The First Day of March

March 1 is not an ordinary day. According to the popular belief, if in the morning everything has been done by the rules throughout the month the weather will be good; there will be no hail and frost; the snakes and lizards will run away; the bad stuff will be scalded and any change will be for good!
Before sunrise every housewife has to put out white and red cloth to make Granny Marta laugh. It is important this to be done first by a cheerful and good woman. In the village of Fakia the women take out only a red cloth due to a fear that the white can bring snow and frost.

On the first of March people try not to quarrel among themselves, which could anger the short-tempered Granny Marta.
On this day heavy work is not done, women do not spin or wove, sew, wash, knead, and men do not cut wood or plow.
The most important, of course, is the tying of martenitsas on arms, necks, baby hats. Granny Marta shines with happiness, when she sees that people have martenitsas in her honor, when she meets young people and brides with their hands full, when she enters clean and tidy homes. Bulgarians do anything to make her happy and cheer because Granny Marta is no ordinary grandmother ...

Let this magic made of twisted red and white threads protect us from all evil - visible and invisible, to bring us all good health, wealth, good weather and hope for sunshine!

Rositsa Topalova, curator in department Ethnography of Museum Burgas

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