Traditional festival days of Wales

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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

History

As 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

DateOccasionTypeDay traditions / Notes
1 JanuaryNew Year's DayStatutory 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 JanuaryHen Galan

(Old New Year)

InformalThe 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)InformalWelsh 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 ObservedMothering 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 ObservedOn 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 ObservedOn 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 InformalAlthough 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 observedThe 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 ObservedNight of commemoration of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot on the Houses of Parliament in England. [11]
25 December Christmas Day Common LawChristmas 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 ObservedNew 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

These 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 ChristmasEpiphany 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]

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Candlemas, also known as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ, the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or the Feast of the Holy Encounter, is a Christian feast day commemorating the presentation of Jesus at the Temple by Joseph and Mary. It is based upon the account of the presentation of Jesus in Luke 2:22–40. According to the Old Testament rules in Leviticus 12, a woman was to be purified by presenting a lamb as a burnt offering, and either a young pigeon or dove as sin offering, 33 days after a boy's circumcision. The feast falls on 2 February, which is traditionally the 40th day of and the conclusion of the Christmas–Epiphany season.

Gŵyl Fair y Canhwyllau is a Welsh name of Candlemas, celebrated on 2 February. It was derived from the pre-Reformation ceremony of blessing the candles and distributing them to be carried in a procession. However, just as this Christian ceremony drew on pagan festivals connected with the coming of the Spring, some of the old practices that carried on in parts of Wales until the 20th century suggest older rituals.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welsh rebellions against English rule</span> Welsh rebellions against English rule

A series of Welsh rebellions broke out in the century following the conquest of Wales by Edward I in 1283, which had brought the whole of Wales under the control of the Kingdom of England for the first time. In 1400, Welsh discontent with English rule in Wales culminated in the Welsh Revolt, a major uprising led by Owain Glyndŵr, who achieved de facto control over much of the country in the following years. The rebellion petered out after 1409, and after complete English control was restored in 1415 no further major rebellions occurred.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buildings associated with Owain Glyndŵr</span>

There are multiple buildings and sites associated with Owain Glyndwr in Wales.

References

  1. Wade-Evans, Arthur. Welsh Medieval Laws, p. 2. Oxford Univ., 1909. Accessed 31 Jan. 2013.
  2. Roberts, Sara E. Llawysgrif Pomffred: An Edition and Study of Peniarth MS 259B. Brill, 2011. Accessed 31 Jan 2013.
  3. Wade-Evans, Arthur. Welsh Medieval Laws, p. 343. Oxford University, 1909. Accessed 31 Jan 2013.
  4. Wade-Evans, Arthur. Welsh Medieval Laws, p. 341. Oxford Univ., 1909. Accessed 31 Jan. 2013.
  5. "New Year Traditions: Collecting Calennig". Museum Wales. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  6. "Christmas Traditions: The Mari Lwyd". Museum Wales. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  7. "The Mari Lwyd". Wales. 2019-12-13. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
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  14. 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.
  15. Sehgal, Kasvi (2 April 2021). "Here are the Welsh Easter traditions you need to know about". The Tab. Cardiff University. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
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  18. Arron Evans (8 September 2019). "Corwen's Gwyl Y Fflam Festival to give guests unique look into Owain Glyndwr's home". denbighshirefreepress.co.uk.
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  20. "Corwen to celebrate Owain Glyndwr Day - as King Charles makes first Wales visit as monarch". The Leader. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  21. "Harlech cancels procession out of respect for the Queen | cambrian-news.co.uk". Cambrian News. 2022-09-08. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
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  25. 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.
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  27. 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.
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