On 1st March in Bulgaria we say “Happy 1st March” or Chestita Baba Marta – Честита Баба Марта! Also people make and give Martenitsas to their friends and loved-ones. Martenitsas are red and white strings woven together in lovely patterns and designs. The red colour is for new life and re-birth and the white colour is for hope and new beginnings.

So , how long to people wear Martenitsas? Do they only wear them on 1st March? No! People wear Martenitsas until they see the first stork or fruit tree blossom of the season. When they see either of these, they remove each Martenitsa and tie it to a tree branch for good luck.

Baba Marta (“Grandmother March”) is a feisty and temperamental lady. She is often in a bad mood with her two brothers, January and February. She smiles only when the sun comes out. Legend says there are different versions of the Baba Marta tale. One says that on that day she does her spring cleaning and shakes her mattress for the last time before the next winter – all the feathers that come out of it pour on Earth like snow – the last snow of the year. This story is in German folklore, for instance in the “Frau Holle” or Mother Hulda legend. In another story Baba Marta is also the sister of January and February. Additionally, she is always cross with her husband as he is either drunk on wine or grumpy. The old woman becomes angry, and she takes weather from her brothers to punish her husband, hence the weather is stormy and unpredictable at this time of year.

Traditional Tales involving 1st March

According to another folk story, an old shepherd decided to take her sheep up in the mountains during the last days of March. She thought that Baba Marta would bestow good weather on her because she was as old as Marta. Baba Marta was cross that she was being considered old, and asked her younger brother (April) to lend her a few days. April granted her wish and these days are called “borrowed days”, “zaemnitsi”, or “few days” in the Bulgarian folk tradition. Marta let out the strong snows and blizzards that froze the shepherd and her flocks in the mountains. So what is the moral of this story? Don’t upset Grandmother March!

See other interesting celebrations in March such as Vasil Levski Day, 3rd March and Women’s Day

.