Happy Baba Marta: Discover Bulgaria and Romania

Martenitsa is a small piece of adornment, made of white and red yarn and worn from March 1 until around the end of March (or the first time an individual sees a stork, swallow or budding tree). The name of the holiday is Baba Marta. “Baba” (баба) is the Bulgarian word for “grandmother” and Mart (март) is the Bulgarian word for the month of March.

Baba Marta

Baba Marta is a Bulgarian tradition related to welcoming the upcoming spring. The month of March, according to Bulgarian folklore, marks the beginning of springtime. Therefore, the first day of March is a traditional holiday associated with sending off winter and welcoming spring.

Mărţişor

Romanians also have a similar but not identical holiday on March 1 , called “Mărţişor”. If and how these two holidays are related is still a matter of debate between ethnologists.