Various traditions are practiced on certain days of the year in Wales both currently and historically, including festivities originating in Welsh, Celtic, English and Christian cultures.
Other important holidays were the feasts of St Patrick (Gwyl Badric) on 17 March; St. Quiricus (Gwyl Giric) on 16 June; the Beheading of John the Baptist (called in Welsh Gwyl Ieuan y Moch – St. John of the Swine – as it was the day the pigs were turned out into the woods to forage through the winter[2]) on 29 August; St Michael (Gwyl Fihangel) on 29 September; and the Calends of Winter (Calan Gaeaf) on 1 November, All Saints' Day (yr Holl Saint).[3] A special drink called the "liquor of the Apostles" (gwirawd yr ebestyl) was brewed for and distributed on these saints' days.[4]
Calennig was a tradition where children carried a decorated apple, pierced with three sticks and decorated with a sprig of box and hazelnuts on new year's day. Children would sing a verse and were often gifted with money or food. [5] Children in Wales are still given New Year's money on this day as part of the Calennig tradition.
Shrove Tuesday, informally known as Pancake day, is the eve of the Christian period of Lent, which was historically a fast. It is traditionally celebrated with the making of pancakes,[11] because the perishables of flour, eggs and milk would be given up for the lent fast and so were consumed the day before.[12]
Mothering Sunday, or Mid-Lent Sunday, and informally as Mother's Day, is a traditional celebration on the fourth Sunday of Lent, which was a break from the Lent fast. It is celebrated with various types of cakes and buns, especially Simnel cake. Flowers are also traditionally given to mothers.[13] The name comes from The Collect for the day, Galatians 4:21–31, where Saint Paul refers to story of Hagar and Sarah, speaking of "Jerusalem … which is the mother of us all."[14]
On Good Friday (Welsh: Y Groglith), Christians mark the day of the crucifixion with church services. The traditional meal on Good Friday is fish. A former custom was making Christ’s bed. Children would gather river reeds, weave them into a Christ figure, fix it on a wooden cross, and then leave it in a quiet field or pasture to rest peacefully.[15]
On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate their most important church festival, the resurrection of Christ, and children receive chocolate Easter eggs and engage in chocolate egg hunts. Hot cross buns are eaten and Easter greetings include "Happy Easter" in English or "Pasg Hapus" in Welsh.[16] The traditional meal on Easter Sunday is roast lamb.
Although not a traditional holiday, many schools and organisations now commemorate the 16 September as a commemoration of Owain Glyndŵr, with festivals such as Gŵyl y Fflam (Festival of the flame) to celebrate it.[17][18][19] In addition, towns with particular links to Glyndwr celebrate the day, including Corwen and Harlech.[20][21]
The beginning of winter. It has Celtic origins as one of the Celtic fire festivals, which merged with the Christian tradition and with the November 5th commemoration.[22]: 148
Whitsun, or the celebration of Pentecost, is a traditional Church festival that was observed with a statutory bank holiday in late May. The link with the formal Whitsun date (which moves with Easter) was broken and replaced by a late May bank holiday fixed to the end of the month.[citation needed]
Locally, each parish celebrated a Gŵyl Mabsant in commemoration of its native saint. This annual celebration developed from a dedication through prayer to a programme of recreational activities.[28]
Calan Mai (or Calan Haf) is a May Day celebration on 1 May, marking the first day of summer, and one of the traditional fire festivals.[29]
Gŵyl Ifan (St John's Day) on the 24 June is otherwise known as Midsummer's day.[30]
^"New Year Traditions: Collecting Calennig". Museum Wales. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
^"Christmas Traditions: The Mari Lwyd". Museum Wales. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
^"The Mari Lwyd". Wales. 2019-12-13. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
^"Watch: Mari Lwyd appears at Hen Galan celebrations around Wales". Nation.Cymru. 2023-01-14. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
^"Celebrate St Dwynwen's Day". VisitWales. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
^"St David's Day celebration traditions". VisitWales. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
^ ab"A year in Wales". Wales. 2019-07-01. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
^"Pancake Day: Why Shrove Tuesday is a thing". BBC News. 13 February 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
^Davidson, Alan; Jaine, Tom (2014). "simnel cake". The Oxford companion to food (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN9780199677337.
^Ferguson, John (March 1982). "The Christian Year: Fourth Sunday in Lent, Mothering Sunday". The Expository Times. 93 (6): 174–176. doi:10.1177/001452468209300607. S2CID 170189479.
^Sehgal, Kasvi (2 April 2021). "Here are the Welsh Easter traditions you need to know about". The Tab. Cardiff University. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
^"A Traditional Welsh Christmas - Christmas celebrations in Wales". Historic UK. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
^Stephens, Lydia (2022-12-28). "The biggest New Year's Eve events in Cardiff you can still get tickets for". WalesOnline. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
^"Christmas in Wales and New Year break ideas". VisitWales. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
^Knecht, Friedrich Justus (1910). A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture. B. Herder. p. 410. Retrieved 27 December 2016. We keep a feast on the 2nd of February, forty days after Christmas, in memory of our Lord's Presentation in the Temple. This feast has several names. First, it is known as the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord Jesus. Secondly, it is called the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. But the usual and popular name for this Feast is Candlemas-day, because on this day candles are blessed before Mass, and there takes place a procession with lighted candles. Candles are blessed and lighted on this particular feast.
