Chestita Baba Marta!

Chestita Baba Marta! Happy Grandma March! Bulgarians celebrate March 1 with an unusual tradition that reminds me of the May baskets that we used to give and get when I was a little girl. (Aunt Irene always had the most beautiful ones.) Anyway, in Bulgaria on March 1 children collect martenitsas, which are usually red and white cords to signal the return of spring.   So, this morning Grace, Adam, and I put our red and white bracelets on, and as soon as I told Grace, "Chestida Baba Marta" she said, "It's coming!" I think she heard the grandma part and was just hopeful to see her grandma today. (She struggles with pronouns so when she finds her sunglasses she says, "There she is!" and when she points to her home she says, "There I are!")
Here is the article about it from the Sofia Morning News at http://www.novinite.com/ :

BABA MARTA GREETS BULGARIANS WITH MILD WEATHER

All Bulgarians celebrate on March 1 a centuries-old tradition and exchange martenitsas on what is called the day of Baba Marta, which this year dawned with a shy sun, spelling relatively nice weather ahead.

Eagerly followed on March 1 every single year, the tradition of giving your friends red-and-white interwoven strings brings health and happiness during the year and is a reminder that spring is near.


Celebrated on March 1, Baba Marta (Grandma March) is believed to be a feisty lady who always seems to be grudging at her two brothers, while the sun only comes out when she smiles.


As folklore often goes there are different versions of the Baba Marta tale. One says that on that day she does her pre-spring cleaning and shakes her mattress for the last time before the next winter - all the feathers that come out of it pour on Earth like snow - the last snow of the year.


The martenitsa tradition is thought to have been inspired by Bulgaria's first Khan Asparuh, who sent a white string to his wife to tell her he survived a battle.


People are supposed to take off their martenitsas when they see the first signs that spring has already come - a blooming tree or a stork.


When the martenitsa is taken off some tie it to a tree - one that they'd like to be especially fruitful. Others place it under a rock and based on what they find there the next morning guess what kind of a year this one would be.

The martenitsa now comes in all shapes and sizes - from Guiness-worth giant building packages to two tiny simple strings gently placed on a newborn's arm. Children usually compete who will get the most and often walk around more ornate than a Christmas tree.


However, it always bears the same meaning - a lucky charm against the evil spirits of the world, a token for health and a sign of appreciation.

Then to top it off, the CD of children's songs that Mark ordered from Bulgaria arrived and Grace loved hearing the songs. You could see her face light up as she heard the voices of the little children singing the songs she used to sing. Three of the songs on the CD are the ones we recognized her singing when she first came home, but I haven't heard her singing those songs for a couple of weeks. Now she is always singing Jesus Loves Me; Twinkle Twinkle Little Star; B-I-N-G-O; and the ABC's. We want to play the CD every day for a week or so and see if Grace will remember the songs...I hope so. I'm already starting to miss her little Bulgarian phrases and songs. We found the CD at: http://www.bulgariancds.com/c/sl-e/cid-18/p-p/id-1020/dvg-morski-pesychinki-nezabravimi-detski-pesnichki-1.html , and it only cost $15.00 including shipping from Bulgaria. I really wish we had ordered this before we picked up Gracie! I know she won't keep much of her first language, if any, but we would love for her to remember a few songs and phrases...