St Andrews Cathedral
WHAT IS ST ANDREW'S DAY?
St Andrew's Day is the feast day of Andrew the Apostle and is celebrated every year in Scotland on the 30 November. In 1320, St Andrew officially became the patron saint of Scotland when the country's independence was declared with the signing of The Declaration of Arbroath.
IS ST ANDREW'S DAY A PUBLIC HOLIDAY?
Yes. In 2006, the Scottish Parliament declared St Andrew's Day a bank holiday. Although it is not law, most Scottish employers are left to decide whether to give their staff a day off and close for the day. If the 30 November falls on the weekend, staff are given the Friday or Monday off work.
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON ST ANDREW'S DAY TRADITIONS?
St Andrew's Day celebrates the very best of Scottish culture with lots of delicious food and drink, music and ceilidh dancing, with parties going into the wee small hours of the night.
WHERE IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF SCOTLAND'S NATIONAL FLAG?
Athelstaneford in East Lothian is the birthplace of Scotland's national flag. The St Andrew's Cross or Saltire is believed to be the oldest flag in Europe.
Man addressing the haggis at a Burns Supper.
WHAT ARE COMMON ST ANDREW'S DAY GAMES?
Get creative at home with these fun St Andrew's Day crafts, from Scottie Dog mobiles to making your very own saltire collage. There's lots to keep wee and big bairns entertained!
WHAT ARE COMMON ST ANDREW'S DAY SONGS?
Here are just a few suggestions to kick off your St Andrew's day sing-a-long, from the famous Auld Lang Syne to Dougie Maclean's epic anthem Caledonia.
- Liberty sung by The Corries
- Loch Lomond performed by Runrig
- Scots Wha Hae, written by Robert Burns, sung by Dick Gaughan
- The Wild Geese/Norland Wind sung by Jim Reid
WHAT IS ST ANDREW'S DAY FOOD?
Scotland’s food and drink plays a big part on St Andrew’s Day. For starters, the traditional soup dish, Cullen Skink, is often served and is made of smoked haddock, potatoes and onions. When it comes to the main course, many people celebrate Scotland’s patron saint with haggis, neeps (turnip), and tatties (mashed potato), or why not try Scotch lamb? Whether you decide to cook up a storm at home and buy from your local butchers or choose to dine out, you’ll find a wide variety of dishes across Scotland’s pubs and restaurants.
Dessert is a dish best served hot especially on a cold winter night, so round off your feast with clootie dumpling and custard - a traditional Scottish dessert made of dried fruit, spices, oatmeal or breadcrumbs, flour, and beef suet. The word ‘clootie’ derives from the Old Scots word ‘cloth’ where the dumpling was traditionally boiled.
