Sadie Hawkins Day

In 1288, the Parliament of Scotland legislated that any woman could propose to a man in Leap Year. If refused, the man had to compensate her by one pound. This law was adopted in France, Switzerland and Italy, and the tradition was carried to America, Australia and other countries. These days it is often said that Leap Year Day is the time that women may legitimately propose to men, while some people hold that the whole of a Leap Year is suitable.

American cartoonist Al Capp introduced the concept into his long-running syndicated comic  strip L’il Abner ...