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Get ready to don your leeks and daffodils in celebration of St. David's Day on March 1! This day honors the patron saint of Wales, who is said to have performed miracles and spread Christianity throughout the country during the 6th century. It's a national holiday in Wales and is typically celebrated with parades, traditional Welsh food, and wearing symbols like leeks and daffodils (which are believed to grant good luck). So let's raise our glasses of Welsh ale and toast to this lively holiday!
<div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>6th Century</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Saint David's Life</div><div class='timeline-text'>Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, is believed to have lived in the 6th century, with his feast day being recorded as early as the 9th century.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1120</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Saint David Canonized</div><div class='timeline-text'>Pope Callixtus II canonized David as a Saint. After this, his influence spread far beyond his native land.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1861</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>First St. David's Day Parade</div><div class='timeline-text'>The first recorded parade for St. David's Day took place in Cardiff in the mid-19th century.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1959</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>St. David's Day Declared a Public Holiday</div><div class='timeline-text'>St. David's Day was officially declared a public holiday in Wales.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1995</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>UK Post Office's St. David's Day Tribute</div><div class='timeline-text'>The U.K. post office issued a set of special stamps commemorating St David's Day for the first time.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2003</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>National Symbols on St. David's Day</div><div class='timeline-text'>The Welsh Government allowed the Welsh flag and other national symbols to be flown on government buildings on March 1.</div></div></div>
<div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>1</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Attend a St. David's Day parade</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Check your local community events calendar and attend a St. David's Day parade. Enjoy the colorful floats, traditional Welsh music, and festive atmosphere.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>2</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Learn about Welsh culture</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Take some time to learn about Welsh traditions, folktales, and history on St. David's Day. You can read books, watch documentaries, or visit a local cultural center.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>3</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Wear a daffodil or leek</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>The daffodil and leek are both symbols of Wales and are traditionally worn on St. David's Day. Show your support by wearing one of these flowers on March 1st.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>4</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Cook a traditional Welsh meal</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Try your hand at cooking a traditional Welsh dish, such as cawl (stew), Welsh rarebit (cheese on toast), or bara brith (fruit bread). Invite friends and family over to share in the feast.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>5</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Donate to a Welsh charity</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>St. David's Day is a great opportunity to give back to the Welsh community. Consider donating to a Welsh charity or volunteering your time to help those in need.</p></div></div>
<div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>A</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>It's the national day of Wales</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>St. David's Day is a special holiday for Welsh people to celebrate their national heritage and culture. It honors the patron saint of Wales, St. David, and is an important part of their history and traditions.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>B</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>It promotes unity and pride</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>St. David's Day is an opportunity for Welsh communities to come together and celebrate their shared identity and values. It promotes a sense of unity and pride among its people, fostering a strong sense of community.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>C</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>It showcases Welsh culture and traditions</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>On St. David's Day, traditional festivities such as parades, concerts, and Eisteddfodau (competitions in music, poetry, and drama) are held across Wales. These events showcase the vibrant culture and traditions of Wales, keeping them alive for future generations to experience.</p></div></div>
<div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>1</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>St. David was known for his simple life</h3><p class='facts-content'>Revered for leading a life of asceticism, St. David reputedly only consumed water and leeks, thereby establishing the leek as one of the emblems of Wales.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>2</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>“Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant” is how you say "St. David's Day" in Welsh</h3><p class='facts-content'>Following Welsh pronunciation and spelling, St. David's Day is passionately referred to as “Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant” by the people of Wales.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>3</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>The daffodil as an emblem stems from a pleasant mix-up</h3><p class='facts-content'>The daffodil is another emblem tied to this holiday, which emerged due to a linguistic confusion. In Welsh, the words for leek (Cenhinen) and daffodil (Cenhinen Pedr) are closely related, hence the adoption of both symbols.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>4</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>St. David's Day features unique culinary festivities</h3><p class='facts-content'>Beyond wearing national emblems, an integral part of St. David's Day includes Te Bach, a traditional Welsh tea featuring Bara Brith and Welsh Cakes, highlighting the rich culinary heritage of Wales.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>5</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>School pupils engage in Eisteddfod competitions for St. David's Day</h3><p class='facts-content'>In Welsh schools, it is traditional for pupils to take part in Eisteddfodau, a Welsh festival of literature, music, and performance. The artistic competitions provide students a platform to express their talents and understand their cultural roots.</p></div></div>
St. David's Day is celebrated on March 1 every year. In 2024 St. David's Day will occur on a Friday.
2023
Mar 1
Wednesday
2024
Mar 1
Friday
2025
Mar 1
Saturday
2026
Mar 1
Sunday
2027
Mar 1
Monday
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