I’ve looked at the post cards in this blog post several times in the decades I’ve owned them. They previously belonged to Myrtle Virginia HIILARD BURROUGHS (1903-1977), my 1st cousin twice removed.
I didn’t understand their humor, but old post cards often have odd humor. This year, though, I wanted to find out more.
Leap Day and Irish Tradition
According the IrishCentral.com, legend says that in the 5th century, St. Patrick decreed the women could propose on this one day during February during the leap year. Then in 1828, the Scots passed a law that stated if a man declined the proposal on leap day, he had to pay a fine. The fine could range from anything from a kiss to payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves. It was hinted that the latter was to hide the shame of not having a ring to wear. There’s a lot of interesting details about the history of this, and you can read about it here.
Now amusement!
The two post cards in this blog make me smile now.
The poor girl on the couch has no plans to propose to the smitten drunk. She probably wants to push him and his top hat out the door!
And the burglar got more than he bargained for when he climbed in that window. I wonder if he turned around and left before she could get the proposal out of her mouth!
Curious about what’s on the back side of these cards?
No need to be. They were both written to my 2nd Great Aunt Gertie (Gertrude E. Virginia PRICE HILLARD 1874-1953) from friends of hers about meeting her at church. The year for both was 1912.
What do you think about Leap Day? It’s reminiscent of Sadie Hawkins, isn’t it. And what do you think about these post cards? Comment below, please.
St Patricks day was the day you could ask a guy out and Sadie Hawkins Dances were the same when a girl ask the guy to go to a dance. Sadie Hawkins has pretty much disappeared but at St Patrick’s Day is still big, actually the whole week. I was born a Hawkins my Mother was a Martin and now I am a Rodgers which is Pennsylvania Dutch, pretty cool what our names are and the history. Thanks for sharing. We both have lots of wonderful history.
Thanks for commenting, Dorothy. I remember Sadie Hawkins dances at my high school. I didn’t know St. Patrick’s Day was a day for that, too.
Thanks Nan for the ‘history’ of the St. Patrick’s Day ‘option’.
My home town had many blends of nation’s and I had never
heard this one…
Thanks for sharing the significance of a leap year over a century ago, Nancy! You piqued my curiosity to work what it was! 🙂