Forget Valentine's Day! Did You Know that Romanians Have Their Own Love Celebration?

        

      

      Don't worry, I found out late myself! That is, I was already in my early 20s, around 2004, and I found out from a former workmate who was an expert in Romanian folklore. :) Therefore, today, the 24th of February, we celebrate the Dragobete, the traditional Romanian celebration of love and youth. A celebration from generations way-way past. And yet, all my childhood and adolescence I didn't even know it existed. Wonder why... Most probably, as it was the period of time which immediately followed the Revolution, and characterized by a somehow 'anti-nationalist' cultural trend, my generation was rather concerned with adopting the Valentine's Day from the western world. And the interest and love for the national traditions only arrived later.  

      So, who is Dragobete and what are the customs associated with this celebration? I read some stories and anecdotes about Dragobete, all with the atmosphere of times past. It is said that Dragobete was the son of a wicked old lady, a handsome and romantic young man, who, as legend tells, was joining animals in marriage, and later he extended to humans. On the 24th of February, as spring is almost here, the village's young couples were getting engaged in order for their love to be blessed and to last, other youngsters were joining themselves in symbolic brotherhoods, or were going to pick snowdrops, the flower that symbolizes spring's arrival, or were casting spells in order to attract love in their lives. It was also told that Dragobete was protecting those who celebrated him from illness, and so much more! 
            

       Being a celebration that we rediscovered rather recently, I would like to see it gain popularity, and I think it's getting there. Of course, it is more popular in the country side rather than the city, but here as well, we have lots of themed fairs and events. On the other hand, I don't know if I'd like Dragobete to fall into the other extreme, that of the 'commercial' and cheesy pinky-lovey-dovey associated with V Day. But for the time being, we're enjoying it, whether we are coupled up or not,  and we're happy that it's ours and nobody else's.