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Mari Lwyd
A horse skull draped in white cloth demands entry to your home during Christmas. You must defeat it in a poetry battle or let it in to consume your food and drink. The Grey Mare still visits Welsh villages. Some doors still open.
Ancient - Present
Wales
10000+ witnesses
The Mari Lwyd is Wales’ strangest Christmas tradition.
The Creature
What it is:
- Horse skull on pole
- White sheet draped
- Glass eyes inserted
- Jaw can snap
- Carried by hidden person
The Visit
What happens:
- Group visits homes
- Christmas season
- Demands entry
- Through song
- Poetry battle ensues
The Pwnco
The contest:
- Call and response
- Insulting verses
- Clever rhymes
- Loser admits defeat
- Winner gets prize
If You Lose
Consequences:
- Must admit group
- Food consumed
- Drink shared
- Good luck supposedly
- Chaos ensues
The Origins
Ancient roots:
- Pre-Christian
- Horse symbolism
- Death and rebirth
- Winter tradition
- Survived Christianity
Modern Revival
Still practiced:
- Welsh villages
- Growing interest
- Cultural preservation
- Tourist attraction
- Living tradition