March is a very special time of the year in Bulgaria. On the first day of March, known as “Baba Marta Day”, begins a month-long festival celebrating the arrival of spring and the renewal of life. Its origins are deeply ancient, dating back to pagan times, and variations are found in several Balkan countries, including Macedonia, Romania and Greece. In Bulgaria, it is universally celebrated, and even foreign visitors are invited to take part. 

Colors

This festival is represented by the colors red and white. White symbolizes purity and the melting snow, and red is the color of life and passion. Together they symbolize the natural cycle of the seasons – the barren winter followed by spring and the rejuvenation it brings – and, by extension, the cycle of life and death.

Baba Marta

Baba Marta (literally “Grandma March”) is the personification of this festival – an old woman akin to a nature spirit, as fickle as the weather throughout the month. On the first day of March, Bulgarians greet each other with “Happy Baba Marta!” and exchange martenitsi.

Martenitsi

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Martenitsi are made by a white and a red string of yarn twirled together in a spiral and most often worn as bracelets. Throughout March, Bulgarians exchange martenitsi to appease the fickle Baba Marta and wish each other good health and fortune throughout the year. They are exchanged by family members, friends, neighbors, even acquaintances. Martenitsi come in a variety of shapes and sizes – from the simple bracelets to ones elaborately decorated with additional colors and beads, red-and-white yarn knitted into brooches, and the two other mascots of the festival – Pizho and Penda. Throughout March, the forearm of every Bulgarian you meet is likely to be covered in martenitsi.

Pizho and Penda

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Spring represents not just life, but also fertility. Pizho and Penda are the dual personifications of fertility in nature and in humanity. They take the shape of a pair of yarn dolls – the male Pizho, traditionally white, and the female Penda, red and distinguished by her dress. The two are never seen apart and are connected through a red and white string of yarn. They, too, are often decorated with beads and additional details such as clothing, hair for Penda and a hat for Pizho. People often hang them in their homes, and smaller ones can be pinned to clothes. 

The Heralds of Spring

Martenitsi are worn until one sees one of the heralds of spring. Different regions define those in different ways, but most commonly, one is considered to have seen the first signs of spring if they see a stork, swallow or a tree in bloom. After that, one can remove their martenitsi and either tie them to the blooming tree or hide them under a rock.