Natur Nadolig Iolo

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-The festive season is the highlight -of the year for many of us.	0:00:05	0:00:09
-It's a time to celebrate...	0:00:10	0:00:12
-..a time -to be friendly and sociable...	0:00:13	0:00:15
-..a time to decorate...	0:00:16	0:00:19
-..give presents...	0:00:19	0:00:21
-..and indulge.	0:00:23	0:00:25
-Celebrating midwinter was an -important part of people's lives...	0:00:25	0:00:31
-..long before the birth of Christ.	0:00:31	0:00:33
-Celebrating the period when -daylight hours are at their least...	0:00:53	0:00:57
-..was very important -to the Celtic Druids...	0:00:57	0:01:00
-..because it heralded the beginning -of longer daylight hours.	0:01:00	0:01:04
-They knew that the light -of the New Year was on its way.	0:01:05	0:01:08
-Nature and life in general -is at its quietest in midwinter...	0:01:13	0:01:19
-..though the robin redbreast -is an exception.	0:01:19	0:01:23
-While many plants wither, -others blossom.	0:01:26	0:01:29
-Mistletoe...	0:01:29	0:01:31
-..holly and ivy.	0:01:31	0:01:34
-It is these which bring us hope -and a zest for life.	0:01:34	0:01:38
-These are the ancient origins -of many Christmas traditions.	0:01:40	0:01:44
-The robin redbreast, the wren...	0:01:51	0:01:53
-..the mistletoe, the pine cone...	0:01:53	0:01:56
-..the ivy, the yew and the holly.	0:01:56	0:02:00
-These are -all associated with Christmas.	0:02:00	0:02:04
-But what exactly is the connection?	0:02:04	0:02:06
-The answer's simple.	0:02:07	0:02:09
-This is most prominent wildlife -during the middle of winter.	0:02:09	0:02:13
-The red and green colours stand out.	0:02:17	0:02:21
-The robin redbreast and wren -chirrup noisily throughout winter.	0:02:22	0:02:27
-Since most of the plants -have died...	0:02:30	0:02:33
-..it's easier to spot animals -on land, especially if they're red.	0:02:33	0:02:39
-There are many legends -relating to the robin's red chest.	0:02:55	0:03:00
-Baby Jesus was born -on a very cold night.	0:03:01	0:03:04
-Joseph had lit a fire in the stable -to keep everyone warm.	0:03:04	0:03:09
-But the fire gradually died down.	0:03:09	0:03:12
-Joseph went in search -of more firewood.	0:03:12	0:03:15
-While he was away, Mary worried -that the fire would die...	0:03:15	0:03:19
-..and that the baby would be cold.	0:03:19	0:03:22
-But suddenly, -brown birds entered the stable...	0:03:22	0:03:25
-..and flew around the fire, -using their wings as bellows...	0:03:26	0:03:30
-..so that the fire -would take hold once again.	0:03:30	0:03:33
-Unfortunately, the birds -flew too close to the fire...	0:03:34	0:03:37
-..and burnt their chests.	0:03:37	0:03:39
-To show her gratitude to the birds -for keeping her and the baby warm...	0:03:40	0:03:45
-..Mary gave them red chests.	0:03:45	0:03:48
-The robin redbreast -is one of the few birds...	0:03:58	0:04:01
-..that sings throughout the year.	0:04:01	0:04:03
-The male and female, -which are identical...	0:04:04	0:04:07
-..look after their own -individual patch in winter.	0:04:07	0:04:11
-In doing so, -they sing loudly and clearly.	0:04:13	0:04:17
-They are also very tame birds and -tend to come very close to humans.	0:04:22	0:04:27
-They follow people -while they are gardening.	0:04:27	0:04:31
-By digging and raking the soil...	0:04:31	0:04:35
-..we unearth worms, -much to the delight of the robin.	0:04:35	0:04:39
-It would've followed large mammals -like deer around the forest...	0:04:43	0:04:48
-..knowing that they would -unearth worms with their feet.	0:04:48	0:04:52
-It was a convenient way -of finding food.	0:04:53	0:04:55
-During the Middle Ages, when man -started to control the forest...	0:05:02	0:05:07
-..by chopping down trees -for firewood...	0:05:07	0:05:10
-..the robin associated man with food -and followed him around.	0:05:10	0:05:15
-Since then, it's followed us -into our parks and gardens.	0:05:15	0:05:20
-Over time, the robin was such -a frequent visitor to our gardens...	0:05:20	0:05:25
-..that it became known -as Santa's robin...	0:05:25	0:05:28
-..and was widely featured -on Christmas cards.	0:05:28	0:05:31
-Pictures of the robin -and depictions of nature...	0:05:44	0:05:48
-..were dominant -on the first Christmas cards.	0:05:48	0:05:52
-The first example of a robin -on a Christmas card was in 1862.	0:05:52	0:05:57
-At the time, Royal Mail employees -wore red jackets.	0:05:57	0:06:02
-They were called robin redbreasts. -That's one of the reasons.	0:06:03	0:06:07
-The robin redbreast...	0:06:07	0:06:10
