If you have ever been to Romania, Bulgaria or Moldova at the beginning of March, you have surely seen these small accessories with red and white lace. It is called Mărțișor (or Martinitsa in Bulgarian), and it is offered to all girls and ladies in your family and entourage on the 1st of March, and they will wear it for the entire month.
The most popular Romanian version is the one worn like a broach, on the chest, consisting in a figurine to which the red and white lace is attached. There is also the bracelet version, but this one arrived later in Romania - actually, the first time I saw one was in Bulgaria in 2011.
There are numerous legends circulating about the significance of the colours red and white: red is generally thought to be the symbol of the blood of various supernatural creatures who defeated evil forces, and white is believed to symbolize either the melting snow, or the snowdrop, which is the first flower of spring. As for the figurines accompanying the lace, the 'classical' and more traditional ones are lucky objects, such as four-leafed clover, the ladybird, the horseshoe or the chimney sweeper, obviously meant to bring luck to the receiver. Alternative options include flowers, animals, cartoon characters, from Disney princesses to Minions, and all sort of cutesy stuff.
When I was little, I remember I used to bring a big bag of mărțișoare to school, for the teacher and all the girls in class. And afterwards I was returning home with the bag still full, with mărțișoare from all the other kids, and also the teacher. :) Nowadays, we don't receive them, nor wear them as much as in the past, but we still like them. It is another tradition still going on, or, better said, rediscovered.
That said, I wish all of you, girls and boys alike, to have a wonderful spring, which should see al your dreams come to life! ;)