^"The forgotten festivals of Wales". Museum Wales. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
^"Welsh May Day customs". BBC. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
^Owen, Trefor M. (20 April 2016). The Customs and Traditions of Wales: With an Introduction by Emma Lile. University of Wales Press. ISBN978-1-78316-827-9.
December 02, 2023
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Various traditions are practiced on certain days of the year in Wales both currently and historically including festivities originating in Welsh Celtic English and Christian cultures Contents 1 History 2 Modern celebrations calendar 3 Festivals no longer widely celebrated 4 ReferencesHistory editAs recorded in the Laws of Hywel Dda the three main holidays gwyliau of the medieval Welsh kingdoms were Christmas Nadolig Easter Pasg and Whitsuntide Sulgwyn 1 Other important holidays were the feasts of St Patrick Gwyl Badric on 17 March St Quiricus Gwyl Giric on 16 June the Beheading of John the Baptist called in Welsh Gwyl Ieuan y Moch St John of the Swine as it was the day the pigs were turned out into the woods to forage through the winter 2 on 29 August St Michael Gwyl Fihangel on 29 September and the Calends of Winter Calan Gaeaf on 1 November All Saints Day yr Holl Saint 3 A special drink called the liquor of the Apostles gwirawd yr ebestyl was brewed for and distributed on these saints days 4 Modern celebrations calendar editFor existing public holidays observed in Wales see Public holidays in the United Kingdom Dates in England Northern Ireland and Wales Date Occasion Type Day traditions Notes1 January New Year s Day Statutory Calennig was a tradition where children carried a decorated apple pierced with three sticks and decorated with a sprig of box and hazelnuts on new year s day Children would sing a verse and were often gifted with money or food 5 Children in Wales are still given New Year s money on this day as part of the Calennig tradition 14 January Hen Galan Old New Year Informal The Mari Lwyd Grey Mare is a horse figure that is carried from door to door by wassail singing groups during Hen Galan Old New Year celebrations in some communities in Wales 6 7 8 25 January Dydd Santes Dwynwen St Dwynwen s Day Informal Welsh day of love equivalent to St Valentine s Day 9 1 March Saint David s Day Observed Proposed statutory The patron saint of Wales is St David Welsh Dewi Sant and St David s Day Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant is celebrated on 1 March 10 Some people argue it should be designated as a bank holiday Various Shrove Tuesday Observed Shrove Tuesday informally known as Pancake day is the eve of the Christian period of Lent which was historically a fast It is traditionally celebrated with the making of pancakes 11 because the perishables of flour eggs and milk would be given up for the lent fast and so were consumed the day before 12 Various Mothering Sunday Observed Mothering Sunday or Mid Lent Sunday and informally as Mother s Day is a traditional celebration on the fourth Sunday of Lent which was a break from the Lent fast It is celebrated with various types of cakes and buns especially Simnel cake Flowers are also traditionally given to mothers 13 The name comes from The Collect for the day Galatians 4 21 31 where Saint Paul refers to story of Hagar and Sarah speaking of Jerusalem which is the mother of us all 14 Various Good Friday Observed On Good Friday Welsh Y Groglith Christians mark the day of the crucifixion with church services The traditional meal on Good Friday is fish A former custom was making Christ s bed Children would gather river reeds weave them into a Christ figure fix it on a wooden cross and then leave it in a quiet field or pasture to rest peacefully 15 Various Easter Sunday Observed On Easter Sunday Christians celebrate their most important church festival the resurrection of Christ and children receive chocolate Easter eggs and engage in chocolate egg hunts Hot cross buns are eaten and Easter greetings include Happy Easter in English or Pasg Hapus in Welsh 16 The traditional meal on Easter Sunday is roast lamb 16 September Owain Glyndŵr Day Informal Although not a traditional holiday many schools and organisations now commemorate the 16 September as a commemoration of Owain Glyndŵr with festivals such as Gŵyl y Fflam Festival of the flame to celebrate it 17 18 19 In addition towns with particular links to Glyndwr celebrate the day including Corwen and Harlech 20 21 31 October 1 November Calan Gaeaf Historically observed The beginning of winter It has Celtic origins as one of the Celtic fire festivals which merged with the Christian tradition and with the November 5th commemoration 22 148 5 November Guy Fawkes Night Observed Night of commemoration of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot on the Houses of Parliament in England 11 25 December Christmas Day Common Law Christmas in Wales traditionally involved singing Plygain toffee making and torch processions 23 26 December Boxing Day Saint Stephen s Day