What a lovely tradition!
We have nothing like that here in Canada.
The main thing where I live is when we start to get springish weather people get out and about again, going for walks, working in their yards and everyone has a friendly greeting and ask questions like "how did you fare the winter?"
This February we had the longest lasting extreme cold weather in 80 years and people are so ready for a break and to get some of that springish weather! Weather forecast for next week is to reach freezing or a little above - Hallelujah!