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Anna Yankoski 
Dec. 23, 1992 
Anna H. Yankoski, Of North Main Avenue, Scranton, Died Wednesday In Scranton 
Mercy Hospital.

By JIM VAN NOSTRAND; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Saturday, December 26, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A QUICK WORDS: WELSH CHRISTMAS 





COURTESY PHOTO &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 HERITAGE - Margaret Jones, left, and Elsie Meredith Deobold, both of First
Welsh Presbuterian Church in Wilkes-Barre, model traditional Welsh dress in
front of a display of Deobold's Welsh family heirlooms. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; WILKES-BARRE -- Many Welsh in the Wyoming Valley might have a hard time
recalling the 19th century Christmas traditions of their ancestors at
Llanfairpwllycrochon, and a harder time pronouncing it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That's a shortened version of a village name that means "St. Mary's Church
in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St.
Tysilio near the red cave." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Few Welsh descendants -- and there are 25,630 Luzerne County folks who
claim Welsh ancestry, according to the 1990 Census -- practice the ancient
Christmas traditions. And the language has almost disappeared from
Northeastern Pennsylvania. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But the pride hasn't vanished, evidenced by the St. David's, Cambrian and
Red Dragon societies among others organizing social activities and public
displays, such as at Eckley Miner's Village near Hazleton. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Welsh prospectors were early visitors to Luzerne County, according to the
Wyoming Historical and Geological Society. They began to arrive in large
numbers in the 1850s, using their experience from the coal and slate mines of
South Wales to get jobs cracking the hard anthracite here. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 By 1890, the greatest concentration of Welsh in America was found in
Wilkes-Barre and surrounding communities. Today area telephone books still
list pages filled with Welsh names including Williams, Evans, Davis, Jenkins,
Powell, Lewis, Lloyd, Thomas, Hughes and Jones. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 George Powell, past president of the St. David's Society, says most Welsh
families in the area observe Christmas no differently today from anyone else. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They assimilated," said Powell, 71, whose grandfather emigrated at the
turn of the century and died in a mine accident in 1917. "They became
American. They wanted to leave their past behind and come to this New World." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Christmas goose and plum pudding were great institutions at
Llanfairpwllycrochon, the Welsh village described by R.P. Hampton Roberts in
1878. The English invaders' idea of substituting beef for the Christmas dinner
caused a great uproar. Then there was the bun-loaf, or barabrith, made large
enough to last the children up to a fortnight, or two weeks. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Christmas Eve was occupied with making paper ornaments and "kissing
bushes," radiant with oranges, apples, paper roses and such. Then came the
night's sweet task of making "cyflath," or toffee. Those who spoke the Saxon
tongue among the villagers called it "taffy." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 At midnight, when the syrupy stuff was sufficiently boiled, it would be
poured into a pan and put into the open air to cool while the revelers went
caroling through the neighborhood. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Perhaps the strangest of the forgotten Welsh customs was called "Hodening,"
or perhaps "Hoodening." Some called it the "Mari Lwyd." Legends link it with
the ghostly appearance on a phantom horse of an ancient Celtic princess, who
once held sway over the lands of Gwent and Glamorgan. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sometime during the Christmas holidays, a horse's skull or a wooden
imitation of one was outfitted with a movable jaw, dressed with ribbons and
placed on a pole. The ribbons were supplied by the unmarried girls of the
village. The boy carrying it was concealed under a sheet. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The bearer was led about by young men who rang bells and shouted. A lighted
candle in the horse's eyes produced a frightening effect when the rogues
knocked at doors and confronted householders with their apparition. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 When the door was opened, the horse kicked, reared, jumped and clicked its
teeth. The young men improvised verses demanding admission. The householder
was required to reply in kind and the contest continued until one or the other
ran out of rhymed ideas. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 If the paraders failed, they had to go away. If they won, they were invited
inside and given cakes, beer and money while the groom dutifully tried to stop
the horse from chasing the girls around the room. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The greatest traditions the Welsh brought from the home country were their
religious faith and love of song. Forty-five Welsh churches once flourished
here. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A few local churches still foster that love of song by sponsoring annual
events known as Gymnafa Ganu (hymn singing festival) and Eisteddfod (music and
poetry competition). &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Elsie Meredith Deobold, 78, of Wilkes-Barre, says to be born Welsh is to
have music in your blood and poetry in your soul. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We're all proud of our heritage, and we're happy that all of us are
getting back to our roots," she said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 T &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 hey (the Welsh) assimilated. They became American. They wanted to leave the
past behind and come to this New World. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 George Powell &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Grandson of Welsh immigrant

The Colorful Welsh Christmas Lives On In Memory Early Welsh Settlers Brought A Strong Religious Faith And Love Of Song To The Area