In the traditional Bulgarian martenitza, womenfolk might entwine coins, cloves of dry garlic, beads, iron rings, hairs of horsetail, snail shells, etc. That is why the martenitza is considered to be a charm against evil forces.
Children wear their martenitzas on the right wrist, around the neck or on the breast, while young girls and brides wear it around the neck or woven into their hair. Men, however, tie the martenitza above their left elbow or left ankle. In some regions they put it in the shoe under the left heel for if someone sees them with a martenitza their masculinity may be "tied". Martenitzas are tied on young animals and the fruit trees.
People wear the martenitza until they see a stork. Then they tie it on a fruit-tree branch, make a wish and are sure that it will come true.
The tradition remains the same today as it started, although today Bulgarians give the red and white colors only to please Baba Marta so she will not make us cold. In doing so, we are expressing the hope that the spring will come as quickly as possible. Once we have those tokens, which we put on our clothing or wear on our wrist, we keep them until we see a sign of spring; a bird associated with spring such as a stork, crane or swallow or blossoming trees.
Only after seeing that sign do we remove the tokens, because then we know that spring has truly arrived. In different parts of the country, however, the process may be a bit different.
After seeing the stork, some will tie the Martenitza on a fruit tree, symbolically giving the tree the health and luck that they had while wearing the token. Others will put the token under a stone. The kind of insect found alongside the token the next day will determines their health for the rest of the year. If it is a worm or an ant, it will be a very healthy year, and they will have success, although the ant means that they will have to work a lot in order to reach success. If it is a spider, then they are in trouble and might not have good luck with health and personal success.
On the first of March everybody should wear a martenitsa, especially young children, just married couples or newly-born domestic animals. Sometimes even the fruit trees, the handles of the door, or the vines in the vineyard also have their own martenitsa.
