Martenitsa © Pavlina Chakarova
Baba Marta is a Bulgarian tradition related to welcoming the upcoming spring. On the 1th of March Bulgarian people give each other Martenitsa, which is a small piece of adornment, made of white and red yarn. The red and white woven threads symbolize the wish for good health. The Martenitsa is also a stylized symbol of Mother Nature. During early-spring/late-winter, nature seems full of hopes and expectations. The white symbolizes the purity of the melting white snow and the red symbolizes the setting of the sun which becomes more and more intense as spring progresses. These two natural resources are the source of life. They are also associated with the male and female beginnings.
Martenitsi are always given as gifts. People never buy martenitsi for themselves. They are given to loved ones, friends, and those people to whom one feels close. They are worn on clothing, or around the wrist or neck, until the wearer sees a stork or swallow returning from migration, or a blossoming tree, and then removes the Martenitsa and hangs it on a blossoming tree.