It’s the tradition in Romania to offer the woman in your life (wife, mother) a “martisor” today. It can be a snowdrop or an ornament designed for just such an occasion and packaged in a greeting card. Women can then pin them on their clothes, usually on the lapels. It’s quite the big deal there.

I used to drive myself cuckoo looking for just the right “martisor”. As happens often with these sorts of holidays, the list of recipients quickly expands from intimate family to close family, to relatives, then neighbors and teachers, etc… You end up carrying a stack of the darned things and handing them out like flyers. Thank goodness I don’t have to do that anymore…

Here’s to virtual “martisori”! 🙂