In general, Riga is rapidly moving away from how things used to be done in the old Soviet Union days, and firmly embracing the Western European and now European Union example of how business is conducted. Hence, few businesspeople have any major problems in a city where the etiquette is fairly similar to that in London, Paris or Frankfurt. Dress code is relatively formal, with suit and tie expected for business meetings, although new technology-based industries have got behind the trend of dressing down in more casual gear. Handshakes are the normal way to start any meeting and gifts are appreciated, especially luxury items like watches and quality single-malt Scottish whisky. In a nation with a high per capita rate of alcohol consumption, most evening meetings and dinners, and indeed many lunches, are peppered with alcoholic drinks. Business hours are normally Monday to Friday 0900-1700. The old Soviet era tendency to turn public holidays into an excuse for two or three days off work seems to be waning.