-..is a delightful character -in winter.	0:06:10	0:06:13
-It looks great on cards.	0:06:13	0:06:15
-What strikes me about these cards...	0:06:15	0:06:19
-..is the lack of religious imagery.	0:06:20	0:06:24
-Perhaps it's a reflection -of the festive season.	0:06:24	0:06:28
-It was midwinter and people were -looking ahead to the warmer months.	0:06:28	0:06:34
-That's the impression I get -from looking at them.	0:06:34	0:06:37
-Some of the greetings on the cards -are a reflection of that.	0:06:37	0:06:41
-Hope for the forthcoming months -and good luck in the New Year.	0:06:42	0:06:47
-Flowers are irrelevant -to the festive season.	0:06:47	0:06:51
-There are pansies, -lilies of the valley and roses.	0:06:52	0:06:55
-They're altogether symbols -of fertility...	0:06:56	0:06:59
-..in the months to follow.	0:06:59	0:07:02
-What's the oldest card here?	0:07:02	0:07:04
-What's the oldest card here? - -The earliest Christmas card...	0:07:04	0:07:06
-..dates back to 1843.	0:07:07	0:07:10
-But the oldest in this selection -is this one, from 1871...	0:07:11	0:07:15
-..and this from 1880...	0:07:16	0:07:18
-..when it was cheaper to post cards.	0:07:19	0:07:21
-There are many English ones but it's -nice to see old Welsh cards too.	0:07:22	0:07:26
-How old are the earliest Welsh ones?	0:07:26	0:07:29
-I don't know the exact year -but we certainly have examples...	0:07:29	0:07:34
-..from the end of the 19th century.	0:07:34	0:07:37
-There are novel little messages in -Welsh wishing a merry Christmas...	0:07:37	0:07:43
-..and fun over the festive period.	0:07:43	0:07:46
-Some of them feature Welsh poems...	0:07:46	0:07:49
-..referring to snow, -bara brith and red holly.	0:07:50	0:07:53
-"Merry Christmas -and a happy New Year.	0:07:53	0:07:56
-"Warm festive wishes - -eat, drink and be merry."	0:07:56	0:07:59
-Though it's a quiet season, -winter is teeming with wildlife.	0:08:06	0:08:10
-For many creatures, -it's a matter of survival.	0:08:14	0:08:18
-They are busy keeping alive -and well during this harsh season.	0:08:20	0:08:24
-There are -many handsome birds to be seen.	0:08:28	0:08:31
-Birds like the brambling...	0:08:32	0:08:34
-..the waxwing...	0:08:35	0:08:37
-..and the fieldfare...	0:08:38	0:08:41
-..that have all migrated from -the continent to spend winter here.	0:08:41	0:08:45
-But for some reason, they are not -included in the Christmas tradition.	0:08:45	0:08:50
-That honour has been limited -to only a small company of wildlife.	0:08:51	0:08:55
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-BAND PLAYS	0:09:35	0:09:38
-You know Christmas has arrived -when you see Santa and his reindeer.	0:10:04	0:10:09
-Did you know that the reindeer...	0:10:09	0:10:12
-..are the only deer where -both the male and female have horns.	0:10:12	0:10:16
-But the male reindeer loses -his horns in autumn after mating.	0:10:16	0:10:21
-What that means...	0:10:22	0:10:23
-..is that all of Santa's -reindeer are female.	0:10:24	0:10:28
-The female reindeer -retains her horns until spring...	0:10:32	0:10:36
-..since she uses them -to forage for food under the snow.	0:10:36	0:10:40
-She also uses them to protect her -young against predatory animals.	0:10:40	0:10:45
-They have adapted well -to freezing living conditions.	0:10:45	0:10:49
-Their feet are wide and prevent them -from sinking in the snow.	0:10:49	0:10:54
-They also have thick fur...	0:10:57	0:10:59
-..to keep them warm -in sub-zero temperatures.	0:10:59	0:11:03
-Santa Claus and his reindeer -are an essential part of Christmas.	0:11:07	0:11:11
-For the majority, it's the most -important of the year's festivals.	0:11:12	0:11:16
-It's celebrated -in the depths of winter.	0:11:16	0:11:20
-In the past, -it was the best time to celebrate...	0:11:23	0:11:27
-..because work ceased on the land.	0:11:28	0:11:30
-It was -the only extended break of the year.	0:11:31	0:11:35
-All the agricultural work -came to an end.	0:11:35	0:11:39
-In Wales, the archaic Welsh name for -the festive period was Y Gwyliau.	0:11:40	0:11:45
-A season which lasted -12 days after Christmas Day.	0:11:45	0:11:48
-It's been a tradition -since the Middle Ages.	0:11:49	0:11:52
-How long would they -have celebrated the festival?	0:11:57	0:12:00
-From what I've read, it would've -lasted a fortnight to three weeks.	0:12:01	0:12:06
-People accepted that Christmas was a -time to relax and enjoy themselves.	0:12:06	0:12:12
-They'd bring the plough into the -home and lay it under the table...	0:12:12	0:12:17
-..so that they could take a break.	0:12:17	0:12:19
