Romania

=== Holidays, traditions, and cuisine ===

{{See also|Romanian dress|Folklore of Romania|Romanian cuisine}}

[[File:Sibiu Christmas Market opening 2008.JPG|thumb|right|The Christmas market in [[Sibiu]] is one of the most famous in Europe.]]

There are 12 non-working public holidays, including the [[Great Union Day]], celebrated on 1&nbsp;December in commemoration of the 1918 union of Transylvania with Romania.<ref>[http://www.codulmuncii.ro/titlul_3/capitolul_2/sectiunea_3_1.html "Public holidays enacted by labour code"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170618111421/http://www.codulmuncii.ro/titlul_3/capitolul_2/sectiunea_3_1.html |date=18 June 2017 }}, Labor code, 22 March 2017</ref> Winter holidays include the Christmas and New Year festivities during which various unique folklore dances and games are common: ''[[plugușorul]]'', ''[[sorcova]]'', ''ursul'', and ''capra''.<ref>{{cite web |author=Improve It Grup S.R.L |url=http://www.traditii.ro/ |title=Traditii si obiceiuri romanesti. Artizanat traditional romanesc. Arta populara |publisher=Traditii.ro |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903100510/http://www.traditii.ro/ |archive-date=3 September 2011  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Insider |first=Romania |url=http://www.romania-insider.com/winter-holidays-and-christmas-traditions-in-romania-the-bear-dance-the-masked-carolers-and-the-goat/71966/ |title=Winter holidays and Christmas traditions in Romania: the Bear dance, the Masked carolers and the Goat |publisher=Romania-Insider.com |date=21 December 2012 |access-date=15 August 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812205257/http://www.romania-insider.com/winter-holidays-and-christmas-traditions-in-romania-the-bear-dance-the-masked-carolers-and-the-goat/71966/ |archive-date=12 August 2014  }}</ref> The traditional [[Romanian dress]] that otherwise has largely fallen out of use during the 20th&nbsp;century, is a popular ceremonial vestment worn on these festivities, especially in rural areas.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://romaniatourism.com/traditions-folklore.html |title=ROMANIA – Traditions and Folklore – Official Travel and Tourism Information |publisher=Romaniatourism.com |access-date=15 August 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140723010711/http://romaniatourism.com/traditions-folklore.html |archive-date=23 July 2014  }}</ref> There are sacrifices of live pigs during Christmas and lambs during Easter that has required a special exemption from EU law after 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-2158404-ministrul-agriculturii-accepta-mieii-pasti-porcii-craciun-fie-sacrificati-mod-traditional.htm |title=Ministrul Agriculturii: UE accepta ca mieii de Pasti si porcii de Craciun sa fie sacrificati in mod traditional – Actualitate |publisher=HotNews.ro |date=11 August 2014 |access-date=15 August 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812210220/http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-2158404-ministrul-agriculturii-accepta-mieii-pasti-porcii-craciun-fie-sacrificati-mod-traditional.htm |archive-date=12 August 2014  }}</ref> In the Easter, traditions such as [[Easter egg|painting the eggs]] are very common. On 1&nbsp;March ''[[mărțișor]]'' gifting is featured, which is a tradition whereby females are gifted with a type of talisman that is given for good luck.<ref>{{cite web |author=Martisor, a Spring celebration for Eastern Europeans |url=http://www.foreignersinuk.co.uk/community_news-community-martisor_a_spring_celebration_for_eastern_europeans_3823.html |title=Martisor, a Spring celebration for Eastern Europeans |publisher=Foreigners in Uk |date=29 June 2014 |access-date=15 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812210746/http://www.foreignersinuk.co.uk/community_news-community-martisor_a_spring_celebration_for_eastern_europeans_3823.html |archive-date=12 August 2014  }}</ref>

Romanian cuisine has been influenced by [[Austrian cuisine|Austrian]] and [[German cuisine]] (especially in the historical regions that had been formerly administered by the [[Habsburg monarchy]]), but also shares some similarities with other cuisines in the [[Balkans|Balkan region]] such as the [[Greek cuisine|Greek]], [[Bulgarian cuisine|Bulgarian]], or [[Serbian cuisine]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/aeer/article/view/362/437 |title=Christina Bradatan, Cuisine and Cultural Identity in Balkans |publisher=Scholarworks.iu.edu |access-date=15 August 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812210757/http://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/aeer/article/view/362/437 |archive-date=12 August 2014  }}</ref> ''[[Ciorbă]]'' includes a wide range of [[sour soup]]s, while ''[[mititei]]'', ''[[mămăligă]]'' (similar to [[polenta]]), and ''[[Sarma (food)|sarmale]]'' are featured commonly in main courses.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gourmet-european-recipes.com/romanian-recipes.html|title=Romanian Recipes – like mom used to make|last=Recipes|first=Gourmet European|website=www.gourmet-european-recipes.com-gb|access-date=2 May 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221024611/http://www.gourmet-european-recipes.com/romanian-recipes.html|archive-date=21 December 2016}}</ref>

Pork, chicken, and beef are the preferred types of meat, but lamb and fish are also quite popular.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://onejive.com/28-romanian-foods-the-whole-world-should-know/|title=28 Romanian Foods The Whole World Should Know – oneJive|website=onejive.com-US|date=5 March 2014|access-date=2 May 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812062847/http://onejive.com/28-romanian-foods-the-whole-world-should-know/|archive-date=12 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bucataras.ro/retete-traditionale/140/ |title=Retete traditionale Moldova: retete peste sau cu carne de porc. |publisher=Bucataras.ro |date=15 December 2008 |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110105071413/http://www.bucataras.ro/retete-traditionale/140/ |archive-date=5 January 2011  }}</ref> Certain traditional recipes are made in direct connection with the holidays: ''[[kofta|chiftele]]'', ''[[tobă]]'' and ''[[tochitură]]'' at Christmas; ''[[drob]]'', ''[[Paska (bread)|pască]]'' and ''[[cozonac]]'' at Easter and other Romanian holidays.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gastronomie.ele.ro/Bucatarie_romaneasca_--a304.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070430044201/http://gastronomie.ele.ro/Bucatarie_romaneasca_--a304.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 April 2007 |title=Bucatarie romaneasca – Cultura si retete – Articole |publisher=Gastronomie.ele.ro |access-date=29 August 2011 }}</ref> ''[[Țuică]]'' is a strong plum [[brandy]] reaching a 70%&nbsp;alcohol content which is the country's traditional alcoholic beverage, taking as much as 75%&nbsp;of the national crop (Romania is one of the [[List of countries by plum production|largest plum producers in the world]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.regard-est.com/home/breve_contenu.php?id=868 |title=Țuica production consumed 75% of Romanian plums in 2003 |publisher=Regard-est.com |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929192047/http://www.regard-est.com/home/breve_contenu.php?id=868 |archive-date=29 September 2011  }}</ref><ref name=educations>{{cite web |url=http://www.educations.com/Study_in_Romania__d2929.html |title=Study in Romania |publisher=Educations.com |date=5 February 2008 |access-date=14 March 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101228090407/http://www.educations.com/Study_in_Romania__d2929.html |archive-date=28 December 2010  }}</ref> Traditional alcoholic beverages also include [[Romanian wine|wine]], ''[[rakia|rachiu]]'', ''[[Pálinka|palincă]]'' and ''[[vișinată]]'', but [[Beer in Romania|beer]] consumption has increased dramatically over recent years.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kirinholdings.com/en/newsroom/release/2009/1221_01.html#table3 |title=Beer consumption per capita in 2008 |publisher=kirinholdings.co.jp |access-date=7 February 2023 }}</ref>