These are the main holidays traditionally celebrated in Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

 that are not shared with the rest of the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. Except for those that fall at the same time as UK public holidays , none of these holidays are bank holiday

Bank Holiday

A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or a colloquialism for public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract...

s. There is, however, much support for the recognition of St David's Day as a bank holiday in Wales, in the same way as St Patrick's Day in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

, and St Andrew's Day in Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

.

Many of the seasoned festivals originate in the Celtic culture of Wales, as does the manner of their celebration.

St. David's Day

The patron saint

Patron saint

A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...

 of Wales is St David, . St. David's Day () is celebrated on 1 March, which some people argue should be a designated national holiday.

Gŵyl Mabsant

On a more localised level, each parish celebrated a Gŵyl Mabsant in commemoration of its native saint. This annual celebration developed from a dedication through prayer to a programme of recreational activities.

Dydd Santes Dwynwen

Celebrated on 25 January every year, Dydd Santes Dwynwen (the day of Saint Dwynwen

Dwynwen

Saint Dwynwen, also known as Dwyn, Donwen, and Donwenna, is the Welsh patron saint of lovers. She is also the patron saint of sick animals.Dwynwen is believed to have been a daughter of King Brychan Brycheiniog, who lived in the 5th century...

) is the Welsh day of love much like St. Valentine's Day.

Gŵyl San Steffan

Celebrated on 26 December, in Wales Boxing day

Boxing Day

Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...

 or St. Stephen's Day

St. Stephen's Day

St. Stephen's Day, or the Feast of St. Stephen, is a Christian saint's day celebrated on 26 December in the Western Church and 27 December in the Eastern Church. Many Eastern Orthodox churches adhere to the Julian calendar and mark St. Stephen's Day on 27 December according to that calendar, which...

 is known as Gŵyl San Steffan.

Nos Galan and Dydd Calan

January 1: The Welsh New Year's Eve and Day celebration involving the tradition of giving gifts or money Calennig

Calennig

Calennig is a Welsh word meaning "New Year celebration/gift," though literally translates to "the first day of the month," deriving from the Latin word kalends. The English word "Calendar" also has its root in this word.-Celebrations in Cardiff:...

 to celebrate the new year.

Gŵyl Fair y Canhwyllau

February 2: Literally translates as "Mary's Festival of the Candles," but it is equivalent to Candlemas and Imbolc

Imbolc

Imbolc , or St Brigid’s Day , is an Irish festival marking the beginning of spring. Most commonly it is celebrated on 1 or 2 February in the northern hemisphere and 1 August in the southern hemisphere...

. In Paganism

Paganism

Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....

, the Welsh holiday name is just Gŵyl y Canhwyllau, meaning "The Festival (Sabbat) of Lights."

Calan Mai or Calan Haf

May 1: May Day

May Day

May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....

, the first day of summer and the Welsh equivalent of Beltane

Beltane

Beltane or Beltaine is the anglicised spelling of Old Irish  Beltaine or Beltine , the Gaelic name for either the month of May or the festival that takes place on the first day of May.Bealtaine was historically a Gaelic festival celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.Bealtaine...

.

Alban Hefin or Gwyl Ifan

June 20-21: Summer Solstice

Summer solstice

The summer solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined towards the star that it orbits. Earth's maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26'. Though the summer solstice is an instant in time, the term is also...

, otherwise known as Midsummer's day.

Calan Awst, or Gathering Day

c. August 1: The first day of Autumn, a time of festival and drinking, the Welsh equivalent to Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh is a traditional Gaelic holiday celebrated on 1 August. It is in origin a harvest festival, corresponding to the Welsh Calan Awst and the English Lammas.-Name:...

.

Nos Galan Gaeaf and Calan Gaeaf

October 31 and November 1: Winter's eve and the first day of winter

Winter

Winter is the coldest season of the year in temperate climates, between autumn and spring. At the winter solstice, the days are shortest and the nights are longest, with days lengthening as the season progresses after the solstice.-Meteorology:...

. A Hallowe'en or Samhain

Samhain

Samhain is a Gaelic harvest festival held on October 31–November 1. It was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and was popularised as the "Celtic New Year" from the late 19th century, following Sir John Rhys and Sir James Frazer...

 type festival.

Alban Arthan

December 21-22: A Winter Solstice

Winter solstice

Winter solstice may refer to:* Winter solstice, astronomical event* Winter Solstice , former band* Winter Solstice: North , seasonal songs* Winter Solstice , 2005 American film...

 or Midwinter festival, the shortest day of the year.

Eisteddfod

This is poetic tradition has been celebrated in eisteddfod, a Welsh word meaning a gathering where people recite verses and sing songs.