-They would've used the time -to celebrate and feast.	0:12:20	0:12:23
-They would've celebrated the -passing of the agricultural year...	0:12:24	0:12:28
-..and looked forward to the abundant -crops and fruitfulness of spring.	0:12:28	0:12:33
-So it wasn't -a family celebration...	0:12:41	0:12:43
-..but much more of a social event?	0:12:44	0:12:47
-Yes. Take the Plygain service, -for instance.	0:12:48	0:12:51
-The entire village -would attend church...	0:12:51	0:12:54
-..late at night or early in the -morning to sing Christmas carols.	0:12:54	0:12:59
-There was certainly -plenty of community spirit long ago.	0:12:59	0:13:04
-On the night before Christmas, -people stayed up late...	0:13:06	0:13:10
-..to dance, prepare treacle toffee -and attend church...	0:13:10	0:13:15
-..to sing carols.	0:13:15	0:13:17
-They would've gathered evergreen -plants to decorate their homes.	0:13:18	0:13:22
-In the depths of winter, -people were glad of anything...	0:13:27	0:13:31
-..that was colourful.	0:13:31	0:13:34
-The plants were remarkable -because they survived...	0:13:35	0:13:38
-..and even blossomed and bore fruit -in the middle of winter.	0:13:39	0:13:44
-They obviously had magical powers. -They were symbols of eternal life.	0:13:46	0:13:51
-They were also used -to ward off evil spirits.	0:13:52	0:13:55
-Perhaps by bringing plants -into the home, it created a haven...	0:13:55	0:13:59
-..for the spirits of the trees -during harsh winters.	0:14:00	0:14:04
-You weren't meant -to hang ivy by itself in the home.	0:14:10	0:14:14
-It was customary to arrange the ivy -with another evergreen plant.	0:14:14	0:14:18
-It was believed that the leaves -represented eternal life...	0:14:23	0:14:27
-..and the red berries were -a symbol of Jesus Christ's blood.	0:14:28	0:14:32
-The spiky edges of the holly...	0:14:32	0:14:34
-..prevented any mischief -from evil spirits and so on.	0:14:35	0:14:40
-Holly was also used -to welcome guests.	0:14:45	0:14:47
-If you were driving cattle and saw -a sprig of holly outside a house...	0:14:48	0:14:52
-..you were welcome to go inside -and have a drink for free.	0:14:52	0:14:56
-In terms of mistletoe...	0:15:00	0:15:02
-..if women wanted a child...	0:15:05	0:15:08
-..it helped them conceive.	0:15:08	0:15:11
-If they wanted to find -a prospective partner...	0:15:11	0:15:14
-..they'd sleep with mistletoe -under their pillow.	0:15:14	0:15:17
-They believed that green plants -like the Christmas tree...	0:15:23	0:15:26
-..were full of goodness.	0:15:27	0:15:29
-They believed -they blessed the family.	0:15:29	0:15:32
-At the end of the festival, -they removed the plants...	0:15:35	0:15:39
-..to release the spirits...	0:15:39	0:15:42
-..otherwise any new growth, -new crops, the grass and so on...	0:15:42	0:15:46
-..wouldn't grow again in spring.	0:15:46	0:15:48
-Worse than that, the spirits -would remain in the house...	0:15:49	0:15:53
-..and create mischief.	0:15:53	0:15:55
-That's why -we take down our decorations...	0:15:55	0:15:59
-..12 days after Christmas.	0:15:59	0:16:01
-Hanging holly in the house -provided shelter for fairies.	0:16:04	0:16:08
-If it was a decent shelter, -the fairies protected the home.	0:16:09	0:16:14
-It was unlucky to bring holly into -the home before the festive period.	0:16:16	0:16:22
-It was also unlucky -to chop down holly...	0:16:22	0:16:26
-..unless the tree was dead.	0:16:26	0:16:28
-Holly leaves are very interesting.	0:16:32	0:16:34
-They're very different -from other leaves in Wales.	0:16:35	0:16:38
-They're thick and there's a wax -on the leaf's surface.	0:16:38	0:16:44
-There are two reasons for that.	0:16:44	0:16:46
-They can withstand -winter's fierce storms.	0:16:46	0:16:50
-More importantly, they don't -lose water through their leaves...	0:16:50	0:16:55
-..like other trees.	0:16:55	0:16:57
-That's the main reason holly retains -its leaves throughout the year.	0:16:57	0:17:02
-If I reach up for the higher ones, -notice the different leaves.	0:17:02	0:17:07
-These are very sharp.	0:17:07	0:17:10
-They're like that because they're -within reach of grazing animals...	0:17:10	0:17:15
-..like deer long ago -and nowadays sheep and cattle.	0:17:15	0:17:18
-The higher leaves look like -a completely different species...	0:17:18	0:17:23
-..because they don't have to defend -themselves against sheep and cattle.	0:17:23	0:17:29
-Isn't nature clever?	0:17:29	0:17:30
-Legend has it that -if holly is burgeoning with fruit...	0:17:36	0:17:39
-..we're sure to have a harsh winter.	0:17:40	0:17:42
-This isn't true.	0:17:44	0:17:46
