“Mărţişor”

There is an old tradition in Romania to celebrate the 1^st of March by offering a tiny gift, called “mărţişor”, as a symbol of the spring to come, to people we care about. It also symbolizes the rebirth of nature. Literally, the word means little March. Nowadays, men offer women such a talisman object, also consisting of a jewel or a small decoration like a flower, an animal or a heart, tied to a red and white string. It is believed that the one who wears the red and white string will be powerful and healthy all year round.