1st of March in Romania: Celebrating Mărțișor

On the 1st of March in Romania is the celebration of Martisor, a traditional holiday. This special celebration has a nice meaning and a cute symbol. Keep on reading to discover everything you need to know about Martisor.

Many foreigners have no idea about this Romanian tradition and that’s why I decided to write this port to answer your question “What is celebrated on the 1st March?”.

For Romanians 1st of March has a powerful symbol, called “Mărțișor”. In Romanian sounds like the younger brother of March.

In English, there is no translation for Mărțișor, and the closest thing to it is a talisman, but that’s not a translation.

I was raised like it was a big thing, but I cannot remember the legend of this tradition. I guess is one of those things you grow up with, not questioning it too much.

You only come to realize you don’t have a clue about it when someone who wasn’t aware of it (like a foreigner) asks about it. The 1st of March in Romania is indeed a special day.

What is celebrated on the 1st of March?

I have researched it, and long story short, nobody knows for sure what is celebrated on the 1st of March.

But there are nice legends, superstitions and some even claim it used to have magic powers. The stories are old, older than our language itself.

What Romanians do for the 1st of March (1 Martie în Romania)

For as long as I can remember, this was a special day. Starting from kindergarten, boys would bring mărțișoare and give them to girls.

Let me first define the symbol. This item, called mărțișor, is a renowned symbol of this tradition. It stands primarily for the beginning of spring.

Nowadays, most people don’t know the legends or where the tradition comes from, but they keep the tradition of giving this spring symbol to women.

This is a bit of a chore for men, especially for those who work in large environments. But I find it amazing how we still have it, and every year before the 1st of March, the most important squares in the city are full of mărțisoare. And plenty of people crowd to admire and to buy them.

What is the legend of Mărțișor?

A long time ago, people gave the symbol of Mărțisor to children and young boys and girls on the 1st of March, before sunrise.

The string of this two-color wool symbol represents the winter and summer contrast. Red and white.

The string, which is what makes an authentic mărțișor, had to be tied to the wrist or worn and pinned on the clothing. It had to be worn until spring started to show signs of blooming. It had to be tied to a flourishing tree for good luck.

Some say this is a Dacian tradition. Read more about the ancestors of Romanians, the Dacians.

This is the most common story about Mărțișor. Other legends remind an old lady who had 12 thick sheepskin coats on who made the two mărțisor strings while caring for the sheep.

Many legends have probably been lost since this tradition only exists in Romania and Bulgaria (they celebrate it a bit different).

An 8000 years old tradition was once celebrated as the God of Mars day, the one who cared for the crops and lands.

There were always these two colors, red and white, on the string, representing two opposing concepts: winter and summer, man and woman, darkness and light.

The 1st of March in Romania Today

Strolling on the sidewalks of the big boulevards in Bucharest, people were in the mărțișor fever, even though outside was a temperature of only -9 °C.

A day before the first day of spring, courteous men, thoughtful moms, and careful wives were all buying this symbol of spring to give to the women they have in their lives.

What does the mărțișor look like? It can be anything, but usually, it is a small object with a small red and white string tied to it. Take a look.

What makes it such a beautiful tradition is the celebration of Spring. Women are celebrated as if they were blooming flowers, which is why I admire this tradition the most.

Regardless of the relationship or social status, everyone feels joy and shares a good spirit. We all wish each other “La mulţi ani!” (which translates to Happy birthday, but a more accurate meaning is to live long).

Our good spirit always drives us to be happy and celebrate special days in our lives. We welcome everyone else to join us.

I hope this answers your question ” What is celebrated on the 1st March?”.

As today is the 1st of March in Romania, I wish you all a wonderful spring with lots of sunshine and smiles!