=4 April 2012|url-status=live|access-date=4 June 2024}}</ref>

In Greece, marriage in a leap year is considered unlucky.<ref>{{citation | url = http://www.anagnosis.gr/index.php?la=eng&pageID=151 | title = A Greek Wedding | website = Anagnosis Books | access-date = 12 January 2012 | archive-date = 10 February 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120210092205/http://www.anagnosis.gr/index.php?pageID=151&la=eng | url-status = live }}</ref> One in five engaged couples in Greece will plan to avoid getting married in a leap year.<ref>{{citation | url = http://www.developingteachers.com/tips/pasttips63.htm | title = Teaching Tips 63 | website = Developing Teachers | access-date = 12 January 2012 | archive-date = 2 March 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120302215023/http://www.developingteachers.com/tips/pasttips63.htm | url-status = dead }}</ref>

In February 1988 the town of [[Anthony, Texas]], declared itself the "leap year capital of the world", and an international leapling birthday club was started.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.timeanddate.com/date/leap-year-capital.html|title=Anthony – Leap Year Capital of the World|publisher=Time and Date|date=2008|access-date=6 November 2011|archive-date=9 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111109194902/http://www.timeanddate.com/date/leap-year-capital.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" widths="350px" caption="1908 postcards">
File:PostcardLeapYearBeCarefulClara1908.jpg|Woman capturing man with butterfly-net
File:PostcardLeapYearMaidensAre1908.jpg|Women eagerly awaiting the coming leap year
File:PostcardTheMaidensVowIn1908.jpg|Histrionically preparing
</gallery>