Welsh Culture  

Being brought up in Wales is fun, Wales has a lot of history behind it's culture. I really never expected to find an American Husband, I always thought I'd stay close to home. But things change when your in love with someone half way across the world. There are so many great traditions of Wales that I'll miss dearly. These are just a few I have researched and in which I were brought up in my Welsh Childhood.

The following are my own personal experiences and my own knowledge of Welsh Culture!

[ The Eisteddfod ] [ Love Spoons ] [ The Welsh Language ] [ Saint Davids Day ] [ Welsh Famous Celebrities ] [ UK National Holidays and Traditions ]

The Eisteddfod - Most towns and villages all around Wales conduct an annual Eisteddfod each year. The Eisteddfod is basically a competiton, which translates as "Chairing" Normally the winner is awarded a chair on which he/she is ceremoniously crowned. Winners of the local Eisteddfods go on to compete on a county or regional level, eventually reaching the "Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales" (Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru) in which they compete with others from all parts of the country. The National Eisteddfod is the largest folk festival in Europe. It is normally held in a different town on the first week of August each year. Alternating between a venue in South Wales one year and North Wales the next, it draws vast crowds to enjoy its week-long activities. Activities often include folk dancing, creative dancing, poetry readings, and many more.

Love Spoons - The centuries old Welsh custom of giving love spoons meant that a would-be suitor gave a spoon as an indication that he desired to court a particular girl. A girl may therefore have received several spoons from as many suitors. Today lovespoons are given for many reasons and to mark many occasions; the marriage of a couple, the arrival of their child, a wedding anniversary, a birthday, a christening, Valentine's Day, Christmas, to mark a success of some sort e.g. a Graduation, and "favours" for the guests at a wedding.

Symbols of the Lovespoons

A Single Heart = My Heart is Yours.
A Double Heart = We feel the same way about each other, Love is returned, Two people living as one.
A Cross = Faith.
A Key or Keyhole = My Home is Yours.
An Anchor = Home to stay.
A House = My Home is Yours.
A Flower = Courtship.
A Vine = Growing together.
A Knot = Everlasting Love.
A Chain = Captured Love.
Ball in a cage = Captured Love, Number of children wanted.
A Ship = Safe voyage through life.
Heart shaped Bowl = Fulfilled Love.
Double Bowl = The Loving couple.
Triple Bowl = The couple and hoped for family.
Wheel = I will work for you.
Horseshoe = Good luck.
Feathers = Symbol of Wales.
Bells = Marriage.

The Welsh Language - Wales has it's own Language "Welsh" I wasn't brought up in a Welsh household, so therefore can't speak fluent Welsh. My mum however can speak Welsh fluently. We've never been a Welsh Language family, although I can understand Welsh. Welsh is also taught in schools all over Wales. You can read the history of our Welsh Language

Welsh Speaking - These are just a few general phrases to use in everyday conversation. If you'd like to learn more Welsh and hear how we pronounce the Welsh language then visit this site

Diolch - Thank You
Esgusodwch fi - Excuse me
Os gwelwch yn dda - Please
Bore da! - Good morning!
Nos da - Good Night
Croeso - (You are) welcome
Dim diolch - No thank you
Prynhawn da - Good afternoon
Noswaith dda - Good evening
Iechyd da! - Good health (Cheers)!
Rydw i'n dod o America - I'm from America
Mae'n braf iawn! - Its (the weather is) very fine!
Rydw i'n dysgu Cymraeg - I'm learning Welsh

Saint Davids Day - If your lucky enough to visit Wales on March the first, you will find the country in a festive mood. This is the day where we celebrate our Patron Saint of Wales also known as Saint David, or Dewi Sant, as he is known as in the Welsh language. All Welsh People on Saint David's day wear daffodils (for girls) and leeks (for boys). There is also the Traditional Welsh costume which consists of..

Girls wear a petticoat and overcoat, made of Welsh flannel, and a tall beaver hat, worn over a frilled white bonnet.

Boys wear a white shirt with a jabbot and wrist frills, a Welsh flannel waistcoat, black breeches, long woollen socks and black shoes. To complete the outfit they wore a flat beaver hat. You can see an example of the Welsh Costumes

You can read more about Saint Davids day and

Welsh Famous Celebrities - There are so many well known Welsh Celebrities that have made it to the big screen and Hollywood. The first and most famous has to be "Tom Jones" born in Pontypridd, South Wales. In 1965 his first hit "It's not unusual" made it to number one, and from then on he's been a number one hit. The other most popular Welsh Celebrity has to be the quite talented actress "Catherine Zeta Jones" born in Swansea, West Glamorgan, she soon hit the tv screens in her teens staring in the well known Tv show "The Darling buds of May" Blossoming well over the years her most recent appearance in the oscar nomination Chicago has set her place in fame for life.

