5 fabulous St David’s Day party traditions you may not know about
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! This is what you’ll be hearing on 1st March 2018 if you have any Welsh friends, as St David’s Day is nearly upon us.
Fancy celebrating this festival of Wales’ patron saint with an event of your own? Even if you have no Welsh heritage yourself, it’s a fantastic excuse for a knees-up. What’s more, there are lots of fun, unusual and downright delicious St David’s Day party traditions that most of us have never heard of – so now is the perfect time to give them a try…
- Make (and eat!) some Bara Brith. This tea loaf, along with Welsh cakes, cawl (soup), roast lamb and Welsh rarebit, are staples of any Welsh celebration. This ‘speckled bread’ is bursting with fruit and flavour, and is absolutely delicious. It’s readily available on St David’s Day if you know where to shop, but it’s much more fun to make it yourself.
- Give your guests a lovespoon. Party planners who are really embracing the theme may want to purchase or make a small gift for their guests – and nothing says Happy St David’s Day more than a traditional lovespoon! Dating back to the 17th century, this is a symbolic gift consisting of a carved wooden spoon, often featuring hearts, horseshoes and other charm symbols.
- Get a dragon costume or a Welsh chimney hat! It wouldn’t be a St David’s Day party without a dragon being involved somewhere. This is a fantastic fancy dress theme, or you can decorate a cake with a fire-breather of your own creation. The tall Welsh ‘chimney’ hat may be a little trickier to find, but along with a red shawl – it is what schoolchildren in Wales typically wear on St David’s Day.
- Do some daffodil crafts. If you’re having a laid-back or even a family-friendly bash, why not try your hand at some relaxing and colourful crafts? Welsh people all over the world often celebrate St David’s Day by making and decorating their parties with daffodil bunting, fabric flowers and badges. It’s cheap, fun, great for kids and can really brighten the place up.
- Have a dram of Welsh whisky. Strictly one for the adults, this is the perfect way to inject your party with some real Welsh spirit. Wales has some excellent whiskies to try, particularly those from the Welsh Whisky Company and its Penderyn distillery.
Planning a St David’s Day party? We can help!
There’s not much time left before the big day, so gather together your Welsh flags, daffodil bunting and stock up on baking ingredients for all those Welsh cakes and Bara Brith you’ll be making.
The Event Experts can also help with a full range of party supplies from tableware and balloons to fireworks, and we’ve got plenty of red, white and green items to fit the theme! Alternatively, you can take advantage of our custom party planning service if you really want to push the boat out this St David’s Day.