Gibson and the Apocalypse: Mare-y Christmas!
So the Welsh have an absolutely amazing midwinter tradition involving a horse skull named Mari Lwyd, or Grey Mare. The skull is usually adorned with Christmas baubles, ribbons, winter greenery, and a long white sheet, and typically appears around Christmas and New Years to join in on the festivities– specifically, she travels around to people’s houses with a group of handlers who request entry and refreshments at each house by means of a back-and-forth carol battle with the homeowners.
I love the Mari Lwyd for several reasons: first reason being that despite her somewhat unnerving ghostly appearance, she seems to be a mostly benevolent spirit and will bless your house with good fortune and prosperity for the following year in exchange for letting her in and sharing your beer.
The second reason is that...I know what a horse skull looks like. I was in 4-H for years, I studied so many diagrams of it. My riding instructor had a full-size model of one just chilling on her desk. This alone would be a completely normal sight to me. But suddenly, for some reason, when you bedeck one with ribbons and give it Christmas baubles for eyes, it.....becomes utterly terrifying??? And somehow this became a festive Welsh tradition?? I love it intensely.
Merry Christmas and Wæs hæil!