-An abundance of fruit is the result -of previous weather...	0:17:46	0:17:50
-..when the flowers were pollinated.	0:17:50	0:17:53
-If it was favourable weather, -there'd be more pollination...	0:17:53	0:17:56
-..more fertilization -and more red holly.	0:17:57	0:17:59
-The leaves don't look -as if they should be eaten...	0:18:02	0:18:05
-..but allowing animals to graze on -them, especially sheep in winter...	0:18:06	0:18:10
-..is an ancient custom -since its leaves are nutritious.	0:18:11	0:18:15
-The yew, on the other hand, -is poisonous.	0:18:24	0:18:27
-It can kill horses and cattle.	0:18:29	0:18:32
-But one part of it -is edible for humans.	0:18:33	0:18:36
-The red berry on the fern.	0:18:37	0:18:40
-By all accounts, it's sweet.	0:18:40	0:18:43
-The fruit and seed -is even better for birds.	0:18:44	0:18:48
-Linnets tend to ground -the fruits with their beaks...	0:18:52	0:18:56
-..and eat the seed inside.	0:18:56	0:18:58
-This is a greenfinch.	0:19:01	0:19:03
-The song thrush, on the other hand, -eats the entire berry.	0:19:05	0:19:09
-This is a remarkable tree.	0:19:34	0:19:37
-They say the oldest living trees -in Britain, if not Europe...	0:19:37	0:19:41
-..are ancient yew trees.	0:19:41	0:19:43
-It looks like two trees - -one here and one on that side.	0:19:44	0:19:48
-This is what happens -when they get so old.	0:19:48	0:19:51
-They fragment -and the centre section dies.	0:19:51	0:19:54
-They estimate that this tree...	0:19:54	0:19:58
-..is 4,000 years old.	0:19:58	0:20:00
-Consider this.	0:20:01	0:20:03
-When Jesus Christ was born...	0:20:03	0:20:05
-..this tree -was already 2,000 years old.	0:20:05	0:20:09
-The Llangernyw Yew is -the oldest living tree in Britain.	0:20:14	0:20:17
-There's no wonder people thought -the yew was the tree of life.	0:20:18	0:20:22
-It was planted in holy places.	0:20:25	0:20:28
-Since it lived for so long, -it represented eternal life.	0:20:29	0:20:33
-The yew tree -was the original Christmas tree.	0:20:33	0:20:36
-It's been replaced nowadays -by the spruce...	0:20:40	0:20:43
-..a foreign tree from Norway.	0:20:44	0:20:46
-You see Christmas trees like this -in every town...	0:20:48	0:20:52
-..and in almost -every home in the country.	0:20:52	0:20:55
-Rarely are they this tall.	0:20:55	0:20:57
-Because it's covered -in so many lights...	0:20:57	0:21:00
-..it's hard to tell -there's a tree underneath.	0:21:00	0:21:03
-The tradition of decorating trees, -especially Christmas trees...	0:21:03	0:21:08
-..goes back many centuries.	0:21:08	0:21:10
-Today we decorate them with lights -and before that, it was candles.	0:21:10	0:21:15
-Before that, apples.	0:21:15	0:21:18
-In the Middle Ages, 24 December -marked the Feast of Adam and Eve.	0:21:20	0:21:26
-In Germany, the story -of the Creation was acted out...	0:21:26	0:21:29
-..in open-air theatres.	0:21:29	0:21:31
-A tree in the town centre...	0:21:31	0:21:34
-..was decorated with apples -to represent the Garden of Eden.	0:21:34	0:21:38
-By the late Middle Ages...	0:21:38	0:21:40
-..these plays turned into -rowdy open-air celebrations...	0:21:41	0:21:44
-..with no biblical associations.	0:21:45	0:21:48
-Much like today, to be honest.	0:21:48	0:21:50
-The apples -became colourful baubles.	0:21:51	0:21:54
-During the 18th century...	0:21:55	0:21:57
-..Queen Charlotte, -the wife of George III...	0:21:58	0:22:01
-..put up a yew tree -for Christmas in Windsor.	0:22:01	0:22:04
-The queen was born in Germany -and introduced the custom here.	0:22:04	0:22:08
-During Queen Victoria's reign...	0:22:09	0:22:11
-..Albert, -who was also born in Germany...	0:22:11	0:22:16
-..put up a tree at Windsor, -but this time, it was a spruce.	0:22:16	0:22:20
-Since there was literature available -to the public at this time...	0:22:21	0:22:25
-..describing the tree...	0:22:25	0:22:28
-..the aristocratic custom -was adopted by the hoi polloi.	0:22:28	0:22:32
-In next to no time, the spruce...	0:22:33	0:22:35
-..was an important -Christmas decoration in every home.	0:22:35	0:22:39
-As luck would have it, -Wales has a plentiful supply.	0:22:39	0:22:43
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-Before the Victorian era...	0:23:20	0:23:22
-..Christmas was more of -a social festival than a family one.	0:23:22	0:23:27
-A squire would show -his gratitude to his subjects...	0:23:27	0:23:30
-..with gifts and holidays.	0:23:31	0:23:33
-Most people worked the land.	0:23:34	0:23:36
-It was the 12 days' holiday, -not the day that was important...	0:23:36	0:23:40
-..even up until the 1950s.	0:23:40	0:23:42
