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to start planning your future - it could change your life
forever!
 The
original Roman 355 day calendar had an extra 22-day month
every few years to maintain the correct seasonal changes.
By the time Julius Caesar took reign, the seasons no longer
occurred during the same months they once had. Panicking,
he remedied this in 44 B.C. by tossing the extra month and
adding the extra day to a few months instead. He threw in
a month in honour of himself (Julius - July) and died a happy
man having solved the calendar woes.
Not quite. Still creating seasonal confusion, the calendar
was again changed, first from an extra day every 3 years,
to one every 4 years in 8 A.D. It was then finally perfected
with some complicated logic by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 (who
predicted Easter and Christmas would eventually fall on top
of each other without his divine intervention). He determined
that Leap Day should fall on any year divisible by 4 but not
100 (except when the year is divisible by 400), setting up
a calendar nearly identical to that of Mother Nature. Thus,
today our year is 365.2425 days, off from our solar year by
.00031, or one day's error over 4,000 years. Not bad. And
without this extra day, who knows of the chaos that might
have ensued?
 If
you're a "Leaper," you will have beaten the 1,506
odds against being born on Leap Day! If you're 40, convince
yourself you're 10 and reconnect with your inner child. Throw
a party with jelly and ice cream and fairy cakes on the menu,
but also serve Leap Year Cocktails (recipe).
So the question is, "Which years are leap years?"
Here is the rule:
You get a Birthday if the year is:
- divisible by 4 and
- is not divisible by 100 unless
- it is divisible by 400
1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years (divisible by 100,
but not 400).
So we conclude that 1600 and 2000 were leap years (400),
as is 2004.
Leap Year was the traditional time that women could propose
marriage. In many of today's cultures, it is ok for a woman
to propose marriage to a man. Society doesn't look down on
such women. However, that hasn't always been the case. When
the rules of courtship were stricter, women were only allowed
to pop the question on one day every four years. That
day was February 29th.
It is believed this tradition was started in 5th century Ireland
when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about women having
to wait for so long for a man to propose. So, according to
legend, St. Patrick said the yearning females could propose
on this one day in February during the Leap Year.
According to English law, February 29th was ignored and had
no legal status. Folks assumed that traditions would also
have no status on that day. It was also reasoned that since
the leap year day existed to fix a problem in the calendar,
it could also be used to fix an old and unjust custom that
only let men propose marriage.
The first documentation of this practice dates back to 1288,
when Scotland passed a law that allowed women to propose marriage
to the man of their choice in that year. They also made it
law that any man who declined a proposal in a Leap Year must
pay a fine. The fine could range from a kiss to payment for
a silk dress or a pair of gloves (I'm sure you girls can think
of a better modern equivalent!).
In the United States, some people have referred to this date
as Sadie Hawkins Day, with women being given the right to
run after unmarried men to propose.
There is a Greek superstition that claims couples have bad
luck if they marry during a leap year. Apparently one in five
engaged couples in Greece will avoid planning their wedding
during a leap year.
 The
custom now seems to have spread to the whole of the leap year,
so luckily there is a larger window of opportunity to develop
a cunning plan!
Proposing marriage should be a memorable experience. If you're
going to do it, then do it in style! We've heard some great
stories:
One young lady whisked her Beau off to a luxurious retreat.
While sipping cocktails at the bar, in collusion with the
barman a ring was placed at the bottom of his glass. He was
so charmed, he accepted!
We also heard of a ring placed in a carved out dictionary.
When the intended groom unwrapped the book, he tossed it aside
without looking inside. He forgot about it for the rest of
the day, but finally looked at the book - only to discover
the ring. He did say yes, by the way.
Do you know how your parents or grandparents proposed? If
not, ask them! You could get some great ideas from their stories.
 Here's
How:
- Find the right person and fall in love (not optional!)
- Know enough about your beloved so you can create a meaningful
experience.
Decide on your budget.
- Pay attention to timing. Don't plan on proposing when
he is stressed or overwhelmed.
- Pick a memorable place/activity, song, or occasion such
as where you first met, or first kissed, etc.
- Set a romantic tone.
- Keep it fun.
- Keep it simple.
- If you are thinking of presenting a ring in an unusual
manner (see above!), be certain that your intended has a
great sense of humour! Simple, really!
Tips:
- Be prepared to have your best-laid plans fall apart.
- Focus more on the moment than on the ring and other externals.
- Try not to give your plans away by showing how nervous
you are.
- Be prepared for a refusal
What You Need:
- A plan
- A location
- A ring (optional)
Think of something that will take his breath away - maybe
combine it with an interest or hobby. For instance, the selection
of activities that are available now cover such a wide range
that they cater for all tastes. Here are some great suggestions:
 Is
he a wine buff? Book a Vinopolis tour for 2 - and for that
extra surprise, get the guide to place a ring in a glass of
wine, with a note from you attached! Maybe he loves the great
outdoors - how about a Teepee Retreat for 2? Propose native-style
while you're huddled round the log fire - how romantic is
that?
Are you in love with a career-minded man? Send him off to
a Life Coaching session. Liaise with the Coach, and get him/her
to present a written proposal and a ring as part of a life
plan to be given at the end of the session. Then make a grand
entrance!
Does he not have a particular hobby? Go for something general
- maybe a helicopter ride over London, or a Champagne Balloon
Flight. Pop the question in the air - they can't escape!
Personally, we think the best proposals are the ones that
tug at your heart strings a bit. They don't all have to be
fancy or involve major plans. They just need to be memorable.
Have you already proposed or are already married? Maybe
you have a story to tell regarding your proposal? Email your
stories to us, and we'll paste them onto our site..funny or
romantic, we want to hear from you!
E-mail us on info@ok50.com
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| If you're looking for the perfect gift for Christmas,
Birthdays, Anniversaries, Weddings, Mother's Day or Father's Day then
look no further than our fabulous selection of Gift Experiences and
Other Gift Ideas. |
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To assist you in your plan, we have teamed up with the activity
gift company "Thanks
Darling", who have a vast selection of activities to
give you inspiration. Here are just a few ideas:
- Life Coaching Session
- Vinopolis for 2
- Helicopter Tour of London
- Cocktail Masterclass
- London Eye for 2
- Champagne Balloon Flight for 2
- Circus Skills
- TV Presenter Experience
- Rapid Running for 2
- Hydro Zorbing for 2
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