During easter, there are many customs throughout Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, some strange and unusual. Not wishing to be left out, Wales has its share of both traditional and wacky ways to celebrate. So, let’s take you through some of our favourite Easter traditions in Wales.
Good Friday – Y Groglith
Even in the days before Bank Holidays, businesses in the town of Tenby would shut up shop for the whole day. The custom of “Making Christ’s Bed” also originates in Tenby when river reeds were collected and woven into an effigy by local children. This would be fixed to a wooden cross and left in a quiet field to rest
Palm Sunday – Sul y Blodau
Seen as the time to welcome spring after the long winter by wearing new clothes it also became custom, still common today, to tidy, weed and clean the graves in churchyards and to add decorative floral arrangements.
Easter Monday – Llun y Pasg
All around the country, this day would begin with a pre-dawn trek to the top of the nearest mountain to watch the sunrise and celebrate the resurrection of Christ by seeing the first light of the day.
The people of Llangollen in Denbighshire used to go one step further by performing three somersaults on the apex of Dinas Bran, although this understandably fell out of custom some time ago! In other areas of Wales, people would instead take a bowl of water with them in order to see the reflection of the sun dance on the surface.