Another custom is the old lay’s baptism, meaning sick children are baptized again with a different name to chase away the evil and illness. The fight was short, a sword against a claw, a good heart against a wicked one, an honest mind against a twisted one, and surprisingly (but not to me and I hope that not to you either) Braveheart won.

The Martisor was therefore offered for good luck on the first day of the New Year, together with heartfelt wishes for health, happiness and love.The first day of March brings with it a host of customs and traditions of Martisor -(trinket ) , a festival dedicated to the brink of spring renewal time. Every year I share the story of the day with my friends and have little gifts for my dear women friends. Usually both, women and men wear it pinned to their clothes, close to the heart, until the last day of the March, when they tie it to a fruit-tree twig. Although women usually receive a symbolic mărțișor from men, in some areas of the country, men also receive mărțișoare. Celebrating at school with my friends, working for days on end before March 1st to have one for each of my friends… and for the teachers.

Similar customs include the Martenitsa, celebrated by Bulgarians, and Martinka by Macedonians, while other communities such as Albanians, Turks from the Ohrid region, Greeks from Northern Greece, the isles of Rhodes, Dodecanese and Karpathos, the Gagauz people, and the Diaspora of these populations also practice local variations of the custom. Martisor is also the name of the trinket with the red and white string with hanging tassel customarily given on the 1st day of March.In Romania, the most superstitious ones say that the person who finds a horseshoe has to throw it over his/her shoulder or place it on one of the house’s walls for good luck. Day after day he witnessed rainbows smiling over streams, birds joining in song, and flowers blooming everywhere. Likewise, in a small ornament with white and red, was created with the role of talisman meant to accompany wishes good luck and love, health, happiness and prosperity. These flowers can also be turned into martisoare, if you attach the red and white string to the bouquet, or can accompany the martisor you want to give. Less commonly north of the Danube, but often recorded in Dobruja, was the practice of leaving the Mărțișor under a rock, with the type of insects found on the spot being interpreted as omens, throwing it into a spring or river ( Gorj), or even burning it.

On this day, and even until March 8, men offer women martisoare - small symbolic items tied with a red and white entwined cord, as a sign of respect and love.As of 2017 the cultural practices associated to the 1st of March are included on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, UNESCO. Some older traditions held it should be worn from the first new moon of March until next significant holiday for the local community, which could be anywhere between 9 March and 1 May, or until first tree flowers blossomed, depending on the area.

The Year’s Rope was the link between summer and winter, black and white representing the opposition and the unity of opposites: light and dark, warm and cold, life and death. Martisor is an authentic Romanian celebration that dates back to the time of the Thracians, but also the name given to the little talismans with red and white strings offered during this holiday. Keep in mind that most Romanian women expect to receive something at the beginning of March (especially on March 1) - either a traditional mărțișor or its more expensive version, a piece of jewellery with a red-white string, or a flower from the most important men in their lives, as well as from colleagues and business partners.Outside the gate, Braveheart almost missed the last flower, almost burned to a crisp, the last whisper to tell him that he was in the right place. No one liked a blotchy face when the birds sang again of life and love and the flowers bloomed and your heart went mad with joy once more.