Happy St. David's Day! Dydd Gwyl Dewi hapus!

Happy St. David's Day! Dydd Gwyl Dewi hapus!

The Daily Mirror ran an article today.

The ten things we should know about St. David's Day.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/st-davids-day-10-things-204623

For those of you who know nothing about St. David, or for those of you, who like me know a little, here are some of the main points:

1. St David’s Day falls every year on March 1. This was the date patron saint of Wales, St. David died in 589.

2. It wasn’t until the 18 ^th century though that St David’s Day was declared a national day of celebration in Wales.

3. Saint David is typically depicted holding a dove, and often standing on a hillock. His symbol is the leek.

4. In 2007 Tony Blair rejected calls for St. David’s Day to become a Welsh national holiday, despite a poll saying that 87% of Welsh people wanted a March 1 holiday.

5. A Welsh stew, named Cawl and containing lamb and leeks, is traditionally consumed on St. David’s Day.

6. Across Wales on Mar 1 St. David’s Day parades take place, and in bigger cities food festivals, concerts and street parties also occur.

(Mirror News online, March 1st 2012)

Today Mair , Ella and Jono all dressed up and went to school very excited. Not only were they allowed a school lunch of traditional lamb and Welsh Cakes, but they had a day of fun and festivities.

We were invited along to Mair's School to watch their Eisteddfod. This comprised of Welsh songs, Dancing and hymns. We were given tea and coffee and Bara brith and Welsh cakes. It was great.

Many people see these Saints Days as meaningless and unimportant. Having lived in a foreign country , that had many colourful traditions and saw the value in these, I came back to the UK and realised we had not maintained many of ours. I am glad we live in Wales, and have the opportunity for our children to experience this day and these age old traditions.