Here in Bulgaria they have a wonderful tradition called Baba Marta celebrated on March 1st.
The folklore is Baba Marta or Grandmother March as she is called does her spring cleaning, ready for spring. We all wear a red and white band around our wrist on the first of march which we give to each other, then when Baba shakes her rugs the snow represents the dust off the rugs. Then as the snow goes and we see either the first spring flower or stork, we hang our martenitsi bands on a tree, to keep the bad spirits away.