Today’s article is all about Siôn Corn (Father Christmas)! The Welsh Santa Claus is named after corn simnai (a chimney-stack) – translated literally into English, he would be called something like John Stack. You may also hear some people borrow the English name Santa Claus directly into Welsh, spelt Santa Clôs.
Siôn Corn
Father Christmas / Santa
This beloved character is usually portrayed with dillad coch (red clothes) and barf wen (a white beard), and is known for being constantly llawen (jolly). I remember as a child leaving out llaeth / llefrith (milk) and bisgedi (biscuits) for Siôn Corn and a moronen (carrot) for his faithful reindeer, Rudolph. Then, in the morning, I’d come down y grisiau (the stairs) to find lots of anrhegion waiting for me.
One of my favourite Welsh Christmas songs is Pwy sy’n dŵad dros y bryn? (Who’s coming over the hill?) by John Glyn Davies. This lovely song is all about Siôn Corn, so let’s take a look at the lyrics now. You can listen along to Dafydd Iwan’s version here or you could opt for this rather unorthodox punk cover by Plant Duw!
Pwy sy’n dŵad dros y bryn,
yn ddistaw, ddistaw bach?
Ei farf yn llaes, a’i wallt yn wyn,
â rhywbeth yn ei sach.
A phwy sy’n eistedd ar y to, ar bwys y simdde fawr?
Siôn Corn! Siôn Corn! Helo, helo.
Tyrd yma, tyrd i lawr
Who’s coming over the hill
very, very quietly?
His beard flowing and his hair white
with something in his sack.
And who’s sitting on the roof, next to the big chimney?
Father Christmas! Hello, hello.
Come here, come down!
This pennill (verse) has some useful Welsh vocab in it, including the idiom yn ddistaw bach. While you can say yn ddistaw iawn (very quietly/silently), it’s more common to say yn ddistaw bach (small quietly). It doesn’t really make sense when translated literally into English, but I think it’s a lovely, evocative phrase; it makes me think of a person hunched over, walking on tip-toe.
I’d also like to point out the word llaes, which is quite an old-fashioned Welsh word. Depending on context, it can be translated as long, flowing, trailing or loose. According to Gweiadur, when used to described a ffrog (dress), llaes specifically means floor-length. However, most learners will probably recognise this word from Y Treiglad Llaes (The Aspirate Mutation).
Annwyl Gwen, Nadolig Llawen! Oddi wrth Siôn Corn.
Dear Gwen, Merry Christmas! From Santa.
I didn’t realise until researching for this article, but there is a second verse to this song:
Mae saith rhyfeddod yn dy sach,
gad i mi weled un!
A rho ryw drysor bychan bach yn enw Mab y Dyn.
Mae’r gwynt yn oer ar frig y to,
mae yma ddisgwyl mawr.
Siôn Corn! Siôn Corn! Helo, helo.
Tyrd yma, tyrd i lawr
There are seven wonders in your sack
Let me see one!
And give some tiny little treasure in the name of the Son of Man.
The wind is cold on top of the roof,
There’s a lot of anticipation here.
Father Christmas! Hello, hello!
Come here, come down!
Can you work out which tafodiaith (dialect) of Welsh Pwy sy’n dŵad is written in? Have another look through, and then read on for the answer!
The first clue appears in the very first line with the word dŵad which means to come. People in the North tend to say dŵad, while those in the South opt for dod. The second clue appears in the repeated phrase Tyrd yma, tyrd i lawr (Come here, come down!). Tyrd is an informal command meaning come. While people all over Wales use the same formal command (Dewch) when addressing an authority figure or a group of multiple people, the informal command varies by region. Tyrd (often pronounced ty’d) is used in the North, but down South you are more likely to hear Dere. So, overall, this song is written in Cymraeg y Gogledd (Northern Welsh).
Mae Siôn Corn yn chwerthin yn llon.
Santa is laughing merrily.
Come isn’t the only Welsh command word that varies by region – the same is actually true for go. Take a look at this handy table:
| Come! | Go! | |
| Informal (North Wales) | Tyrd! | Dos! |
| Informal (South Wales) | Dere! | Cer! |
| Formal | Dewch! | Ewch! |
Here are some common phrases that use these commands:
- Cer o ‘ma! / Dos o ‘ma! = Get out of here!
- Cer i ffwrdd! = Go away!
- Cer i grafu! = Piss off! (very rude, literally means go to scratch)
- Dere ‘mlaen / Ty’d ‘mlaen = Come on!
- Dewch yn llu! = Come one, come all! (lit. Come as a crowd!)
Wyddoch chi / Did you know that Siôn Corn isn’t the only mythical Welsh Siôn? We also have Siôn Cwsg (the Sandman, lit: Sleep John) and Siôn Barrug (Jack Frost).
