Баба Марта

March 1st was Baba Marta (Баба Марта) day here in Bulgaria. This holiday is celebrated people giving each other red and white bracelets, pins, and necklaces. People then wear them until they see either a flower bloom or a stork. When you see either of these things you are supposed to place the objects under a rock or on a fruit bearing tree. This is suppose to bring bring you health and safety (that's what the colors red and white stand for). Baba Marta means grandma March and it holiday is also the traditional welcoming of spring.
Баба Марта has definitely been one of my favorite Bulgarian holidays so far. People spent most of the day giving each other bracelets and wishing each other good health, a pretty nice way to go through the day if you ask me. I was lucky enough to have several students and colleagues give me bracelets and pins (which are called martinetsa, Мартъница). Bulgarians seem to have allot of holidays that deal with health and happiness. Maybe that is because for much of its history Bulgaria was being controlled by someone else so health and happiness were not something you could take for granted. Regardless of the reason that has become my favorite aspect of Bulgarian culture.