To read more about the History of Wales and it's culture visit

UK National Holidays and Traditions - Although I've been brought up in Wales, the country also shares the English & British traditions. These are just a few UK National Holidays and Traditions that I've been brought up with while living in the UK.

The following are my own personal experiences and my own knowledge of UK culture! I'm sure every British person would agree that these holidays are well known to all British people through out the UK.

Shrove Tuesday - Also known as "Pancake Day" this is a British Culture that is celebrateted in the UK. This is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. Traditionally people would make pancakes on this day. You can read more about "Pancake Day"

Bonfire Night - Bonfire Night also known as "Guy Fawkes" Throughout Britain on November 5th Bon Fires are set alight and Fireworks light the Sky. To commemorate our country's most notorious traitor, Guy Fawkes. Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605, but failed and was caught and executed. Since then bon fires are set alight and fire works go off. If you'd like to read more about this day and the history of "Guy Fawkes" then visit the following sites.



Bank Holidays - The name "Bank Holiday" comes from the fact that Banks are shut during a "Bank Holiday" Traditionally on a Bank Holiday many businesses are closed to enable workers to have a holiday. Bank Holidays fall on days of celebrations such as Easter, Christmas & New year. Spring, Summer and the May Bank Holidays fall on a Monday, known as "Bank Holiday Monday" Schools across the country have the day off School. Most shops & businesses are closed, and public transport is normally ceased for the day.

May Day - The first Monday in May. May day celebrations and festivities were the highlight in every town throughout Britain in Medieval times. Although it isn't that popular today as it once was. One popular May day celebration was "The MayPole". The MayPole is basically a tall pole, with different color ribbon falling from the top. Children would take a piece of the color ribbon and would run around the MayPole forming a decorative pattern around the pole. Children would also sing songs as they run around the pole, like the following...

Ring Around the Maypole
Tune: "Ring Around the Rosie"

Ring around the maypole,
(Join hands with others and move in a circle.)
Pocket full of roses.
Ribbons, ribbons,
We all fall down!
(Drop to floor.)
--Toni Lenhardt

Christmas Holidays & Traditions -

  • Chocolate Advent Calendars :- These are normally just calendars for the month of December that lead up to Christmas. You can often have novelty calendars, you open a window each day which reveals a Chocolate surprise.
  • Christmas Crackers :- Christmas Crackers are a fun novelty item, which are made of a cardboard tube and then covered in very pretty colored decorative paper. Inside you'll have a snap, similar to a fire cracker that will produce a loud bang when pulled. Once pulled you'll often find inside, a joke, a paper colored hat/crown and a little surprise. Crackers are traditionally put above your dinner plate, and everyone around the table pulls them just before the meal is served. You'd then put your paper hat/crown on, and then share your jokes and surprises around the table while eating your meal. You can also get themed Crackers as well, last year we had Egyptian ones. The first Christmas Clayton was here, he got ill and never experienced a good UK Christmas.
  • Christmas Pudding :- Christmas pudding is the traditional desert after Christmas Dinner. It's basically a fruit cake as it contains, nuts currents and cherries. It's also traditionaly mixed with Brandy, which in some households would set the pudding alight. The tradition is that normally there is a coin mixed into the mixture. It's meant to be lucky if someone finds the coin in their serving.
  • Christmas Dinner :- Christmas dinner is often served around 12/1pm around lunch time. It varies from different households, our Christmas dinner is generally made between 1/2pm. The meal itself is actually quite similar to the Thanksgiving meal, Turkey stuffing and canberry sauce. You also have a mixture of vegetables.
  • Christmas Decorations :- Probably the most exciting thing leading up to christmas is adding your christmas tree and decorations. I'd always help dad put the decorations up each year.
  • Boxing Day :- The 26th December the day after Christmas day is a national holiday, the US doesn't celebrate this day, although I believe Canada do. Traditionally it is based on servants being given boxes of money on this day, as they never got Christmas day off. You can read a bit more about boxing day
  • The Snowman :- Every year I'd watch this cartoon. This cartoon is based on a book by Raymond Briggs, it was first aired on television in 1982 and has been shown each christmas since. The song "Walking in the air" was sung by a very talented Welsh boy called Aled Jones. I was very much a fan of the snowman when I was a child, I even had the snowman bed covers. You can visit the Snowman Website Clayton actually saw the snowman when he came over for Christmas which was nice.
  • New Year Presents :- I really don't know if this is a tradition in any other UK household. But my mother often gives us little New Years gift. She said it all started when we were children, a toy arrived late and because she couldn't give to one daughter she ended up buying for all of us, and giving a small gift to us on New Years day. Since then we've always recieved New Years presents.