In Honor of National Proposal Day, Five Surprising Engagement Facts and Traditions

6:30 PM, March 20 2012

By Natalie Matthews

Since today is National Proposal Day, we've rounded up some of our favorite engagement-related trivia. Click through below to see how often American men propose in public, some of the stranger things men have proposed with historically—thimbles, golden nose rings—and when the idea of the modern engagement ring first emerged. (Then maybe go get a really good manicure, if you're expecting something later.)

In Nordic countries, most men wear wedding bands and engagement rings.

Odds are if you live in Iceland, Sweden or another Nordic country, your fiancé would expect an engagement ring in return for the one he gave you. (Like yours, it'd be probably be a simple gold band.)