-In many Welsh villages, Christmas -meant staying up all night...	0:23:48	0:23:53
-..or rising early to attend the -Plygain service in the local church.	0:23:53	0:23:58
-Homes were decorated -with holly and mistletoe.	0:23:58	0:24:01
-Mistletoe grows on trees.	0:24:05	0:24:08
-But it doesn't thrive -in dense woodland...	0:24:09	0:24:12
-..or on native trees like the oak -because it requires lots of light.	0:24:12	0:24:17
-It grows predominantly -on trees that have been planted.	0:24:17	0:24:21
-The apple tree -is its favourite habitat.	0:24:22	0:24:25
-Orchards, parks and gardens -are all habitats...	0:24:29	0:24:32
-..that have been man made.	0:24:33	0:24:36
-Although mistletoe is commonplace -nowadays, it was rare in the past...	0:24:36	0:24:41
-..which made it a special plant.	0:24:41	0:24:44
-Do you hear that birdsong?	0:24:58	0:25:00
-That's the mistle thrush.	0:25:01	0:25:03
-He's defending his territory...	0:25:04	0:25:06
-..which includes -this entire orchard.	0:25:06	0:25:10
-He's defending an area...	0:25:10	0:25:12
-..where there must be enough food -within that territory...	0:25:12	0:25:16
-..to last him through winter.	0:25:17	0:25:19
-The berries of the mistletoe -are his vital food source.	0:25:19	0:25:23
-The mistle thrush is named after -the mistletoe plant...	0:25:27	0:25:32
-..because it protects the branches -and eats the berries.	0:25:33	0:25:36
-The berries are digested...	0:25:39	0:25:41
-..and the seed is excreted.	0:25:41	0:25:43
-Its faeces -is sometimes left on branch.	0:25:44	0:25:47
-In time, -the seed starts to sprout...	0:25:47	0:25:50
-..and embeds its root in the bark.	0:25:50	0:25:52
-It develops -into a new plant on the tree.	0:25:52	0:25:57
-It has another trick too. -These berries are like glue.	0:25:57	0:26:01
-Sometimes -some of the liquid and the seed...	0:26:02	0:26:06
-..stick to the bird's beak.	0:26:07	0:26:09
-The bird rubs its beak -against the branch like this...	0:26:09	0:26:14
-..and leaves the seed right where -it should be, on the branch.	0:26:14	0:26:18
-Once again, it embeds a root -and the plant grows again.	0:26:18	0:26:23
-There's no wonder our ancestors -believed it had miraculous powers.	0:26:24	0:26:29
-It's a plant that demonstrates that -the rules of nature have changed.	0:26:29	0:26:35
-Instead of growing upwards...	0:26:35	0:26:37
-..mistletoe -grows downwards from a branch.	0:26:38	0:26:41
-It isn't rooted in earth but bark.	0:26:41	0:26:44
-The berries are white, the only -white berries in Wales long ago.	0:26:44	0:26:48
-The Druids believed -they were sent by God...	0:26:51	0:26:55
-..and brought luck and fertility -and protected them from witchcraft.	0:26:55	0:27:00
-They referred to it -as 'all-healing'.	0:27:01	0:27:05
-But in actual fact, -it's a poisonous plant.	0:27:09	0:27:12
-Its leaves alone don't produce -enough nourishment for the plant...	0:27:13	0:27:18
-..so it must acquire -additional nourishment.	0:27:18	0:27:22
-It gets it -by embedding its roots in a tree.	0:27:22	0:27:25
-It's a parasite -and can kill its host tree.	0:27:25	0:27:29
-It wasn't associated with Christmas -until the 18th century...	0:27:35	0:27:39
-..when the plant was scarce.	0:27:40	0:27:43
-Like Santa Claus and his reindeer...	0:27:44	0:27:46
-..kissing under the mistletoe is -a tradition from Norse mythology.	0:27:46	0:27:51
-Many a man and woman -are grateful for that.	0:27:51	0:27:54
-In the past, ivy wasn't used -to decorate a church...	0:28:03	0:28:06
-..because of the plant's association -with drinking alcohol.	0:28:07	0:28:11
-Since it could grow -and cover vines...	0:28:11	0:28:14
-..herbalists believed that the -berries could cure binge drinking.	0:28:15	0:28:19
-Publicans would grow ivy on poles -outside their taverns...	0:28:19	0:28:23
-..to advertise the sale of alcohol.	0:28:23	0:28:26
-Drinking from a vessel -made from ivy bark....	0:28:26	0:28:29
-..was meant to reduce -the effects of the alcohol.	0:28:29	0:28:33
-It wasn't the best plant -to promote the biblical Christmas...	0:28:33	0:28:37
-..but very useful to many of us -during the festivities.	0:28:37	0:28:41
-Ivy was originally a tree plant.	0:28:41	0:28:44
-It constantly craves sunlight.	0:28:44	0:28:48
-That's why you see it growing -along stone walls, on trees...	0:28:48	0:28:54
-..and even on the ground.	0:28:54	0:28:57
-Some argue that ivy kills trees.	0:29:00	0:29:02
-But not directly.	0:29:03	0:29:06
-Ivy wraps itself -around the branches...	0:29:06	0:29:09
-..to bear its weight -and allow it to climb.	0:29:09	0:29:11
