What does Chestita Baba Marta mean?
On that day, Bulgarians exchange, so called «Martenitsi» («Martenitsa» – singular, «Martenitsi» – plural) and tell each other, «Chestita Baba Marta!» (Happy Grandma Marta!). This custom is essentially to wish great health, good luck, and happiness to family and friends.
Why do Bulgarians celebrate Baba Marta?
Every year on 1st of March, Bulgarian people celebrate a centuries-old tradition called the day of Baba Marta (baba means ‘Grandma’ and Marta means ‘March’), related to sending off the winter and welcoming the approaching spring.
What do Bulgarians do for Baba Marta?
Bulgarians celebrate on March 1 a centuries-old tradition and exchange martenitsi on what is called the day of Baba Marta. The tradition of giving friends red-and-white interwoven strings brings health and happiness during the year and is a reminder that spring is near.
What is happy Baba Marta?
Честита Баба Марта means “Grandma March” in Bulgarian. Baba Marta is the name of a mythical figure who brings with her the end of the cold winter and the beginning of the spring. Her holiday of the same name is celebrated in Bulgaria on March, the 1st, with the exchange and wearing of martenitsi.
Which countries celebrate Baba Marta?
Grandma Marta Day (or simply Baba Marta, Bulgarian: Баба Марта, “Grandma Marta”) is a holiday celebrated in Bulgaria, on March 1. Martenitsas, usually in the form of a wrist band, small yarn dolls, or tassels, are created by combining red and white colored threads and are worn on that day and throughout March.
What countries celebrate martenitsa?
Origin. This tradition is an important part of the Culture of Bulgaria and there is a similar tradition in North Macedonia, as well as in Greece, Albania (known as verorja), Romania and Moldova. The tradition is related to the ancient pagan history of the Balkan Peninsula and to all agricultural cults of nature.
How do people in Bulgaria use art to celebrate the Baba Marta holiday?
The greeting exchanged on this day is Chestita Baba Marta (Bulgarian: Честита Баба Марта, “Happy Baba Marta”), often shortened to ЧБМ on greeting cards….
| Baba Marta Day | |
|---|---|
| Date | 1 March |
| Frequency | annual |
Who are Pizho and Penda?
The most typical Martenitsa represents two small dolls, known as Pizho and Penda. Pizho is the male doll, usually in white colour. Penda is the female doll, usually in red colour and distinguished by her skirt. Martenitsas come in a variety of shapes and sizes: bracelets, necklaces, tassels, pompoms and balls.
Is Baba Marta a religious holiday?
In March these amulets, worn around one’s wrists and on their attire, can be seen almost everywhere in Bulgaria and in the neighboring regions. Being a purely pagan ritual by origin, Baba Marta Day is one of the oldest continuing traditions in Christian Europe….
| Baba Marta Day | |
|---|---|
| Date | 1 March |
| Frequency | annual |
What do you do with martenitsa?
When someone gives you a Martenitsa you should wear it either pinned on your clothes, on the hand tied around the wrist, or around your neck until you see a stork, or a fruit tree in blossom for the first time in the season. After that you can tie it on a blossoming tree for fertility.
What is a Marti bracelet?
The “Marti bracelet” is an ancient custom for the beginning of Spring. According to tradition, the bracelets are worn for the entire month of March for good luck or more specifically to protect people, youngsters especially, from getting sunburn during March which is considered the first month of spring in Greece.