Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!
Happy Saint Davids Day
Even though I am 5,000 miles away from my birthplace, I still celebrate on March 1st.
It is the day that all Welsh people celebrate the life of our patron saint David
Children dress in the national costume
We adorn our homes with Daffodils..one of our national symbols.
Although..I have searched all over this city for fresh ones..to no avail..so artificial will have to do
We also wear a daffodil ...as well as our other national symbol ..The Leek
According to legend, St David advised Welsh soldiers to wear leeks in their helmets to identify themselves during a successful battle against the Saxons in a field full of leeks.Welsh soldiers wear a leek in their caps and there is a tradition for the youngest recruit of the Welsh Guards to eat a large raw leek
We prepare traditional Welsh dishes such as Cawl (a soup made from mutton and Leeks)
Picau ar y Maen (Welsh Cakes)
and Bara Brith ( literal translation...Speckled Bread)
There are church services...like in beautiful St Davids
and the national flag is prominently displayed
St Davids Day is not a public holiday, but some communities hold parades
and Eisteddfods..Welsh festivals of literature, music and performance.
You can take the girl out of Wales...but you can never take Wales out of the girl!!
Although... I am much happier than this old girl...Bechod!! (Bless!!)
Finally .here's a fun St Davids Day fact for you
St David was baptized by St Elvis....
whose history can be found near the Preseli Hills in Pemrokshire....
'uh huh huh... thank you very much!'
Love and Hugs
Phoebe x
What a lovely tradition! You must really miss your home land during times like this. I wouldn't want to be the youngest to have to eat the raw leek but maybe it's not too bad. Have a lovely day. Thank you for sharing your country's traditions.
ReplyDeleteHave a very happy St. David's day. Too bad you couldn't find any real daffodils.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting! Thanks for sharing all these facts. No daffodils here either!
ReplyDeleteYou will have to get some daffodil bulbs ready for next Spring!
ReplyDeleteI found this so interesting and the pictures were great! I love hearing about the cultures of other countries. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed hearing about the hisory of your native culture, and the food you shared looks amazing! How wonderful that daffodils are a way to celebrate Welsh history. I love daffodils! Have a wonderful day :)
ReplyDelete