Ffair Nadolig Sain Ffagan: Digwyddiadau 09
Celebrating old Christmas traditions in St Fagans
Wales has a wealth of ancient traditions to celebrate Christmas and the New Year.
As part of their Christmas Fair, St Fagans National History Museum, near Cardiff, recreate some of these customs and S4C viewers can join in the activities in a special programme Ffair Nadolig Sain Ffagan. Presenters Morgan Jones and Mari Grug visit the Christmas Fair to discover more about our old traditions.
Carol singing amd the Gray Mare
Attending the 'plygain' service in the local church to sing carols between 3am and 6am on Christmas morning was popular in the 17th century and the tradition remains in a few areas, notably in Montgomeryshire. In the programme, Parti'r Efail, a folk group from Gwaelod-y-Garth, sing the 'plygain' in St Teilo's Church, one of the many historic buildings reconstructed at St Fagans. Members of the group tell the story of the 'plygain' and Siân James, the singer from Llanerfyl in Powys, performs a song characteristic of the 'plygain.'
Mari Lwyd (Grey Mare) was the name given to the horse head or horse figure carried from door to door by a wassail-singing group during the Christmas season. Mari Grug discovers more about the Mari Lwyd and joins a group recreating the custom.
Another old tradition celebrated at the Christmas Fair is that of collecting 'calennig' or New Year gifts. Groups of children would go from house to house wishing the residents good health and fortune for the year ahead.
Traditions
Mari helps to decorate the Rhydycar iron workers' houses in decorations characteristic of their period, while Morgan hears more about the story of Father Christmas. The programme visits Penrhiw Chapel for carol singing with music conductor, Alun Guy, and Caryl Parry Jones and close harmony group, the 405s, also entertain us with musical items.
S4C chef, Dudley Newbery, tastes some traditional Christmas food at Llwyn yr Eos farm and tries to keep another old tradition alive by making treacle toffee.
"Our aim is to create a seasonal programme with the emphasis on early traditions, many of which have disappeared among the tinsel and presents of the modern Christmas," says Morgan Jones.
- Thursday 17 December 20:25
- Nadolig on S4C