Dragobete, Mărțișor and Beyond

On some Romanian spring fertility traditions and rituals – and how to deal with them without breaking the bank 🙂

andreeasepi.com

“Dragobetele pupă fetele.”

Romanian folk saying (Dragobete kisses the girls)

How many of you know that Romania has its very own early-Christian Valentine’s tradition? It’s a spring fertility ritual called Dragobete, which takes place on February 24, and it dates back to the Early Middle Ages.

Not only this, but since the addition of Valentine’s Day (Ziua Îndrăgostiților), Romanian men at the beginning of spring find themselves obliged to offer various gifts to women for weeks on end! First Valentine’s, then Dragobete, followed by Mărțișor (the 1st of March), followed by International Women’s Day (the 8th of March)… These gifts typically range from flowers and chocolate to small brooches decorated with red&white yarn, and even to jewellery!

If you are one of these men, and you’re feeling like things are spiralling out of control and giving you vertigo, do not despair. A thoughtful gift for your loved one does not…

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