-Unlike the mistletoe, the roots -aren't embedded in the host tree.	0:29:13	0:29:18
-Ivy produces its own nourishment, -like a regular plant.	0:29:18	0:29:22
-When there is dense vegetation, -the additional weight...	0:29:22	0:29:26
-..can cause the tree -to keel over in a storm.	0:29:27	0:29:30
-There's no doubt that ivy like -this is a very important plant...	0:29:30	0:29:37
-..to all kinds of wildlife.	0:29:37	0:29:39
-For a start, it's evergreen -and will shelter animals.	0:29:39	0:29:43
-More importantly, -it grows very dense...	0:29:43	0:29:47
-..an improves shade.	0:29:47	0:29:49
-Often insects spend winter...	0:29:49	0:29:51
-..in ivy like this.	0:29:51	0:29:54
-The flowers -blossom later in the year...	0:29:54	0:29:58
-..usually at the end of October, -beginning of November.	0:29:58	0:30:02
-There isn't much around -at that time of year...	0:30:02	0:30:06
-..that will provide nectar -for late-coming insects.	0:30:06	0:30:09
-Because it blossoms later...	0:30:09	0:30:11
-..these black berries -appear late in the year too.	0:30:12	0:30:15
-They're an important food source -for all kinds of birds.	0:30:15	0:30:19
-Giving presents -is an important part of Christmas.	0:30:56	0:30:59
-The first presents -were gold, frankincense and myrrh.	0:31:00	0:31:04
-Gold is associated with kings.	0:31:04	0:31:07
-The Wise Men believed -that Jesus was King of the Jews.	0:31:07	0:31:11
-But why frankincense and myrrh?	0:31:11	0:31:14
-Gold, frankincense and myrrh -were Jesus' presents.	0:31:25	0:31:30
-Everyone knows what gold is, -but what is frankincense and myrrh?	0:31:31	0:31:36
-It's remarkable, isn't it? -Believe it or not, they're plants.	0:31:36	0:31:41
-They're trees that grow...	0:31:41	0:31:44
-..in very remote areas.	0:31:45	0:31:47
-Take frankincense, for instance.	0:31:47	0:31:49
-It's similar, in terms of its leaves -to something like a rowan tree.	0:31:49	0:31:54
-It grows in north Somalia...	0:31:54	0:31:58
-..Ethiopia, in the Yemen...	0:31:58	0:32:02
-..and grows -in very remote locations.	0:32:02	0:32:05
-It grows out of the bare rock.	0:32:05	0:32:09
-I've never seen one...	0:32:09	0:32:11
-..but I imagine -it's like a rowan tree...	0:32:11	0:32:16
-..growing on rugged slopes -in somewhere like Cwm Idwal.	0:32:16	0:32:20
-What does it look like?	0:32:21	0:32:22
-Something similar to this.	0:32:23	0:32:25
-Let me show you.	0:32:25	0:32:27
-This is the resin, in effect.	0:32:28	0:32:31
-This is the raw material...	0:32:31	0:32:34
-..that comes from the tree.	0:32:34	0:32:37
-It has a wonderful aroma.	0:32:37	0:32:38
-It has a wonderful aroma. - -Yes, it's lovely.	0:32:38	0:32:40
-They use it to burn incense.	0:32:41	0:32:43
-It's still used nowadays...	0:32:44	0:32:46
-..in churches, -especially Roman Catholic churches.	0:32:47	0:32:51
-They use a thurible to disperse -the aroma when the priest swings it.	0:32:52	0:32:57
-If they gave frankincense and myrrh -along with gold to baby Jesus...	0:32:57	0:33:01
-..they must've been very precious.	0:33:02	0:33:04
-Yes, they were.	0:33:04	0:33:06
-The frankincense and myrrh was -even more valuable than the gold.	0:33:06	0:33:11
-The significance...	0:33:11	0:33:13
-..and symbolism -that goes with it is important...	0:33:14	0:33:17
-..because only kings and emperors -could afford them.	0:33:17	0:33:21
-Traditionally in Wales, food played -a greater part in the festival...	0:33:54	0:33:59
-..than the giving of presents.	0:33:59	0:34:01
-Life was hard in the countryside.	0:34:01	0:34:03
-Keeping food for the feast...	0:34:04	0:34:05
-..to share with loved ones was -one of the few ways to celebrate.	0:34:06	0:34:11
-There was no money to buy presents.	0:34:11	0:34:14
-Many animals would be slaughtered -at this time of year...	0:34:15	0:34:19
-..because there -wasn't enough food to feed them.	0:34:19	0:34:22
-They were either consumed or salted -to last the winter months.	0:34:22	0:34:27
-Goose was served at Christmas -in Wales until the turkey took over.	0:34:33	0:34:37
-The wild Greylag goose...	0:34:41	0:34:43
-..is the traditional -Christmas goose.	0:34:44	0:34:47
-What's interesting about it -is that years ago...	0:34:47	0:34:51
-..it was a wild goose -that nested in the north.	0:34:52	0:34:55
-It came to Wales -for the winter months.	0:34:55	0:34:59
-Centuries ago, -some geese were tamed...	0:35:00	0:35:03
-..and they fled back to the wild.	0:35:03	0:35:08
-This is what we see -in our fields today.	0:35:08	0:35:11
-The wild goose is the largest -of Europe's wild geese.	0:35:15	0:35:19
