What is St Dwynwen’s Day?

St Dwynwen’s Day (or 'Dydd Santes Dwynwen' in Welsh) is the Welsh equivalent of Valentine's Day, however we celebrate St Dwynwen on January 25th as opposed to February 14th.

Who was St Dwynwen?

St Dwynwen was the Welsh patron saint of lovers. The story of Dwynwen begins in fourth-century Wales, where she lived in what is now the Brecon Beacons. Dwynwen had 23 sisters, although legend tells us that she was considered the prettiest. She found love in a local lad, Maelon, however her father, King Brychan Brycheiniog, had already arranged her marriage to another prince.

Maelon took the news badly and so Dwynwen fled to the woods and asked God for help. An angel appeared with a potion to help her forget her true love, which turned Maelon into a block of ice! God granted Dwynwen three wishes; For Maelon to be thawed, for God to help all true lovers and that she would never marry. Dwynwen later became a nun and founded a convent on Llanddwyn, off the west coast of Anglesey in North Wales. The remains of her church can be seen below.

Can I buy a St Dwynwen's Day gift for someone?

Of course! You can choose to celebrate St Dwynwen's Day with a gift for that special someone, just like you would on Valentine's Day. A Welsh gift would certainly be our best recommendation though, of course.

If you need some inspiration, just click here to browse some St Dwynwen's Day favourites. We can even gift wrap your order with a special message for your true love.