It's a leap year. Of course superstition abounds.
And it's quite a wonder that despite differences in culture, traditions, and timezones, several countries around the world share a particular theme when it comes to leap year superstition: love and marriage. Whether in Europe, Brazil, or the Philippines, there's something about the leap year that has spawned beliefs surrounding romance.
Here’s a rundown of superstitious beliefs that surround the year with an extra day.
READ: Leap Year Superstitions About Romance, Love, And Relationships
1. A leap year means no luck to wed.
If you have plans to tie the knot this year, you may want to think twice—especially if you're superstitious. There's apparently a belief among Filipinos, Italians, and Greeks that a leap year is not a good time to seal the deal with your S.O.
In the Philippines, the saying goes that it's bad luck to say I do on a leap year—a belief likely anchored on Filipinos' belief that such a year comes with instability. In Italy, there's even a saying for how bad it could be: "Anno bisesto, anno funesto," which in English means "Leap year, gloomy year."
In Greece, people believe leap year marriages end in divorce. The Greeks also believe it's particularly unlucky to get hitched on Leap Day (February 29) itself. And perhaps there’s some wisdom there. Can you imagine celebrating your wedding anniversary just once every four years? Where's the fun in that?!
The Spanish, meanwhile, have a general belief that it’s unlucky to make major life decisions on a leap year as big plans may not prosper. So there may be no harm in delaying those wedding plans...
2. But a leap year is a good time to propose.
While it's a no-go for weddings, superstition in several countries says it's a good time to propose.
In Ireland, it's particularly lucky for the ladies to do it. It’s called Bachelor's Day or Ladies' Privilege—a tradition that started back in the fifth century, when St. Brigid complained about why women had to wait for the men to propose. St. Patrick, who would later become the patron saint of Ireland, then decreed that ladies could propose to their boyfriends on Leap Day. And if the man refuses, the man must make amends via money or luxury goods.
Other countries in Europe observe the Irish tradition, and there are also penalties for declining a proposal. In Finland, a man who refuses a marriage proposal from a woman must compensate her with fabric she could use for a skirt.
For the Danish and Swedish, meanwhile, the reluctant man should give the woman he declined 12 pairs of gloves, apparently symbolic of helping her warm up after a cold rejection (and to cover up the fact that she wasn’t wearing an engagement ring).
And for Scottish men, compensation for rejecting a wedding proposal includes a kiss, a pair of gloves, and a silk dress.
For Brazilians, any marriage proposal made on a Leap Year, no matter whether it’s the man or the woman initiating, must be taken seriously as rejecting a proposal is considered bad luck.
These are just some Leap Year beliefs from around the world. Whether or not they should be believed or observed, one thing is undeniably true: on any day, in any year, in any part of the world, true love is timeless. It transcends time and traditions, and is more powerful and certain than the unpredictability of luck.