Statutory Boxing Day or St Stephen s Day is known as Gŵyl San Steffan in Welsh 24 31 December New Year s Eve Observed New year s eve in Wales includes attending pantomimes theatre shows and parties 25 The Nos Galan road race is also held in Mountain Ash 26 Festivals no longer widely celebrated editThese are festivals that were once widely celebrated in Wales but are no longer so Gŵyl Fair y Canhwyllau or Candlemas usually on the 2 February literally translates as Mary s Festival of the Candles marks the presentation of Jesus at the Temple It is based upon the account of the presentation of Jesus in Luke 2 22 40 It falls on the 40th day postpartum period of and the conclusion of the Christmas Epiphany season 27 Whitsun or the celebration of Pentecost is a traditional Church festival that was observed with a statutory bank holiday in late May The link with the formal Whitsun date which moves with Easter was broken and replaced by a late May bank holiday fixed to the end of the month citation needed Locally each parish celebrated a Gŵyl Mabsant in commemoration of its native saint This annual celebration developed from a dedication through prayer to a programme of recreational activities 28 Calan Mai or Calan Haf is a May Day celebration on 1 May marking the first day of summer and one of the traditional fire festivals 29 Gŵyl Ifan St John s Day on the 24 June is otherwise known as Midsummer s day 30 References edit Wade Evans Arthur Welsh Medieval Laws p 2 Oxford Univ 1909 Accessed 31 Jan 2013 Roberts Sara E Llawysgrif Pomffred An Edition and Study of Peniarth MS 259B Brill 2011 Accessed 31 Jan 2013 Wade Evans Arthur Welsh Medieval Laws p 343 Oxford University 1909 Accessed 31 Jan 2013 Wade Evans Arthur Welsh Medieval Laws p 341 Oxford Univ 1909 Accessed 31 Jan 2013 New Year Traditions Collecting Calennig Museum Wales Retrieved 2022 10 02 Christmas Traditions The Mari Lwyd Museum Wales Retrieved 2022 10 02 The Mari Lwyd Wales 2019 12 13 Retrieved 2022 10 02 Watch Mari Lwyd appears at Hen Galan celebrations around Wales Nation Cymru 2023 01 14 Retrieved 2023 01 15 Celebrate St Dwynwen s Day VisitWales Retrieved 2022 10 02 St David s Day celebration traditions VisitWales Retrieved 2022 10 02 a b A year in Wales Wales 2019 07 01 Retrieved 2022 10 02 Pancake Day Why Shrove Tuesday is a thing BBC News 13 February 2018 Retrieved 4 February 2023 Davidson Alan Jaine Tom 2014 simnel cake The Oxford companion to food 3rd ed Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 9780199677337 Ferguson John March 1982 The Christian Year Fourth Sunday in Lent Mothering Sunday The Expository Times 93 6 174 176 doi 10 1177 001452468209300607 S2CID 170189479 Sehgal Kasvi 2 April 2021 Here are the Welsh Easter traditions you need to know about The Tab Cardiff University Retrieved 6 February 2023 Hestler Anna Spilling Jo Ann Scirri Kaitlin 2020 04 15 Wales Cavendish Square Publishing LLC p 121 ISBN 978 1 5026 5584 4 Mold Schoolchildren celebrate Owain Gyndwr dailypost co uk 18 April 2013 Arron Evans 8 September 2019 Corwen s Gwyl Y Fflam Festival to give guests unique look into Owain Glyndwr s home denbighshirefreepress co uk Adam Jones 11 September 2015 Celebrting Owain Glyndŵr s day Corwen to celebrate Owain Glyndwr Day as King Charles makes first Wales visit as monarch The Leader Retrieved 2022 09 15 Harlech cancels procession out of respect for the Queen cambrian news co uk Cambrian News 2022 09 08 Retrieved 2022 09 15 Jones T Gwynn Thomas Gwynn 1930 Welsh folklore and folk custom Cambridge Brewer ISBN 978 0 85991 056 9 Retrieved 6 February 2023 Welsh Christmas Traditions Wales 2019 12 12 Retrieved 2023 01 20 A Traditional Welsh Christmas Christmas celebrations in Wales Historic UK Retrieved 2022 10 02 Stephens Lydia 2022 12 28 The biggest New Year s Eve events in Cardiff you can still get tickets for WalesOnline Retrieved 2023 01 20 Christmas in Wales and New Year break ideas VisitWales Retrieved 2023 01 20 Knecht Friedrich Justus 1910 A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture B Herder p 410 Retrieved 27 December 2016 We keep a feast on the 2nd of February forty days after Christmas in memory of our Lord s Presentation in the Temple This feast has several names First it is known as the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord Jesus Secondly it is called the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary But the usual and popular name for this Feast is Candlemas day because on this day candles are blessed before Mass and there takes place a procession with lighted candles Candles are blessed and lighted on this particular feast The forgotten festivals of Wales Museum Wales Retrieved 2022 10 02 Welsh May Day customs BBC 30 April 2012 Retrieved 4 February 2023 Owen Trefor M 20 April 2016 The Customs and Traditions of Wales With an Introduction by Emma Lile University of Wales Press ISBN 978 1 78316 827 9 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Traditional festival days of Wales amp oldid 1185093562, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
