THE GREEK RED & WHITE MARCH BRACELET
March marks the beginning of spring in Greece and Greeks have an original custom to celebrate its arrival. From March 1st, it is a tradition, especially for children, to wear a bracelet made of twisted white and red thread. The white symbolizes purity and the red color stands for life and passion.
The name is derived from the Greek word for the month of March, “Martios”!
Greeks wear the bracelet for the entire month and remove it the last day of March. After taking off the bracelet, they hang it in a fruit tree, so the tree will remain healthy and give many fruits.
It is believed that the custom of “Martis” originated in Ancient Greece and specifically in the Eleusinian Mysteries, where the people who participated used to wear a thread named “Kroki” around their right hand and left foot. Nowadays, the custom is still carried on with the red and white threaded bracelet and it is worn throughout the whole month of March.
The bracelet is threaded on the last day of February.
However, the custom varies in different areas in Greece. For example, in some regions you can remove the bracelet when you see a swallow returning for spring, so the bird can use the thread to build its nest. In other regions, the bracelet is wrapped around pitchers in order to protect the water from the sun and keep it cold. Others tie the bracelet around a tree so that it fructifies.
Traditionally, in Greece, March is considered the first month of spring, and the hope for warm days and a lot of sun. Therefore, especially for young children, wearing the March bracelet also means you are protected from the burning sun.
We wish you a very nice month and lots of sunny days!