The 36 ways you can celebrate St David’s Day this year

This Saturday, March 1, is Dydd Gŵyl Dewi, or St David’s Day, the national day of Wales, and wherever you are in the world, there are lots of ways you can celebrate Welshness on this special day.

Star of global hit TV show Welcome to Wrexham Maxine Hughes is known for explaining the magic of Wales to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the north American owners of Wrexham Football Club.

In a new video released today, Maxine explains how the words of Welsh patron saint St. David – gwnewch y pethau bychain – do the little things – have been reinterpreted as 36 Random Acts of Welshness that bring these words to life.

From eating Welsh cakes, cheeses or laverbread; visiting a castle (Wales has over 600 of them); adopting some Welsh words and phrases; belting out the anthem; listening to some Welsh miwsig (music); or taking a dip in the beautiful Welsh waters – there’s a whole world of Welshness to embrace and ways to celebrate this special day.

And these Random Acts of Welshness won’t only embody the essence of our feted patron saint, they will also most certainly bring the hwyl – the little Welsh word with a big meaning, that’s all about losing yourself in the joy of the present. It’s a peak state of being and one we should all be aiming for this St David’s Day. So which of the 36 Random Acts of Welshness will you choose this St David’s Day?

1. Fly the draig (that’s dragon in Welsh) – there’s a big red one on our flag!
2. Wear a leek – it’s our national vegetable
3. Cwtch! (like a cuddle but so much better)
4. Give a (love)spoon
5. Say it in Cymraeg – learn some Welsh words and phrases
6. Buy David a pint – know any Davids? Buy them a drink!
7. Say it with flowers – daffodils ideally
8. Wear Welsh – cool knitwear, stylish socks and jeans
9. Dance to an epic Welsh tune – there are some bangers
10. Eat Welsh cheese – Caerphilly is a national treasure
11. Plant a tree – Wales is already very green, but it can always be greener

12. Eat (and share!) Welsh cakes
13. Visit a castle – we’ve got over 600 of them…
14. Don your Welsh hat – bonnet or bucket, as you please
15. Sing the anthem – Gwlad, Gwlad!
16. Eat a leek

17. Listen to some miwsig – centuries-old folk tunes, epic anthems, inspirational electronica, choirs, rockers, big beats and bigger voices
18. Enjoy a Welsh feast – in the words of Bread of Heaven, ‘Feed Me ‘Til I Want No More!’
19. Read a Welsh folk tale
20. Go half and half – that’s half chips, half rice. Enjoy a curry the Welsh way
21. Try Laverbread – it’s seaweed if you didn’t know
22. Work out for Wales – take on the great Welsh outdoors
23. Play Tippit – a centuries old pub game
24. Say Shwmae! – it’s how we greet each other

25. Buy Welsh – support Welsh independents
26. Dip for David – enjoy a dip in the beautiful waters of Wales
27. Dress up your dog – daffodil collar anyone?
28. Cocktail Cymru – make a Welsh themed cocktail or mocktail using Welsh spirits and ingredients
29. Cheers drive! – the forever favourite Welsh way to say thanks for a ride somewhere
30. Win a chair – we’re a land of bards. We compete in poetry competitions, and the winner gets a chair (well, it’s more like a throne really)…

31. Design your daffs – arrange a beautiful bouquet
32. Cwtch and Carry – long before BabyBjörns were invented, we were using a siol fagu (a special Welsh woollen blanket) to keep our loved ones cosy whilst on the move
33. Make a Welsh bonnet – get crafting and keep the little one’s entertained and make a traditional bonnet (Het Gymreig) for your child’s favourite cuddly toy. Or pet!
34. Clog dance
35. Wish someone a Happy St David’s Day. Here’s a handy pronunciation guide if English is your native language: Deethe goo-eel Dew-ee happ-iss.
36. Give a little – donate to a charity close to your heart

Across the world from Japan to India, people are engaging in these random acts of Welshness for St David’s Day:

As part of the Welsh Government’s ‘Year of Wales and Japan’, visitors to Himeji Castle, Japan – which is twinned with Conwy Castle – will be encouraged to take part in a Random Act of Welshness. A specially commissioned arrangement of the traditional Japanese song ‘Furusato’ will also be sung in Welsh by the Urdd singers.

A special performance of Furusato by local harpist Dylan Cernyw will take place at Conwy Castle to celebrate the relationship between the two twinned UNESCO heritage sites.

Elsewhere the Urdd are taking part in celebrations in the USA (New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC) and India (Kolkota) where a group of 10 young people will engage in humanitarian work as part of a new partnership between Urdd Gobaith Cymru, Wales’ largest youth organisation, and Her Future Coalition (HFC) in Kolkata.

In Paris Cerys Matthews and Maya Youssef are performing at a reception co-hosted by the Welsh Government, Secretary of State for Wales and the UK Ambassador to France.

Clwb Creative Cymru are taking over Shoreditch Arts Club in London with a celebration of modern Welsh creativity through photography, film and discussions. This will include the first screening of a Cymru Wales X Bleak Fabulous collaboration, which celebrates the creativity, culture and community of Wales. The series features bands like Welsh Music Prize winning duo Rogue Jones and art-rock group HMS Morris, alongside a range of other performers, including drag star Catrin Feelings and the Pontypridd Male Voice Choir.

In Chicago thanks to the hard work of Welsh expats society Chicago Tafia, buildings in the city will be lit up in the colours of the Welsh flag, while libraries there are displaying Welsh books and radio stations are playing Welsh songs. Da iawn pawb!