Folklore: Welsh Christmas and New Year Traditions

Subject: Folklore: Welsh Christmas and New Year Traditions
From: Mick Tems
Date: 06 Oct 04 - 09:18 PM

I'm currently writing an article on Christmas and New Year traditions from South Wales. I have studied the seasonal traditions, but I wonder if you can shed any light or information on:
·        Calennig, where the children would use a highly-decorated orange to ask for New Year gifts (in Welsh or in English);
·        the Mari Lwyd horse's skull tradition;
·        Y Gwyliau (The Holidays), the three-week period leading on from Christmas where farm workers celebrated;
·        Holming, the Boxing Day tradition, where houseowners would beat their servants with branches of holly;
·        Any other Welsh traditions.

Mick Tems

Subject: RE: Folklore: Welsh Christmas and New Year Traditions
From: sian, west wales
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 04:41 AM

Mick, have you got a copy of "The Folklore of (old) Monmouthshire" by Roy Palmer, publ in 1998 by Logaston Press but reissued this year? There are a good few bits in that. Re: holming, where did I hear that it was the female servants that got the beating (figures!)? Maybe Trefor Owen's "Folk Customs"?

And I take it you mean South Wales as distinct from West Wales, yes? I wonder if Cennard Davies would have any info on Treorci, as he's born and raised there and the family goes way back. That's the type of person who could tell you what traditions live on, as distinct from those that have been recreated.

Lovely to see you here! Chat soon, hopefully!

siân

Subject: RE: Folklore: Welsh Christmas and New Year Traditions
From: Mick Tems
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 06:17 PM

Swmae, Sian!
Holming (what's the Welsh word?) is very fascinating - There was a great tradition of it in Llangiwg, right above the house where we used to live!
No, I don't know about Roy's book - very remiss of me. Where can I get a copy?
It's good to be here!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Welsh Christmas and New Year Traditions
From: Scooby Doo
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 06:30 PM

Its good to have you here Mick on the cattersabout time too i do say.
A friend,
Scooby

Subject: RE: Folklore: Welsh Christmas and New Year Traditions
From: Mick Tems
Date: 07 Oct 04 - 06:56 PM

Thanks, Scooby. I can nearly see you working on your computer! It's a progressive world, isn't it? We're only 200 yards from each other, yet I have to mail my server in Winchester, of all places, to come right across... perhaps we should just shout?

Subject: RE: Folklore: Welsh Christmas and New Year Traditions
From: GUEST,Henryp
Date: 08 Oct 04 - 07:38 AM

Logaston has its own website; http://members.lycos.co.uk/simonlogaston.

Roy Palmer's latest work, a revised Folklore of Warwickshire, will be launched in Stratford-upon-Avon in November.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Welsh Christmas and New Year Traditions
From: sian, west wales
Date: 08 Oct 04 - 10:34 AM

I think I bought my copy (which isn't reall 'mine' or I'd lend it to you - I bought it for my sister for Christmas) from the Welsh Books Council stand at the Eisteddfod. Is there a Welsh bookshop in Cardiff anymore ... ?

You should also have a word with Beth Thomas at St Ffagan's (OK - "The Museum of Welsh Life". You know what I mean!) She'd probably know a lot of stuff and have contacts.

Have you seen the museum's new education website, www.welshfolktales.org?

sian

Subject: RE: Folklore: Welsh Christmas and New Year Traditions
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Oct 04 - 10:46 AM

Never heard of the Calennig but when I was at primary school (in Yorkshire) we had a 'Christingle' where we decorated oranges with a red ribbon (for the blood of christ) raisins or sweets (for the body of christ) and a candle (can't quite remember the significance - probably the spirit of christ or some such) at Christmas and there was a special service in church (it was a C of E school). At the grand old age of 27 that's as much as I can remember (sorry) but am wondering is this the same thing as Calennig?