The Jiu Valley, through its inwards mountain specific relief, offered proper conditions for developing a culture and a popular civilisation with pastoral character.
One of the chalendaristic customs with a stabile date in the Jiu Valley its "pitarai". It is practiced annually on 24th December, entering this way in the category of winter customs; it even has some carols elements.
In every winter beginning (24th of December) the "pitarai" are gathering for starting the procession. The group walks through the village, gathering all the people in the village, excepting the seniors. Many of those who can't make it to the start of the group join it as the procession walks through the village.
The entire group of people, dressed in popular celebration costumes, is entering the closest house in the village, being welcomed with open-doors and receiving nuts, apples and knot-shaped breads. In the yard or in the house, they make a short traditional dance, played in whistle sounds. They repeat these steps in every house in the village.
The celebration ends at night, in the last house, after the "pitarai" celebrated in the whole village. There, in the last house, a party begins, that usually lasts until the next morning.
The custom has a very clear signification - it's a sort of Christmas' Eve. In conclusion, this laic celebration has obviously a religious meaning.
Easter is a very old Christian celebration, having rich popular traditions.
In the Jiu Valley, Easter it's the sign of renewing the year. The girls and the young wives are receiving it by sewing shirts for their lovers and husbands and for themselves "catrinte" (women shirts). In the early spring, the women in the area, during the Lent prepare the outfit for the great celebration.
Local celebrations are called "nedei". The Easter Nedei are the first ones in the year and they take place in all the 3 days of the celebration. In every day of the 3, the Nedei take place in special places (one place every day), fixed by tradition, being assisted by the whole village. The Nedei are preceded at the showing place by funeral feasts for mentioning the dead and then the villagers knock eggs, drink wine, eat pound cake and dance. The most common dance is "invartita".
"Martisor" is a specific Romanian tradition that symbolizes the beginning of the spring (1st of March). The most common "Martisor" it's formed out of 2 string wires: one red and one white. The red and white "Martisor" it's hanged at the gates, at the windows, at the animals' horns, at the sheep's' sheds against evil spirits and invoking life and regenerative power, that was thought to be stimulated through "the colour of life" itself.
