Welsh Valentine's Day: 'Why we mark St Dwynwen's Day'

It may not be as well-known as Valentine's Day but St Dwynwen's Day is a special time for some in Wales.

Sian and Trystan Francis from Rhiwbina in Cardiff do not celebrate Valentine's Day but on Monday will exchange St Dwynwen cards and have a special meal.

Mr Francis, 40, said: "It's just a part of my culture - I didn't know about Valentine's Day until about Year 6.

"My parents didn't celebrate Valentine's Day at all but they did send cards on Santes Dwynwen."

The Welsh patron saint of lovers St Dwynwen - or Santes Dwynwen in Welsh - was a 4th Century princess who lived in what is now the Brecon Beacons National Park.

The story goes she was unlucky in love, became a nun and went on to pray for true lovers to have better luck than she did.

Mrs Francis, who grew up in Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf, said her family did not speak Welsh but she went to a Welsh medium school and her mother learnt the language as an adult.

Mrs Francis, 38, said: "I think if you're going to celebrate anything that says that you love your partner, then this one is loads more relevant to us because it's part of our heritage and our culture - Valentine's Day is not really that much to do with us."

The family have been busy organising cards and treats for their children, Jac, two, and Mimi, seven.

"I bought a card for Mimi from a mystery person and that's being delivered tomorrow," she said.

She added Covid had meant the celebration was a bit more low-key this year.

"I bought some cupcakes but we would normally go out for food and stuff," she said.

There was a time when they also marked Valentine's Day before they had a change of heart, she said.

"Over time we just went, 'actually, it's a bit irrelevant to us'," she said.

"And you can never get a restaurant [on Valentine's Day]," Mr Francis added.

Mr Francis, who grew up speaking Welsh at home, said their choice was not unusual among their friends.

"My friends, people within the Welsh-speaking community definitely, celebrate Santes Dwynwen," he said.

"There is a subculture within Wales that does exist within Welsh-speaking communities so I would say Santes Dwynwen is part of that."

Mrs Francis said it meant they were able to avoid the commercialisation of the better-known celebration.

"Santes Dwynwen isn't particularly commercialised because it is so niche," she added.