March was named after Mars, the Roman god of war. The zodiac signs of Pisces and Aries fall in the month of March. The first day of spring, St. Patrick's Day, and Passover all fall in the month of March.
There are numerous sayings, expressions, adages, weather proverbs, idioms and quotes that apply to the month that heralds spring in the northern hemisphere. These traditional springtime sayings have background meaning and rich cultural heritage.
March Madness
The expression, "March Madness," was first used in 1939 by Henry V. Porter, a high school basketball coach in Illinois. The term was used to describe the excitement about the Illinois state tournament for boy's basketball.
Today, the term is used by sports promoters and fans, especially for basketball. Commercials and promotions that advertise sales for retail merchants also frequently use the term, "March Madness."
Weather Proverbs for the Month of March
Weather in March can be turbulent, and frequently changing. There are numerous traditional sayings and phrases that refer to the weather, well-known adages that help us be prepared for this stormy month.
"When March comes in like a lion, it goes out like a lamb" is an English proverb that has been shortened to "March: In like a lion, out like a lamb." While this saying is anecdotal and not true every year, the phrase has been taught to millions of children in elementary schools as a sign of stormy spring beginnings.
"So many mists in March, so many frosts in May," and "when March blows its horn, your barn will be filled with hay and corn," are two more anecdotal phrases repeated by generations that are not necessarily always true.
"March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers," is another English proverb, sometimes shortened to "April showers bring May flowers." The Cherokee name for the full moon in March is "Windy Moon," referring to the winds of March.
The March Hare or The Mad March Hare
The expression, "mad as a March hare," comes from a fictional character. There are many versions of the March Hare, a character originally created by Lewis Carroll in his famous book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The Disney classic and modern renditions portray the hare as distracted and frantic, possibly modeled after cultural perceptions of rabbits' behavior in spring.
St. Patrick's Day Sayings and Irish Blessings
Cultural lore and tradition has evolved in the U.S. throughout the years, as the celebration of St. Patrick's Day has become more commercialized. Wearing green, lucky clovers, and leprechauns have all become tradition.
"Luck of the Irish," "pinch me, I'm Irish," and "there's a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow" are all expressions related to the Irish and St. Patrick's Day. Many Irish blessings are well-known, as well, including the following popular Irish Catholic blessing:
"May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand."
Beware the Ides of March
The Ides of March, or the date March 15th has interesting historical origins. A soothsayer warned Julius Caesar of his death by calling out of the crowd to him, "Beware the Ides of March!" The warning, to "beware," gave the date an overtone of misfortune, for it did indeed bode the day of Caesar's assassination in 44 BC.
The quotes, traditional sayings, and expressions for March are symptomatic of the cultures in which the idioms evolve. When springtime phrases take hold and become popular, they can last for generations, migrating across continents with immigration.
Whether the sayings are true or not, they are a part of the culture of spring, the celebration of new life in nature, the remembrance of Irish roots (for some), and of excitement for new beginnings.
Sources:
Proverbs About March from Europe
A Brief History of March Madness
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