Martisor

Martisor (Romanian pronunciation: [mərtsiʃor]) is an old, popular Romanian holiday celebrated on the 1st of March. This month of the year is seen as the start of spring, the month when nature comes to life. The tradition says that at the beginning of March men offer this amulet, called martisor, to the girls they love. In time, this custom has been changed and right now this trinket is not only given by men to the girls they love, but friends and family members also give it to each other as a symbol of friendship and a herald of spring. At present, “martisoarele” are not represented just by 2 threads, but they are decorated with all kind of flowers and adornments to make them more beautiful. Traditional or adorned, “martisorul” remains the first symbol of the arrival of spring. The red color represents the love for all that is beautiful, while white symbolizes purity, health and the snowdrop, the first flower that appears in spring. It is believed that the one who wears the red and white string will be strong and healthy for the year to come. It is also a symbol of the coming spring. Usually, both women and men wear it pinned to their clothes, close to the heart, until the last day of March, when they tie it to the branches of a fruit-tree. In modern times, and especially in urban areas, Mărțișorul lost most of its talisman properties and became more of a symbol of friendship or love, appreciation and respect.