Easter in West Wales is a time of tradition, renewal, and community, with customs that have been passed down for generations. Across Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, and Carmarthenshire, locals have long celebrated Easter with a mix of religious rituals, seasonal festivities, and fascinating folklore.
From sunrise celebrations on Welsh mountains to the age-old custom of Making Christ’s Bed, here’s a look at some of the most intriguing Easter traditions in Wales.
Good Friday – Y Groglith ✝️
Good Friday in Wales has traditionally been a day of rest and reflection. In Tenby, Pembrokeshire, businesses would close for the entire day, long before official Bank Holidays were introduced.
One notable Welsh Easter tradition is “Making Christ’s Bed.” On Good Friday, children would gather reeds from riverbanks, weave them into a figure representing Jesus, attach it to a wooden cross, and place it in a quiet field or pasture to rest peacefully.
This unique tradition symbolizes peace, faith, and remembrance during Easter in Wales.
Palm Sunday – Sul y Blodau 🌸
Known as “Flowering Sunday”, Palm Sunday( the Sunday before Easter Day) in Wales was considered the official welcome of spring after the long winter months.
One of the most cherished Easter customs in Wales is the tradition of visiting churchyards to clean and decorate graves with fresh flowers, a practice that remains popular today across Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, and Carmarthenshire.
This act of remembrance and renewal connects families to their ancestors while celebrating the beauty of springtime in Wales.
Easter Sunday – Food and Dance 🍽️
Dancing the Sun Up – Dawnsio’r Haul
In some older Welsh folk traditions, particularly in rural areas, Easter Sunday morning began with a communal gathering to sing and dance as the sun rose. This custom symbolised joy, renewal, and good luck for the coming year.
Traditional Easter Feasts in Wales
Before modern Easter dinners, Welsh families would prepare traditional foods to celebrate the occasion:
- Salted lamb or mutton – Symbolising sacrifice and renewal.
- Laverbread (bara lawr) – A nutritious seaweed dish often eaten with oatcakes.
- Welsh cakes & bara brith – Sweet treats enjoyed throughout the Easter weekend.
Food has always been a big part of Easter celebrations in Wales, bringing families together to break the fast of Lent.
Easter Monday – Llun y Pasg 🌞
All around the country, Welsh people would head off early in the morning to climb to the top of the nearest mountain to watch the sunrise and celebrate the resurrection of Christ by seeing the first light of the day.
The people of Llangollen in Denbighshire used to go one step further by performing three somersaults on the apex of Dinas Bran, although this understandably fell out of custom some time ago! In other areas of Wales, people would instead take a bowl of water with them in order to see the reflection of the sun dance on the surface.
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