IT’S AN Irish tradition dating back to the fifth century.
However, the notion of a woman dropping to one knee and proposing to their romantic partner on February 29 is a wholly unappealing one to the majority of females.
According to the Irish legend, the tradition of women proposing on what has come to be known as “Leap Day” was started by St Patrick and another Irish patron saint, St. Brigid of Kildare, who complained that women were being forced to wait too long for men to propose.
While the veracity of those origins remains patchy at best, it appears that the idea is one that while once potentially popular has largely been rejected by women in 2020.
That’s according to a survey of 728 women conducted by Made.com which found two thirds of women would never consider proposing on February 29.
More than a third of the women polled, meanwhile, felt the idea of popping the question on Leap Year was "completely out of date'.
All told, just 16 per cent said they were planning to pop the question this weekend.
A spokesperson for MADE.COM said: “Trivial tropes like the Leap Year Proposal seem archaic in 2020.
"It’s interesting to see a third of the women asked, favour making their home a happy place, instead of investing time and money in chasing a relationship. Good for them.”
The poll revealed that half of those who had been proposed to said“no” because they didn’t want to get married, and a third said they felt they were too young to marry.
It also revealed that one in five women quizzed knew a female friend who had proposed to a man.
It also emerged that a third would prefer to spend their time, effort and money on creating the perfect home environment, versus investing in a relationship.
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