Bulgaria Marks 'Grandmother March' Day

Celebrated on March 1, Baba Marta (Grandmother March) is believed to be a feisty lady; tradition says that the sun only comes out when she smiles.

There are many different versions of the Baba Marta tale. One says that on March 1 she does her pre-spring cleaning and shakes her mattress for the last time before the next winter, and all the feathers that come out of the mattress pour on the earth like snow - the last snow of the year.

On March 1, almost everyone in Bulgaria can be seen with a martenitsa - a small adornment made of white and red yarn, which will be worn until around the end of the month, or the first time an individual sees a stork, swallow or budding tree - the first signs that spring has arrived.

When the martenitsa is taken off, many people tie it to a tree - one that they'd like to be especially fruitful. Others place it under a rock and based on what they find there the next morning guess what kind of a year they will have.

The martenitsa now comes in all shapes and sizes - from Guiness record-worth giant building packages to two tiny simple strings gently wrapped around a newborn's arm.

However, it always bears the same meaning - a lucky charm against the evil spirits of the world, a token for health and a sign of appreciation.