Red string heralds spring in eastern Europe
Bucharest. The Japanese welcome each spring with picnics under cherry blossoms. In Romania and Bulgaria, it is greeted with the exchange of a little amulet with red and white strings, a rural tradition that has morphed into urban fashion, AFP reports.
The ritual takes place on March 1 when parents and children, men and women, politicians, artists, villagers and city dwellers offer each other a "martisor" (in Romania) or a "martenitsa" (in Bulgaria) as a sign of friendship.
In Bulgaria, even pets are graced with little white and red strings to celebrate the new season.
Trendy boutiques have now embraced the practice and defended it as anything but outdated.
"Martisor is not an old-fashioned bit of tradition because spring is a universal symbol of renewal and hope," said Carmen Miron, a 23-year-old Romanian working in a Bucharest concept store.
"We, the young people, have renewed the tradition by giving it a more modern and practical touch," she said.
Text and photo: http://www.focus-fen.net