Mărţişor fever

There are just a few day till Mărţişor celebration. The buzz has already started in the town!
But wait, most of you probably have no idea of what Mărţişor is, how could you?
Mărţişor is an authentic Romanian tradition, celebrating spring, on the first of March.

This old tradition consists of people offering each other a small gift called Mărţişor, made up of red and white twisted string from which a small talisman is tied.

Artisans and craftsmen are already out on the streets, offering their products placed in beautiful little boxes or pinned to a small card.

Some are hand made using ecological stuff, like the one in the first picture bellow, than another with a small gemstone and others, made of all kind of figurines.

Mărţişors are inexpensive gifts but these amulets usually go together with a bouquet of flowers.
The delicate snowdrops, the first flowers of spring, are the favorites of this day, though most men want to show their love choosing more expensive flowers.
Tulips, hyacinths and roses will cut another big hole in their wallets, besides the one left by Valentine's day.
A happy day for the flower vendors too, they will not miss any occasion to exploit peoples soft spots.