by Gwen, age 9, asks which carol has the word gay and its Welsh origin, about the Gower Peninsula, and Welsh song
Dear Santa,
Shwmae again from Swansea. My name is Gwen and I am 9 years old. My music teacher taught us that one of our most famous carols actually started as an old Welsh tune long before it had any English words at all, which none of us expected, since we sing it every single year without a second thought.
My first question is: which Christmas song says the word gay in it, and where did that carol actually come from?
My second question is geography: what is the Gower Peninsula near Swansea known for?
My third question is from school: why is Wales sometimes called the land of song?
I left you Welsh cakes, still warm, and a mug of hot squash.
Love, Gwen, age 9, Swansea, Wales
From the Desk of Father Christmas
Dear Gwen, warm Welsh cakes are a treat I look forward to every time I visit Wales, thank you. Now, to that surprising carol history, and your other questions.
Which Christmas song says the word gay in it?
That carol is Deck the Halls, with its well known line about donning gay apparel, where gay simply meant bright and festive in the older meaning of the word. What your music teacher shared is genuinely fascinating, since the tune itself began as Nos Galan, a traditional Welsh New Year’s melody dating back to at least the 1500s, sung for centuries without any English words at all. It was not until 1862 that a Scottish musician named Thomas Oliphant wrote the now-famous English lyrics to fit that old Welsh tune, creating the carol millions of people sing today, most without ever realising its melody was Welsh long before it was ever Christmas.
What is the Gower Peninsula near Swansea known for?
The Gower Peninsula stretches out from Swansea into the sea, known for dramatic cliffs, golden beaches, and being the very first place in Britain officially designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, back in 1956.
Why is Wales called the land of song?
Wales has an extraordinarily strong choral and musical tradition, particularly built around male voice choirs that grew out of coal mining communities in the 1800s, along with a deep love of poetry and performance celebrated at festivals called eisteddfodau. That passion for singing together runs so deep that the nickname feels entirely earned.
Tell your music teacher that lesson reached the North Pole, and I shall see you very soon.
Ho ho ho, Santa
