Things are certainly starting to feel Christmassy here in Tywyn. The festive street lights have been lit, the high street shops are decorated to the nines with colourful lights and decorations, and our local Father Christmas has paid a visit to most of the villages in the area on his sleigh. Unusually for this time of year, the temperature has fallen below zero, giving the rolling hills of the Dysynni valley a frosty silver sheen in the early hours of the morning. It certainly is a magical time of year! 🙂

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One of the first survival phrases you will have to learn if you move to Wales is “Thank you very much!” This phrase translates as “Diolch yn fawr iawn!“

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Mari Lwyd (or Y Fari Lwyd) is a uniquely Welsh pagan tradition that predates Christianity. Although typically associated with South Wales, it is celebrated annually on or close to January 13th in the small town of Dinas Mawddwy, located in the heart of Gwynedd in the north.

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If you’re out at the pub celebrating with your Welsh friends – or any group of friends for that matter– someone will likely offer to make a toast at some point during the conversation.

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‘Have a good day!’ (or ‘Have a nice day!‘) is one of the most common ways in English to conclude a conversation or end a message on a positive note besides the various forms of goodbye. So, naturally, when an English person starts learning Welsh, it is also one of the first expressions he or she is eager to translate!

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There is only one way to say Goodnight! in Welsh and that is Nos da! with nos meaning night and da meaning good.

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