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| The Mari Lwyd Fasnacht 2024 |
Once upon a time, I thought I had reached peak Creepmas status with meeting everyone's favorite Yuletide demon, Krampus. In fact, over the years, I met Krampus a few times at various events. My family and I still try to make a visit with Krampus part of our annual Christmas tradition. But, last year I kicked the creep up a notch and met another favorite holiday weirdo....the Mari Lywd of South Wales.
Although it was well past the 12 days of Christmas (it was actually during Helvetia's Fasnacht celebration in February) there was no mistaking the festively adorned horse's skull. I was, in fact, in the presence of the Mari Lwyd. But, who or what IS the Mari Lwyd?
Well...there's a lot of legends and lore surrounding this Welsh Christmas monstrosity. The first written record of the Mari Lwyd comes from A Tour Through Part of North Wales, written by J. Evans in 1800, although oddly, it is more associated with the southern part of the country. The Mari Lwyd is, well...it's a horse skull attached to a long pole and decorated with ribbon and festive baubles. The Mari Lwyd, accompanied by 4-7 men (generally) roam around between December 25th and Epiphany (January 6th). The Mari Lwyd and its posse visit various homes, and try to gain entry through a back and forth litany of crude rhymes. Basically, the Mari Lwyd challenges opponents to a rap battle. If the homeowner should back down before the Mari Lwyd, the whole gang is invited in to partake of food and drink, before moving on to the next home.
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| Hanging out beside the Mari Lwyd |
Folklore experts disagree on where the name Mari Lwyd comes from, with some saying that it translates into Holy or Blessed Mary, meaning the mother of Christ. Others believe it simply means 'grey mare,' denoting the origin of the skull itself. Whatever its origin, the idea of a decorated horse skull knocking on your door, demanding entry is kinda weird....and definitely a quintessential part of the creepy Christmas tradition!
Luckily, when I met the Mari Lwyd, I didn't have to engage in battle with it. In fact, I think the poor guy who was wearing the costume was so worn out by having his picture taken, that by that point, all he wanted to do was sit down, which he did beside me. I tried to compliment him, but he just grunted a thanks, so I left him alone. Even an undead horse needs a holiday once in awhile!
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