Celebrate St David’s Day with Tradition: Recipes, Symbols, and RSPCA Assured Choices

When is St David’s Day?

St David’s Day is celebrated on 1st March every year.

Why Do We Celebrate Saint David's Day?

St David is the patron saint of Wales and every year celebrations on the 1st of March mark the anniversary of St David’s death in 589 AD.

Although the date of St David’s birth is unknown, it is said that he lived to over 100; it is also said that he was a vegetarian and lived on a frugal diet, so there may be something to be said for eating your five, or even ten, a day!

What is There to Do on St David's Day?

There are many different ways to celebrate on March 1st. You could do this by wearing traditional St. David’s Day dress or by cooking traditional Welsh foods like Cawl, a type of hearty stew; Glamorgan sausages, a vegetarian sausage made with cheese, leeks and breadcrumbs; Laverbread, made from edible seaweed and Bara brith, a loaf baked with dried fruit and mixed spices. And of course, there’s the famous Welsh rarebit.

What Do You wear on St David's Day?

One way to celebrate the country’s heritage is to wear leeks or daffodils, the traditional symbol of Wales.

Why Do We Wear a Leek on St David's Day?

According to legend, when the soldiers of the ancient British king, Cadwaladyr were about to go into battle with their enemy the Saxons, St David suggested they wear a leek on their armour so as they might recognise their countrymen during the battle.

So Why Do People Wear Daffodils on St. David’s Day?

This is probably due to daffodils coming into bloom in early spring, close to St David’s Day on the 1st of March and the fact that they provide a nicer-smelling tribute to Wales than the traditional leek.

What is Happy St David's Day in Welsh?

It’s always nice to wish someone well in their own language. So when greeting a Welsh person on the 1st of March, you can say “Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus” (Happy St David’s Day). Pronounced phonetically it sounds like ‘Deethe goo-eel Dew-ee happ-iss”.

What Do People Eat on St. David’s Day?

Typical St David's Day food includes traditional Welsh dishes like Welsh rarebit, lamb cawl, laverbread, also known as 'Welshman’s caviar' and Crempogs which are a type of traditional Welsh pancake served with butter and honey.