Tagged: st davids day featured

This year, our Americymru Saint David's Day Ambassador, Gwenno Dafydd, has decided to create a 30 minute presentation about some of the traditions she has instigated since 2005 which have contributed and enabled the growth of Saint David's Day celebrations not only in Wales but also worldwide.

This year the covid crisis means that any Saint David's Day celebrations will have to be virtual and on line. However, singing the Saint David's Day Anthem has always been a way of celebrating our patron saint's day and can be sung by virtual choirs and virtual schools.

Ysgol Gwaun Cae Gurwen have embraced the idea suggested by Gwenno of singing the anthem whilst doing a 'virtual' parade with family and individual banners. The anthem is available for choirs and individuals from here. Saint David's Day Anthem

Eleni, mae Llysgenad Dydd Gwyl Dewi Americymru i'r Byd, Gwenno Dafydd, wedi penderfynu i greu cyflwyniad 40 munud am rai o'r traddodiadau mae hi wedi eu creu a'u hybu ers 2005 sydd wedi cyfrannu tuag at, a galluogi twf aruthrol dathliadau Dydd Gwyl Dewi nid yn unig yng Nghymru ond hefyd ar draws y byd.

Eleni mae amgylchiadau y Cyfnod Cofidus yn golygu y bydd rhaid cynnal unrhyw ddathliadau Dydd Gwyl Dewi yn rhithiol ag ar lein. Fodd bynnag mae canu Anthem Dydd Gwyl Dewi wastad wedi bod yn ffordd o ddathlu ein Nawdd Sant - ble bynnag yn y byd a gellid ei ganu gan gorau ag ysgolion rhithiol.Mae

Ysgol Gwaun Cae Gurwen wedi ymfalchio yn syniad Gwenno o ganu'r anthem tra'n cynnal gorymdaith 'rithiol' gyda baneri teuluol ac unigol. Mae yr anthem ar gael i gorau ac unigolion o fan hyn. Anthem Dydd Gwyl Dewi

A few years ago, our family started making St David’s Day about doing “the little things” by doing some volunteering, in addition to having a special dinner and/or pub night.  

We did things like spend a couple hours on a walk picking up litter, get something needed by a homeless person (coat, sleeping bag, a meal or lift to a medical clinic), help an elderly person in our neighborhood run errands or do things like change lightbulbs or rake, walk a neighbor’s dog, etc.  

There are probably lots of things we can all find to improve our communities or our immediate environments in small and simple ways to make things better, like even just picking up litter. We can do something alone or organize an activity with friends and family.  

If you like animals, see if a rescue or shelter or even a zoo near you could use some help.  A school or library may have a program to help refugees or other people in the community learn the language or customs or a group to provide company and conversation to the elderly. A local school may need help with a project.  

If you’d like to find organized volunteer opportunities, Volunteer Match lists all kinds of organizations that need help around the world, including in Wales and the rest of the UK, in Canada, in the US, in Argentina and other countries. Check whether your city or country has a site like this with local volunteer opportunities.

If you’re in Canada, Volunteer Canada may list opportunities with organizations looking for help.

In the US, try Volunteers of America

This year, for us, St David’s Day is on a school day and we’ve got two students in our house, so we’re looking for things to do after school, before going out to get some sausage rolls for all and beer for the adults!

In our city, Portland, Oregon USA, Hands On Greater Portland is looking for volunteers to help the elderly and disabled do grocery shopping in the morning.

Also in Portland, Kindred Hospice is looking for volunteers who can play an instrument or sing to share music with hospice residents at the end of their lives.

Of course, we can also all just look out our windows or walk out our doors and think about what we might want to do.

Whatever you do, Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!

1) Contact your local radio stations by late February and ask them to play Welsh music and relay "Happy St. David's Day" messages to the Welsh in your area on March 1st. There is plenty of music by Welsh artists that are readily available on most radio stations play lists. If it is a rock/pop station ask for Duffy, The Stereophonics, The Manic Street Preachers, Jem, Catatonia, or Tom Jones, if it is a classical station, you might try asking for Bryn Terfel, Charlotte Church, Paul Potts, Katherine Jenkins or Karl Jenkins.

2) Email a 'Happy Saint David's Day/ Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus' message to your friends and family.

3) Wear a daffodil, a leek, or something red on March 1st.

4) Attend a St. David's day event sponsored by your local Welsh society; there are hundreds across North America to choose from.

5) If there are no Welsh groups nearby, hold a St. David's day dinner at your home or request your local pub to stock: