Baba Marta (Баба Марта, meaning Grandmother Marta in Bulgarian) is the name of a traditional Bulgarian custom celebrated on March 1 each year, symbolizing the coming of the spring season. Bulgarians wear martenitsi (singular martenitsa) to observe the occasion. The martenitsi are signs of good luck and health. March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ... Martenitsa is a Bulgarian tradition related to the 1st of March, which has its origin in the establishment of the Bulgarian state in 681 AD. The month of March according to Bulgarian folklore marks the beginning of the springtime. ...

Baba Marta is a fictional Bulgarian angry old lady, connected to a seasonal tradition, called Martenitsa. She changes her mood very rapidly and the Bulgarians give red and white tokens called Martenitsi to please Baba Marta, so she will not make them cold. In doing so, the Bulgarians hope the spring will come as soon as possible. Once they have those tokens, which they put on their clothes or wrist, they wear them until we see a stork. After seeing this bird, the Bulgarians have to take away the tokens; because the stork is showing that the spring is already here. The word tradition, comes from the Latin word traditio which means to hand down or to hand over. ... Martenitsa is a Bulgarian tradition related to the 1st of March, which has its origin in the establishment of the Bulgarian state in 681 AD. The month of March according to Bulgarian folklore marks the beginning of the springtime. ... Spring is one of the four seasons of temperate zones. ...