The Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum in Bucharest is organizing a Martisor Fair between February 27 and March 8. The fair aims to promote “the ancient custom of gifting, at the beginning of spring, small, crafted items, with a protective role”.

The Martisor (trinket in approximate English) is a small symbolic item that men offer to women between March 1 and March 8 as a sign of love and respect, but also to mark the beginning of the new season.

The fair will showcase a wide variety of martisor items, both traditional and novel ones, designed by artists and students. The fair will coincide with workshops, held at the museum, where children can learn how to make their own martisor or greeting cards.

The fair is open Monday to Sunday, between 9:00 and 17:00.

“A symbol of spring and nature rebirth, the martisor used to be make, in traditional villages, from a bi-color braid of white and red strings, to which a silver or gold coin was attached. Parents would gift it to their children on March 1^st for health, wealth and good luck. Although the martisor changed its appearance in time, it kept its meaning of a symbol of protection, of fertility,” a press release from the Village Museum explains.

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editor@romania-insider.com