-As well as meat, -it provided eggs, fat...	0:35:19	0:35:23
-..and feathers, -so it was worth taming.	0:35:23	0:35:26
-Over a century and a half ago, -every farm in Wales...	0:35:28	0:35:31
-..had at least one goose ready to -be eaten over the Christmas period.	0:35:32	0:35:36
-Goose and other produce...	0:35:41	0:35:44
-..were sold in markets.	0:35:44	0:35:47
-Although the produce is different...	0:35:47	0:35:49
-..it's a tradition -that still continues today.	0:35:50	0:35:53
-This is -Abergavenny's Christmas market.	0:35:55	0:35:58
-One of the main problems -facing people years ago...	0:35:59	0:36:02
-..was food preservation -during winter...	0:36:02	0:36:05
-..especially if they wanted a feast.	0:36:06	0:36:08
-How did they keep the food?	0:36:08	0:36:10
-It wasn't as easy as going to the -supermarket or butcher's nowadays.	0:36:11	0:36:15
-You couldn't -plug the freezer into the socket.	0:36:15	0:36:19
-But there were certain foods -that could be kept years ago.	0:36:19	0:36:22
-Nuts and dried fruits.	0:36:22	0:36:25
-Hazelnuts would keep for months, -so too would dried fruit.	0:36:26	0:36:31
-That's why both those foods -are still associated with Christmas.	0:36:31	0:36:35
-It is predominantly foreign nuts and -fruits that are on sale these days.	0:36:36	0:36:42
-But there are also native fruits -that are important at Christmas.	0:36:42	0:36:47
-One of the most important -are cranberries.	0:36:47	0:36:50
-They ripen by the end of October...	0:36:50	0:36:53
-..and collecting them -is an age-old tradition.	0:36:53	0:36:56
-Ifan Burtwhistle knows -of a prime location in Ceredigion.	0:36:57	0:37:02
-Is picking cranberries -a family tradition for you?	0:37:02	0:37:06
-Yes. I remember doing it -from a very early age.	0:37:06	0:37:11
-I suppose they need a wet -environment in which to grow?	0:37:12	0:37:16
-Yes, they like wet banks -at the side of the lake.	0:37:16	0:37:20
-We'll go down this way.	0:37:20	0:37:22
-There are some under your arm.	0:37:24	0:37:27
-They're quite large, aren't they?	0:37:28	0:37:30
-Yes, we're picking them -late in the season.	0:37:31	0:37:34
-The more you look, -the more you find.	0:37:34	0:37:36
-I pick whinberries -but not cranberries.	0:37:37	0:37:40
-Do they taste nice?	0:37:40	0:37:42
-Why don't you try one?	0:37:42	0:37:44
-It's very sour without sugar.	0:37:44	0:37:48
-Yes, it's very sour. -Incredibly sour.	0:37:48	0:37:52
-What exactly do you do with them?	0:37:53	0:37:55
-You take them home. What next?	0:37:56	0:37:57
-You turn them into some sort to jam.	0:37:58	0:38:01
-You reduce them down with sugar -and eat them with turkey.	0:38:01	0:38:05
-It's a nice thing to do as a family.	0:38:05	0:38:08
-You can waste hours doing this.	0:38:08	0:38:09
-You can waste hours doing this. - -I'm sure.	0:38:09	0:38:11
-We've been here half an hour -and this is all I've picked.	0:38:11	0:38:16
-.	0:38:33	0:38:34
-Subtitles	0:38:38	0:38:38
-Subtitles - -Subtitles	0:38:38	0:38:40
-Another tradition associated -with Christmas is hunting.	0:38:47	0:38:51
-It was a dangerous time for wildlife -during the Christmas season.	0:38:53	0:38:57
-Birds...	0:38:57	0:38:59
-..otters, rabbits, foxes, hares...	0:39:00	0:39:03
-..and squirrels were hunted.	0:39:04	0:39:06
-This is the grave of William Thomas, -better known as Glanffrwd.	0:39:20	0:39:25
-In his book, Plwyf Llanwonno...	0:39:26	0:39:28
-..he describes the way -they hunted squirrels years ago.	0:39:29	0:39:34
-It was the red squirrel back then. -There were no grey squirrels.	0:39:34	0:39:39
-He describes how a group of men -would come together...	0:39:39	0:39:42
-..after singing Plygain -in the morning...	0:39:42	0:39:45
-..and go into the woods -to hunt squirrel...	0:39:46	0:39:49
-..and then throw stones and branches -to move the animal onwards...	0:39:49	0:39:53
-..and then relentlessly follow it...	0:39:53	0:39:56
-..until the poor animal -became so exhausted...	0:39:56	0:40:00
-..it would fall out of the tree -and was killed.	0:40:00	0:40:04
-On Boxing Day, -boys would hunt wrens.	0:40:33	0:40:37
-It was an age-old tradition -throughout the Celtic nations.	0:40:45	0:40:50
-Boxing Day is called -Day of the Wren in Irish.	0:40:50	0:40:53
-There are -high numbers of wrens in Wales.	0:40:53	0:40:56
-Although it's a small bird...	0:40:57	0:41:00
-..it has -an unnaturally high voice.	0:41:00	0:41:02
-That was its problem and one -of the reasons why it's hunted.	0:41:05	0:41:10
-The tradition's origin -stems from Stephen...	0:41:18	0:41:21
