Dragobete – the celebration of love for Romanians                  Cîșleanu Veronica

Dragobete is a traditional Romanian holiday celebrated on February 24. Dragobete was the son of Baba Dochia, which stands for the main character in the myth related to spring arrival and the end of the harsh winter.

On this day, considered locally the first day of spring, boys and girls gather vernal flowers and sing together. Maidens used to collect the snow that lay on the ground in many villages and then melt it, using the water in magic potions throughout the rest of the year. Those who take part in Dragobete customs are supposed to be protected from illness, especially fevers, for the rest of the year. If the weather allows, girls and boys pick snowdrops or other early spring plants for the person they are courting. In Romania, Dragobete is known as a day for lovers, rather like Valentine's Day.

The students from the “Simion Mehedinți” highschool marked this event participating in several activities that brought smiles on their faces and joy in their souls: they watched materials about this holiday, participated in a contest on this topic and made greeting cards and other nice objects.