The addition of a February 29th, once every four years, is how we keep our calendar's straight, given the fact that a year is actually 365 and one-quarter days long. 

In a tradition, that may have been started in Ireland as far back as the fifth century February 29th was the one day when a woman could take the leap of a marriage proposal into her own hands, rather than waiting for her man to pop the question. But on the streets of Kelowna, it seems that for most people, it's a tradition that has gone the way of the typewriter and the telephone answering machine.

And if we trust Irish Folklore on this, it was as far back as the 5th century that the February 29 marriage proposal rights of women were made official by decree of St. Patrick himself.

Later, in the 13th century, it was passed into law in Scotland that a woman could propose to a man on a leap year. There was also something about the woman having to wear a red petticoat at the time to make it official.

Photo credit: 123RF

In some European countries, it became a requirement to pay a fine of 12 pairs of gloves!

It was in the United States, that the day came to be known as Sadie Hawkins Day. Hawkins was a character in the comic strip Li'l Abner, who inspired a tradition of dances, where females would invite males to attend. 

Who knows? Maybe we need to start some new traditions.