-..the first Christian martyr -who was awaiting his fate in prison.	0:41:21	0:41:26
-He tried to escape one night, -and he would've succeeded...	0:41:26	0:41:30
-..had it not been for the fact -that a wren had sung so loudly...	0:41:30	0:41:34
-..it woke the soldiers, -who then recaptured Stephen.	0:41:34	0:41:38
-From that day on, the wren -has been considered a bad omen.	0:41:39	0:41:43
-Something's crawling.	0:42:01	0:42:04
-Something's crawling -among the brambles...	0:42:04	0:42:07
-..not far from -the bottom of that tree.	0:42:07	0:42:10
-If you look closely, something's -popping up and down over there.	0:42:10	0:42:15
-Rarely do you see one -out in the open.	0:42:16	0:42:19
-It hides like a mouse.	0:42:20	0:42:22
-It's gone over there now.	0:42:22	0:42:26
-Very good.	0:42:26	0:42:28
-How did they catch a wren?	0:42:31	0:42:34
-The most sensible way...	0:42:34	0:42:36
-..to catch a wren -is to find where it roosts.	0:42:36	0:42:39
-The best place -to find a roosting wren...	0:42:39	0:42:42
-..is in its nest.	0:42:43	0:42:46
-It goes there -in cold weather to roost.	0:42:46	0:42:50
-There might be 10 or more of them -huddled together in there.	0:42:50	0:42:54
-Once you're familiar with -where they're likely to be...	0:42:54	0:42:58
-..you'd place your hand over -the hole at night or before dawn...	0:42:58	0:43:03
-..and it's easy to catch one.	0:43:03	0:43:06
-What did they do with the wren -after catching it?	0:43:06	0:43:10
-Once it was caught, -the poor thing was killed...	0:43:11	0:43:15
-..and placed -in a bird house made of wood...	0:43:15	0:43:18
-..with colourful ribbons -hanging from it.	0:43:18	0:43:22
-They would carry it -from house to house...	0:43:22	0:43:26
-..and sing verses outside while -those inside sang their own verses.	0:43:26	0:43:31
-After a contest, they would -go inside, have a beer...	0:43:31	0:43:35
-..and have some fun, of course.	0:43:35	0:43:38
-# Little wren is the lad	0:43:38	0:43:40
-# Little wren is the lad	0:43:40	0:43:42
-# All the fuss is about	0:43:42	0:43:44
-# All the fuss is about	0:43:44	0:43:46
-# Tonight there's a quest	0:43:46	0:43:48
-# Tonight there's a quest	0:43:49	0:43:50
-# For him everywhere	0:43:50	0:43:52
-# For him everywhere - -# For him everywhere	0:43:52	0:43:54
-# We'll spill his blood	0:43:54	0:43:56
-# We'll spill his blood - -# We'll spill his blood	0:43:56	0:43:58
-# On the ground, that we must	0:43:58	0:44:00
-# On the ground, that we must	0:44:00	0:44:02
-# To ensure the land	0:44:02	0:44:04
-# To ensure the land - -# To ensure the land	0:44:04	0:44:06
-# Is forever fertile #	0:44:06	0:44:08
-# Is forever fertile #	0:44:08	0:44:10
-Christmas combines -many old and new traditions.	0:44:19	0:44:23
-Over the years, the nature of the -festival has changed dramatically...	0:44:26	0:44:31
-..especially over recent years.	0:44:31	0:44:34
-"Thank goodness for that," -say many a wild creature.	0:44:35	0:44:39
-In the past, Christmas signified -a quiet time in the countryside...	0:44:41	0:44:45
-..and winter's -most prominent wildlife.	0:44:46	0:44:49
-Nowadays, in our vibrant towns, -the old traditions...	0:44:54	0:44:58
-..are hidden in an artificial world.	0:44:58	0:45:01
-Images of wildlife remain...	0:45:03	0:45:06
-..but we've forgotten why they're an -important part of the celebrations.	0:45:06	0:45:11
-We celebrate Christmas -on 25 December...	0:45:28	0:45:31
-..but the shortest day is on -the 21st, known as Winter Solstice.	0:45:31	0:45:36
-The ancient Yuletide festival -started on this day.	0:45:36	0:45:40
-The Yule log tradition -emanates from this festival.	0:45:41	0:45:44
-When it's cold outside and snowing, -there's nothing better...	0:46:11	0:46:15
-..than coming inside -to a roaring fire like this.	0:46:16	0:46:19
-Years ago, they would burn a huge -tree trunk over the festive period.	0:46:20	0:46:25
-It was often oak -because it was the most common tree.	0:46:26	0:46:30
-They would decorate the tree trunk -with pine cones, branches...	0:46:30	0:46:35
-..evergreen plants, holly and so on.	0:46:36	0:46:39
-The fire -was meant to last 12 days...	0:46:39	0:46:42
-..until the end of the festive -period on the sixth of January.	0:46:42	0:46:46
-The burning of the log was a symbol -of the sun's power returning.	0:46:46	0:46:52
-They were celebrating the fact -that the short days were over...	0:46:53	0:46:57
-..and better things were to come.	0:46:57	0:46:59
-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.	0:47:47	0:47:49
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