We’ll be hard-pressed to find a day more charming than St. Dwynwen’s Day – January 25th. As the Welsh equivalent to Valentine’s Day, St. Dwynwen’s is all about spreading heartfelt gestures and lovers’ well-wishes. It’s all about showing us all how we can turn a crummy situation into a legacy of love.
St. Dwynwen’s Day Facts
- St. Dwynwen’s Day is named after St. Dwynwen, a Welsh saint who lived in the 5th century. According to legend, Dwynwen fell in love with a prince, but her father forbade their union. Dwynwen prayed to God for a solution and was granted three wishes: to forget her love for the prince, to see him happy, and to never marry.
- St. Dwynwen’s Day is a day for Welsh lovers to express their affection for one another and to celebrate love and romance.
- On St. Dwynwen’s Day, Welsh couples exchange love letters, gifts, and cards, and may also participate in special events, such as candlelit dinners or parties.
- Some Welsh traditions associated with St. Dwynwen’s Day include carving love spoons, giving love tokens, and visiting wells or springs associated with the saint.
- St. Dwynwen’s Day is an important cultural holiday in Wales, celebrated by Welsh people all over the world. It is seen as a symbol of the enduring nature of Welsh love and romance.
- St. Dwynwen’s Day is similar to Valentine’s Day and other holidays dedicated to love and romance, such as St. Valentine’s Day, which is celebrated on February 14th.
CADW History Explorers have put together a great video all about our patron saint of love……
ONLY THE WELSH CAN CWTCH
The word cwtch is the closest thing to the English equivalents of ‘cuddle’, ‘snuggle’ and ‘hug’. However, it has a deeper meaning for the Welsh. Traditionally the cwtch was a cupboard or cubbyhole where the coal was stored. It was a private, concealed, safe place – which could also be a respected connection in two people’s hearts. It is one of the nation’s favourite words and symbolises that warm feeling that only closeness can create.
St. Dwynwen, or Dydd Santes Dwynwen, was born one of 24 daughters to a Welsh king Brychan Brycheiniog during the 5th century. Legend has it that she was the most beautiful of the king’s girls and was highly sought after by royals in the neighboring countries. But Dwynwen fell in love with local citizen Maelon Dafodrill. When he received news from Dwynwen’s father that she had already been promised to a prince, he gave Dwynwen the silent treatment.
Rather than go through with the arranged marriage, Dwynwen ran into the forest in a state of distress to implore God to change her circumstances. She made three wishes: that Maelon — who had been turned into a block of ice by an angel who had visited Dwynwen before — would thaw, that God would help all true lovers, and that she would never marry. At the end of it all, God granted all three wishes and, to show her gratitude, Dwynwen moved to a Welsh convent and became a nun. She spent much of her time praying in earnest that other lovers would have better luck than herself, which is how she became Wales’s patron saint of lovers.
As you can imagine there’s plenty to do on the day itself, here’s a few ideas……
- FUTURE INNS – TASTE OF WALES AFTERNOON TEA
- WELSH HOUSE – SPECIAL AFTERNOON TEA
- BACARETO – SUPPER CLUB MENU
- TOMAS BY TOM SIMMONS – SANTES DWYNWEN TASTING MENU
- CRAFT A LOVE SPOON WITH CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
